International Migrants Day is December 18th, and the need to support migrant workers' rights in Canada is as pressing as ever
As an associate member of the International Migrants Alliance (Canada Chapter), the Migrants Resource Centre Canada is committed to relating with various organizations, institutions, and individuals who share the alliance’s common aspirations to advance the struggle of migrants and refugees through education, advocacy, and coalition-building, centered on workers’ struggles. Through this, we have participated in the establishment of the Church Witnessing With Migrants (CWWM), which the United Church of Canada is a member of. Since the founding meeting in November 2024, there has been forward momentum in carrying out the call to action of empowering migrant justice through grassroots action and faith.
Reflecting on the United Church’s 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism, migrant workers and allies are called to become informed, reflect deeply, and put their faith into action. This call focuses on the plight of migrant workers who continue to be victims of systemic, covert, and overt racism and xenophobia. For members of the International Migrants Alliance (Canada Chapter), we are called on to build solidarity with groups and individuals with common interests and aspirations.
This year’s 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism comes at a critical time. Migrants and workers of color are increasingly bearing the brunt of policies and actions stemming from the Canadian government’s tightening approach to migration and labor.
Since the beginning of 2025, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has conducted multiple workplace raids under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which mandates the agency to enforce admissibility, facilitate legal entry, and remove individuals deemed to be in violation of immigration laws. These workplace raids have targeted sectors known to employ migrant workers—particularly those with precarious immigration status or without “valid” work permits. From landscaping companies in Oshawa, Ontario, to hospitality establishments in Montreal, Quebec, workplace inspections and raids have increased by 25 percent compared to the previous year.
In June, the Liberal government tabled Bill C-2, known as the Strong Borders Act, a sweeping measure designed to tighten border security and expand anti-crime powers. For many migrants and their allies, the bill represents a direct affront to the rights of migrants and refugees. It imposes a one-year deadline on asylum claims, and expands surveillance that borders infringement on human rights as well as information sharing among policing agencies—provisions that, according to human rights advocates, contravene the principles of Canada’s Human Rights Code.
The most recent workplace raid occurred in November in Calgary, Alberta, coinciding with the 40 Days of Engagement campaign. At a construction site there, more than 40 undocumented workers were detained and now face deportation.
These raids are just one example of the many injustices migrants endure—and symptoms of a broader economic crisis that continues to fuel political division among working class people. As the cost of living rises, and job insecurity grows, some communities have resorted to scapegoating migrants and refugees, expressing their frustration through racist and xenophobic acts. Such hostility diverts attention from the deeper issue: an economic system that privileges multinational corporations and financial elites at the expense of workers everywhere.
Meanwhile, Canada’s reliance on temporary migrant labor drives down wages and pushes stable employment opportunities overseas, creating the perfect conditions for polarization and division— conditions in which racism and xenophobia thrive.
At the 6th Global Assembly of the International Migrants Alliance (IMA) held in Kathmandu, Nepal in October, the over 150 participants attending included more than 25 Canadian delegates; two were national staff from the United Church of Canada, and one a representative from an Edmonton community of faith. Delegates provided important insights on the role of faith communities in pursuing migrant justice.
Furthermore, the Assembly affirmed that confronting racism and xenophobia requires peeling back the layers of oppression to reach their roots. The Assembly resolved that building an inclusive solidarity movement—one that unites all workers and their allies—is essential to challenging systemic injustice, fostering true equity, and pursuing an alternative society that is just and truly free.
—Jesson Reyes is a board member with the Migrants Resource Centre Canada
The views contained within these blogs are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of The United Church of Canada.