Mexico’s Labor and Foreign Affairs ministries announced that the Mexican and Canadian governments agreed to improve the working conditions of the Mexican farmworkers working abroad.
The agreement comes after the temporary farmworkers program between Mexico and Canada came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through a statement, the government departments said authorities have implemented the necessary measures to guarantee the safety of the farmers . Moreover, both governments acknowledged that they must work to modernize the program .
Mexico and Canada
also announced the creation of a contact group, formed by Canada’s health, migration, agriculture , and labor ministries, as well as Mexico’s labor and foreign affairs ministries.
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The group will identify risks, receive complaints, and will facilitate the immediate intervention on behalf of Mexican citizens. It will also help Mexican authorities to identify COVID-19 outbreaks in farms.
Meanwhile, Canadian authorities will guarantee access to healthcare , inspections , and timely medical attention for the Mexican farmworkers .
Moreover, Canadian authorities will make sure farms are working under proper conditions and will discuss irregularities with the Mexican consulates.
In 2020, Mexico’s Labor Ministry , in collaboration with the Foreign Affairs Ministry , launched a program so that 16,000 farmworkers could safely travel to Canada to work for six months.
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