After 20 years apart, Sechelt family faces separation again under new immigration rules

Only just reunited, a family living on the Sunshine Coast is now fighting to stay together.

A long‑awaited reunion for temporary foreign worker (TFW) Agnes Cabe and her family has become a fight to stay together.

Federal rules regarding open work permits for spouses of low‑wage workers could force her husband to return to the Philippines in September. The looming separation has sparked concern across Sechelt, where employers warn that losing TFWs will have devastating consequences.

After two decades working overseas, Cabe—now employed at a retail store—was recently reunited with her husband and two children after they joined her in Sechelt.

“Knowing that your family will be apart again after a unification is heartbreaking,” she said.

As of January 2025, spouses of low‑tier workers are no longer eligible for open work permits. Chi‑Young Lee, a lawyer at McCrea Immigration LLP, told CTV News the change stems from the federal government’s effort “to limit the number of temporary foreign workers that they wanted to have in Canada,” adding that eliminating open work permits for spouses of TFWs was likely the “easiest fix.”

Catherine A. Sas, K.C., a senior partner at Sas and Ing Immigration Law Centre, told CTV News that in many cases families are now facing separation.

“They are being separated or we’re having to make more creative arguments,” Sas said.

Cabe’s husband Reynaldo holds a spousal open work permit (SOWP), but may have to return to the Philippines this fall. He works in pest control, and his employer, Ron Dickinson of Sunshine Coast Pest Control, said losing him would be devastating, describing Reynaldo as “more than an employee.”

“He has become family,” Dickinson said.

He said he has struggled for years to hire Canadians despite repeated advertising efforts. It has been difficult to find applicants willing to do the job, and TFWs have helped fill essential gaps, he added.

“They want to work, and we need them. I want to thank them for being here,” said Dickinson.

He added that the federal government must understand how vital foreign workers are in rural communities.

“I’ve been paying taxes my whole life, as have all my employees,” he said. “We support the government. Why can’t they support us?”

On Friday, Sechelt Mayor John Henderson, along with residents affected by the policy, travelled to Vancouver to meet with Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab. In a statement to CTV News, the minister said, in part, that hearing directly from local leaders “helps ensure (the government’s) approach reflects real labour market needs.” and added she looks forward to working with Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu and the community to address workforce shortages.

Henderson said the challenges employers are facing are widespread. He told CTV News that as many as 300 international workers and their families living on the Sunshine Coast will lose their status this year when their permits expire.

“Frankly, it’s heartbreaking, and it feels uncaring by the federal government,” he said.

Henderson added that losing TFWs would affect every sector in Sechelt.

“We need these people because without them, many of the services that we depend on will not be available to us,” he said.

Sechelt is not the only community feeling the strain. Gibsons MayorSilas White told CTV News that his community is also facing critical shortages.

“We’re definitely in a crisis, needing to fill those positions,” White said.

He noted that a child‑care program in Gibsons was forced to close due to staffing shortages, adding it was “directly connected to the temporary foreign worker program limiting eligibility for people, both federally and provincially.”

Because of her family’s situation, Cabe co-founded Keep Families Together, a group advocating for policy change. She is urging the federal government to take action.

“I am hoping that the federal government will consider our region and give us a policy that really reflects what is happening with us,” she said.