Migrant agricultural workers in Canada contribute to employment insurance (EI) but cannot access it after their contracts end and they return home. Their contracts are tied to a single employer, limiting their flexibility. A proposed $500-million class action lawsuit is being prepared to challenge these rules. The case represents workers in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and the Temporary Foreign Workers Program-Agricultural Stream over the past 15 years. The allegations are yet to be proven in court. A 2022 report states that Canada’s reliance on these workers has grown, with their numbers increasing by 600% since 2000. Advocates for migrant workers believe the lawsuit is crucial for securing more rights for them.
