Migrant farm workers from Dominica  which was ravaged by Hurricane Maria last month, are appealing to the Canadian government to allow them to remain and continue to work in Canada  to help support their families back home.

The category five hurricane  was reported to have left more than 20 people dead in Dominica and severely damaged or destroyed more than 90 per cent of the homes and other buildings on the island.

Benjimine Joseph, one of Dominican farm workers whose work permit expires  on December 15, told the Caribbean Camera that he has  ” no home to go back to.”

Joseph who arrived on a farm in Tillsonburg, Ontario last April, said he sends home most of the money he earns to support his wife, son, parents and five brothers in Dominica.

About 100 Dominican migrant workers are now employed on Canadian farms through the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program  (CSAWP).

Last Friday , a coalition of advocacy and community groups sent a letter to federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen and Employment Minister Patricia Hajdu, asking them to extend the Dominican migrant workers’ expiring work permits.

The  letter noted that ​” living​ ​conditions​ ​are​ ​incredibly​ ​difficult ” in Dominica ” ​with​ ​shortages of​ ​food,​ ​water​ ​and​ ​building​ ​supplies.​”

It pointed out that “the​ ​damage​ ​from​ ​the​ ​hurricane​ ​has​ ​now​ ​been compounded​ ​with​ ​a​ ​socio-economic​ ​crisis,​ ​as​ ​the​ ​majority​ ​of​ ​Dominicans​ ​are​ ​now​ ​living​ ​in​ ​a country​ ​that​ ​has​ ​seen​ ​its​ ​already​ ​vulnerable​ ​infrastructure​ ​damaged,​ ​with​ ​its​ ​agricultural,​ ​service and​ ​commercial​ ​sectors​ ​largely​ ​shut​ ​down.​

“​This​ ​has​ ​led​ ​to​ ​a​ ​situation​ ​in​ ​which​ ​the​ ​Dominican diaspora​ ​is​ ​providing​ ​a​ ​crucial​ ​lifeline​ ​-​ ​in​ ​terms​ ​of​ ​sending​ ​down​ ​material​ ​and​ ​financial​ ​support.  ”

The letter also pointed out that as the crisis worsens, the Dominican farm workers ” have nothing to return to.”

It noted that a  group of workers has asked for support from community  groups in Ontario “so that they can continue to work  in Canada  and help however they can  to support their families back home.”

The letter states that the workers request the following from the  Canadian  government:

1.)​ ​Permanent​ ​Immigration​ ​status​ ​for​ ​participants​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Commonwealth​ ​Seasonal​ ​Agricultural Workers​ ​program;

2.)​ ​To​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​work​ ​in​ ​Canada​ ​under​ ​the​ ​auspices​ ​of​ ​the​ ​CSAWP​ ​by​ ​requesting​ ​transfers​ ​to farms​ ​facing​ ​labour​ ​shortages​ ​on​ ​the​ ​completion​ ​of​ ​their​ ​contract​ ​of​ ​employment​ ​in​ ​Canada; CSAWP​ ​participants​ ​are​ ​provided​ ​with​ ​work​ ​permits​ ​in​ ​Canada​ ​that​ ​are​ ​valid​ ​until​ ​December 15th,​ ​2017;

3.)​ ​Alternatively,​ ​open​ ​work​ ​permits​ ​so​ ​they​ ​can​ ​seek​ ​employment​ ​until​ ​the​ ​crisis​ ​in​ ​Dominica subsides;

4.)​ ​In​ ​the​ ​event​ ​that​ ​these​ ​workers​ ​have​ ​friends​ ​and​ ​family​ ​ ​in​ ​Canada,​ ​​ ​provide​ ​an extension​ ​on​ ​their​ ​visas​ ​so​ ​they​ ​can​ ​remain​ ​in Canada ​until​ ​the​ ​crisis​ ​in​ ​Dominica​ ​subsides.

Chris Ramsaroop,   organizer at Justicia  for  Migrant Workers, one of the groups which petitioned the Canadian government to allow the Dominican workers  to remain in Canada, said  “we need to build solidarity with these workers in their time of need. ”

He noted that Dominican farm workers have been recruited through the CSAWP since 1976.

They are hired for several months each year. When their contracts expire, they are required to leave  Canada.

Benjimine Camrane Joseph arrived in Canada in April under the seasonal agricultural workers program. His family lost their homes in Hurricane Maria last month. “Now we need to work even harder because we need the money to rebuild our house from scratch,” he said.

The small Caribbean island of Dominica was devastated last month by Hurricane Maria.  (AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

Benjimine Camrane Joseph arrived in Canada in April under the seasonal agricultural workers program. His family lost their homes in Hurricane Maria last month. “Now we need to work even harder because we need the money to rebuild our house from scratch,” he said.

The small Caribbean island of Dominica was devastated last month by Hurricane Maria.  (AFP/GETTY IMAGES)