Providing access for migrant workers, refugee claimants, and international students within their first year of study, as well as those whose status may have lapsed, is key to ensuring an authentically universal and encompassing vaccine rollout and therefore, to safeguarding the public from extended and future Coronavirus outbreaks. And yet, there remain a number of significant barriers to meaningful universal access.

Status for all means permanent residency for all temporary migrant workers and their families who live in Canada with precarious legal status. Temporary migrant workers include international students, refugee claimants, temporary foreign workers in low-wage occupations and migrants classified as high-skilled in the International Mobility Program. It also includes non-status migrants.

PSA: Join us for a screening of the groundbreaking documentary “El Contrato” (The Contract), directed by Min Sook Lee. This film follows the story of Teodoro and other migrant workers who come from Mexico to work in tomato greenhouses in Leamington, Ontario. We’ll also hear the story of Shavan, a father of three from Jamaica who’s been coming to Nova Scotia as a migrant farm worker for 8 years (through a pre-recorded interview). This will be followed by Q & A discussion.

Media release: Community members in Halifax will mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination with a rally in support of migrant justice beginning at 4:30pm on Thursday, March 21st. The rally takes place outside of the Halifax Convention Centre (1650 Argyle St), site of the 21st National Metropolis Conference for those working in the field of immigration and settlement in Canada.

From November 25-26, Haligonians will participate in an email and phone campaign calling on the Canadian government to break its silence and take concrete action in support of the Central American refugees and migrants who’ve trekked for over one month to reach to the US-Mexico border. This campaign is part of the International Day of Action in Solidarity with the Caravan and Exodus from Central America taking place on November 25th.

Media release: November 1, 2018 (Halifax) – On Saturday, November 3rd at 3pm community members in Halifax will gather at the Glitter Bean Cafe (5896 Spring Garden Road) to demonstrate their solidarity with the caravans of refugees and migrants currently en route to the US-Mexico border