Harper, Don't Cut off Migrant Workers from Employment Insurance
- van: Care2.com
- ontvanger: Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Migrant workers in Canada pay over $25 million annually in Employment Insurance (EI) premiums. But thanks to the Harper government's new EI restrictions, these workers will no longer be eligible to receive the special EI benefits available to every other Canadian -- even though they pay for them.
Of the approximately 300,000 temporary and migrant workers in Canada, about 11,650 collected either regular or special EI benefits last year -- benefits like maternity leave, childcare, and other basic amenities that allow workers to earn their living and raise their families.
Migrant workers make an enormous and essential contribution to the Canadian economy, but they are also one of the most vulnerable groups of workers in Canada. And Prime Minister Harper's government is making it even harder for them to care for loved ones in need.
Tell Harper: don't deny migrant and temporary workers the EI benefits they've paid for!
I am writing to ask you to revise the new Employment Insurance policies that effectively shut out thousands of temporary and migrant workers from EI benefits.
These benefits, which include childcare and maternity leave, are essential for workers' ability to contribute to the Canadian economy while simultaneously caring for the people they love.
Additionally, these temporary foreign workers have paid their EI premiums. They deserve the respect and security of EI Special Benefits. I urge you to drop the discriminatory EI changes immediately.
