Today, Administrator Samantha Power and Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Alejandro Mayorkas met with Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser and Spanish Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration José Luis Escrivá to discuss the expansion of legal pathways for labor opportunities to provide alternatives to irregular migration. The meeting focused on specific actions each country will take on expanding labor pathways that promote safe, orderly, humane, and regular migration, as well as to create economic and social opportunities and strengthen development options for the people of northern Central America and other countries in the Americas.
The parties discussed the benefits of lawful labor pathways and the well-documented positive development outcomes they contribute to for both workers and employers in source and destination countries. Temporary labor visas provide key skill development opportunities and help enable workers to invest their earnings back at home, while providing much needed labor to the destination countries. The parties agreed to enhance cooperation and partnerships on expanding legal pathways, with an increased focus on ethical recruitment through national ministries and openings for non-agricultural employment. The parties also committed to strengthen efforts overall to increase access to legal pathways across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Following the meeting, the United States, Canada, and Spain also released a trilateral statement outlining their intent to partner together and establishing a range of goals and targets for future collaboration.
