Filipino Nurses Support Group-BC
Media Release

Changes to Temporary Foreign Worker Program caters to employers while ignoring foreign-trained nurses’ right to practice profession in Canada

26 September 2007

Vancouver, British Columbia (B.C.) – A local group of Filipino nurses reacted to changes to the Temporary
Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) announced on Monday by Canada, B.C., and Alberta saying that making it faster for employers to hire foreign workers fails to close the gaps for Filipino nurses to work as nurses in B.C.

"It's outrageous that while Registered Nurses are among the 12 occupations allowed for eligible employers to speed up the hiring of foreign workers, droves of Philippine-trained nurses already living and working in B.C. are not able to work as nurses until they have completed the restrictive requirements of the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP), which is a component of the TFWP," said Leah Diana of the Filipino Nurses Support Group – B.C. (FNSG).

"Improving and facilitating the process for temporary foreign workers to ease labour shortages is a band-aid
and short-sighted solution," she continued.

Because of their temporary worker status, Filipino nurses working under the LCP cannot even avail of
programs like the B.C. Provincial Nominee Program, which also was supposedly created to fill labour
market needs.   Even if a nurse has been nominated for approval as a permanent resident by the province,
there is no guarantee that the nominee will be approved for permanent residency because Citizenship
and Immigration Canada is the ultimate arbiter of this status.

Rather than displaying the political will to improve the living and working conditions of Filipino nurses
currently working as live-in caregivers, Canada chooses to facilitate their exploitation and the privatization of health care.  While Canada prides itself on the commitment of an additional $50.5 million over two years to the TFWP, they fail to address the exploitation and unsafe working conditions of many professionals from the Philippines trapped and de-skilled under the LCP.

“It’s a disappointment for me to hear that the government wants to hire abroad rather than help us with the nurse accreditation process here,” said Joy Canto, a nurse in the Philippines currently completing the strict LCP requirements.

"Hundreds of Filipino nurses in B.C. are stuck working under the LCP because we do not earn enough occupational points under the Canadian immigration system," explained Canto.  "Instead of being able to
help alleviate the nursing crisis, I and my fellow Filipino nurses must do all-around household duties and work as private caregivers for children, elderly and sick patients for minimum wage or below for two to three years," she continued.

Run by the two federal departments Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the LCP's live-in requirement, temporary worker status, and employer specific
contract perpetuate situations of unregulated working conditions and cases of abuse and exploitation.  Many
earn as little as $2.67 per hour doing around-the-clock caregiving for sick patients and whole families in their homes.

While 24-hour private home care can run up to $500 a day, a Filipino nurse working under the LCP is a
package deal for families and elderly patients with chronic illnesses living at home.  They provide help with activities of daily living including bathing, meal preparation, administering medications, cleaning, as well as accompanying their employers to medical appointments.

"Some wages of Filipino nurses are even subsidized through B.C.'s Choice in Supports for Independent Living program," stated Diana.

FNSG believes these changes intensifying the recruitment of foreign workers is part of the program of the neo-liberal agenda of globalization to increase migration and the exploitation of cheap labour from the Third World.  In fact, the Philippines is now the number one exporter of nurses worldwide.

Since 1995, FNSG has provided community-based support, English and nursing review classes, as well as
advocacy for Philippine-trained nurses to attain their nursing license in B.C. devoid of any concrete or
ongoing assistance from the government.  FNSG continues to work towards the full accreditation and reciprocity of Filipino nurses in Canada to help achieve their full participation and equality in Canada's multicultural society.#

For more information, contact:
Filipino Nurses Support Group
phone: 604-215-1103
email: fnsg@kalayaancentre.net

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