Essay: Temporary Work Programs and Migrant Worker Benefits in Canada

This essay examines temporary work programs in Canada, focusing on the experiences of migrant workers, particularly those involved in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers (SAW) Program. It explores both the advantages and disadvantages of these programs, considering benefits such as employment opportunities, fixed income, and access to education for workers' children. The essay also highlights the challenges faced by migrant workers, including limited rights, potential exploitation, and difficulties accessing healthcare and social benefits. The case of a worker with kidney failure, Gutiérrez, is used to illustrate the complexities and potential injustices within the system. The essay concludes by advocating for improvements in the programs to ensure fair treatment and adequate support for migrant workers, emphasizing the government's responsibility for their well-being and the need for equal treatment regardless of worker status.

Running head: ENGLISH ESSAY
ENGLISH ESSAY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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ENGLISH ESSAY
Temporary work programs initiated by the government bring in immigrated workers
into the country, in this case being Canada from Mexico, and gave them employment in
farms under a fixed working permit. There are both advantages and disadvantages to such
temporary work programs both from the individual level as well as the government level. The
temporary worker program does provide employment to a large number of people who
otherwise would have been unemployed. The workers who work in farms are employed by
the government through a temporary worker program where they are given certain benefits
for the duration of the work permit. The article Farming it out talks about the issue faced by a
worker Gutiérrez who was diagnosed with kidney failure. He came to Canada from Mexico
through the SAW (Seasonal Agricultural Workers) Program. Instead of being an illegal
immigrant in the country, the temporary programs give several benefits to the migrant
workers. They have both social benefits as well as legal rights at least on a theoretical level.
These temporary programs are initiatives taken by the government to encourage workforce
diversification through the employment of immigrant workers by giving them sufficient
rights like every other worker. Another advantage of temporary work programs is that the
workers get a fixed source of income which otherwise would have been impossible for them
to find and they can support their family. This can be understood from the article where it
states, “the program provides farmers with a “reliable” source of labor” (Amuchastegui,
2006). Moreover, the wage that the workers are paid in the temporary work programs for a
week is more than the workers in Mexico. This gives them a sense of earning more which
would make their life organized. Another advantage of being employed in temporary
programs is that the children of the workers get educational benefit till the time that they are
working under the permit. The longer duration that a worker is showing active participation
in the program, the higher level of education is received by his children in Mexico. The
workers also receive many social benefits from the government such as health care facilities

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as well as CPP for retied workers. If the worker receives any injury due to his work then he
receives workers comp.
However, there is also a downside to these programs. A huge amount is deducted
from the paychecks of the workers basing it on taxes such as income tax, CPP and others.
They also do not receive every benefit that is given to the same state worker of the same
level. If any of the workers complain about working or living conditions, then they are sent
back to their own country. They are even denied the benefit of EI stating that they might try t
find new employment. As stated by Nakache (2013), “The restrictive nature of the work,
which is employer specific, limits the rights that workers might otherwise exercise to change
employers”. In the article Farming it out, it can be seen that Gutiérrez has been denied
treatment in Canada and is being forced to being sent back to Mexico under the pretense of
bearing medical costs by the Canadian government. However, it is a known fact that the
government would no longer take any participation in his matter once he is sent back to
Mexico. The consulate even contacted his wife in hopes that she would take the responsibility
of taking him back to Mexico which she denied. This forceful action angered Gutiérrez. Even
though any health-related issue with the workers had to be notified to the consulate that
would then help the worker, the consulate was more inclined in the smooth running of the
program than focusing on the benefits of any individual worker. Finally, with the help of the
farmer under who he worked, Gutiérrez was able to stay in Canada and receive dialysis
treatment till the end of his working visa which can be seen in the statement, “What makes
Gutierrez’s case different is that his employer wants him to stay in Canada, against the wishes
of the consulate” (Amuchastegui, 2006).
This article shows that there are many issues that are faced by these workers which
can be intensified if the farmers under whom they work do not give them the support. This is
not the case as the farmers do not show any interest in the benefit of their workers. The

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scenario needs to be changed if the temporary programs are to work in an efficient manner.
The health facilities should be borne by the government since it is their duty to take care of
the workers who are the reason for their livelihood. The promise made to the farmers
regarding the benefits would be fulfilled by the consulate since it is done the same for the
same country workers. The differentiation done between these two workers of the same level
should be non-existent so that the immigrant farmers can work in peace knowing that they are
covered by the consulate if any need should arise.

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References:
Amuchastegui, M. (2006). Maria Amuchastegui » Farming It Out. Retrieved from
http://www.amuchastegui.com/publications/farming-it-out/
Nakache, D. (2013). The Canadian temporary foreign worker program: Regulations, practices
and protection gaps. Producing and negotiating non-citizenship: precarious legal
status in Canada, 71-95.