Status for All
The Migrant Action Centre (MAC) recognizes the significant contributions that migrants make to the economic, social, and cultural fabric of Canada. Despite this, too many migrants, including undocumented migrants, are denied the basic rights and protections afforded to citizens and permanent residents.
The Migrant Action Centre, therefore, calls for full and permanent immigration status for all migrants in Canada, including those who are temporary foreign workers, international students, refugees, and undocumented migrants. This means that all migrants should have equal access to:
Livelihood and employment: Migrants should have the right to work in Canada and be protected from exploitation and abuse in the workplace, regardless of their immigration status.
Health care: Migrants should have access to the same health care services as citizens and permanent residents, including mental health and dental care, regardless of their immigration status.
Education: Migrants should have the right to access education, including post-secondary education, and to receive the same funding and support as citizens and permanent residents, regardless of their immigration status.
Housing: Migrants should have the right to safe and affordable housing, free from discrimination and exploitation, regardless of their immigration status.
Social services: Migrants should have access to the same social services as citizens and permanent residents, including child care, legal aid, and language classes, regardless of their immigration status.
Political rights: Migrants should have the right to vote in federal and provincial elections and to participate in the political process, regardless of their immigration status.
Family reunification: Migrants should have the right to be reunited with their families, regardless of their immigration status or that of their family members.
MAC recognizes that achieving full and permanent immigration status for all migrants, including undocumented migrants, will require systemic change and the elimination of policies and practices that create and reinforce inequality. MAC, therefore, calls on the federal and provincial governments to take immediate action to implement these policies and to end the exploitation and discrimination faced by migrants in Canada, regardless of their immigration status.
MAC is committed to building a just and equitable society, where all migrants are valued, respected, and treated with dignity. Together, we can achieve full and permanent immigration status for all.
