On behalf of TNO, The Neighbourhood Organization, and all of our staff working closely with temporary foreign workers, including migrant workers and caregivers, we would like to thank the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration for giving us the opportunity to speak today.
The TNO, The Neighbourhood Organization, is a well-established, community-based social settlement service agency providing a wide range of programs and services supporting low-income, marginalized newcomers, refugees, and the immigrant community. TNO is a non-profit registered charity funded through generous donations, government grants, foundation supports and corporate partnerships.
TNO offers unique and customized programs designed to provide services to support temporary foreign workers, including immigrants, caregivers under the previous caregivers program, as well as under the home child care provider and home support worker pilot program. TNO has demonstrated a commitment to breaking down barriers to improve service provision and address the service gaps by adapting innovative approaches in response to the unique and complex needs of the vulnerable workforce as well as advocating for them.
For decades, Canadian families have relied on foreign caregivers to look after their children and elderly and support Canadian families. Migrant caregivers, by extension, support the Canadian economy. Considering the vital support these caregivers provide and the personal sacrifice they make, they deserve respect, dignity and compassion. Please don't make it more difficult for them to come here and take care of Canadian families.
We welcome some of the changes to Canada's live-in caregiver program that were announced in 2019, such as occupation-specific work permits, open work permits and study permits for family members. However, the available evidence from migrant caregivers themselves indicates that, overall, the program continues to be problematic insofar is it retains the temporary nature of the system and therefore doesn't address the precariousness of these workers. Further, the current pathway to permanent residency is characterized by restrictive requirements that continue to present significant barriers to caregivers.
Although we have previously stated our position on the residency status for caregivers, it bears repeating that we believe that addressing the issues inherent in the program requires that migrant workers be provided landed status upon arrival. The permanent solution is permanent residency. By doing this, caregivers and their families would be able to more fully participate and contribute to Canadian society.
Now I ask my colleague, Esel Panlaqui, to continue with this.