Quebec’s narrow asylum laws deny frontline workers resident status

Premier Francois Legault's government prevents Canada's Guardian Angel asylum seeker program from spreading its wings

Through each wave of Montreal's coronavirus outbreaks, Abdul woke at 5am everyday to deliver groceries on shifts ranging from 10 to 14 hours. As an asylum seeker, Abdul had few other options. I suffered a lot to survive and support my wife and children during this pandemic," he said.

When the pandemic hit Canada, asylum seekers in essential jobs were disproportionately affected. Many fell ill and died when Montreal became the center of the first two Covid-19 waves. In response to public outrage, Canada's federal and provincial governments announced a national program (dubbed Guardian Angels) to give asylum seekers a path to permanent residence.