Visa, immigration services to be hit as 155,000 Canadian public servants plan to go on strike

The largest union of Canadian government employees is preparing to go on a strike that would disrupt immigration, passport services, tax processing and government buildings.

More than 155,000 public servants in Canada are planning to go on strike on Wednesday if a deal is not reached with the government on wages and other demands, their union said Monday.

These government employees, who work at more than 20 departments including the Canada Revenue Agency, have been without a contract since 2021. They voted overwhelmingly last week to strike.


Union officials say the two sides are far apart on wages, job security and remote work.

"These workers -- like all workers -- deserve fair wages and decent working conditions. Despite some progress at the bargaining table, our members are frustrated that while negotiations drag on, they continue to fall behind," Chris Aylward, national president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), told a news conference.

"We've already been at the table for nearly two years, and these workers can't wait any longer. That's why we're setting a clock on this round of bargaining," he said.

If a deal is not reached by 9 pm (0100 GMT) Tuesday, a national general strike will be called starting at 12:01 am Wednesday.

The PSAC is dwarfed by the larger Canadian Union of Public Employees, but a strike by its members would still be disruptive.

If PSAC workers strike, Canadians have been told to expect delays in the processing of income tax returns, immigration and asylum requests, passport applications and foreign worker permits.

Consular services and new requests for veterans benefits would also be affected.

with AFP inputs