Immigrant workers protest on P.E.I.: What’s going on, how it started

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Immigrants living on Prince Edward Island are protesting policies put in place to slow down population growth, which have affected their ability to renew work permits and become permanent residents.

The protests, which have been ongoing in Charlottetown, escalated on Tuesday when one protester said workers are ready to go on a hunger strike if their needs are not met by Thursday.

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“This will be hunger strike to death,” Rupinder Pal Singh told the CBC. “We are losing our work permits. There are no other places for us to go.”

What sparked the protests?

In February, the province introduced new framework to relieve the pressure of population growth “on our increasingly stressed public services and infrastructure system,” Premier Dennis King said in a statement.

The province’s growth is, in part, due to immigration, as well as birth and death rates and interprovincial migration, according to a news release.

The new policy reduces immigration nominations by 25 per cent for 2024.

Seventy-five per cent of nominations are being “redistributed to align with nine provincial sectors, with a strong emphasis on nominating skilled workers in health care, trades, childcare, and other key industries facing labour shortages.”

Applying for a nomination is one way for people to become a permanent resident.

“Individuals are selected for nomination based on their intention to live and work in PEI and their economic ability to establish here,” according to P.E.I.’s Office of Immigration.

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What are the demands?

On Monday morning, a video posted on Instagram showed protesters walking together chanting, “We want fair rules!”

Part of the demands include extending work permits for immigrants already in the province, who are working in sectors that are considered not in demand.

“We want them to grandfather us in and we want them to listen (to) what is right,” Singh, whose work permit will expire in two months, told CBC. He has lived in Charlottetown for one and a half years as an internet technology sales representative.

Protesters also want an easier route to permanent residency after changes were made to P.E.I.’s Provincial Nominee Program.

Singh said he thinks immigrants already working should be allowed to continue their path to permanent residency, CBC reported.

‘Urgent need for action’

The protests started small, with about 25 people gathered outside of government buildings in Charlottetown on May 9, the CBC reported.

It quickly grew to around 300 people by Tuesday morning.

Protesters carried signs that read “Immigrants deserve justice” and “Support sales & service.”

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“The protest in Charlottetown highlights the urgent need for action on expiring work permits for foreign workers in PEI The threat of a hunger strike underscores the seriousness of the situation,” wrote Licensed and Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant Kubeir Kamal in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population would reportedly be meeting with protest organizers on Tuesday.

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