Community groups and politicians are pushing the provincial and federal governments to recognize asylum seekers working on the COVID-19 front lines.
They argue that the workers, many of whom live in Montreal North — a COVID-19 hot spot — are putting their lives on the line to protect the population, and are among the hardest hit by the pandemic and therefore should be granted residency.
According to Franz André with the Non-status Action Committee, an organization that supports asylum seekers, many are working two jobs, either as caregivers in CHSLD’s or in other front-line essential service jobs that put them at risk of contracting the virus.