Canadian-Indian worker seeks ‘special exemption’ to stay in Ontario amid mass layoffs: ‘My daughter’s already adapted to the culture’

As Algoma Steel plans to lay off around 1,000 workers in Ontario this March, Mayurkumar Lad is worried about more than just losing his job.The 38-year-old moved to Canada from India in 2022 with his wife and daughter.

He has worked as an engineer at Algoma Steel since 2024 and applied for permanent residency through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) nearly 18 months ago.“The consequences fall entirely on workers like me who followed every rule,” Lad said. Lad added that his job is the only thing allowing his family to stay in Canada: “I’m at risk of losing not just my job, but my entire permanent residency application. If I’m laid off, I may become ineligible, despite doing everything correctly.”The OINP allows skilled workers to fast-track permanent residency, but applicants must stay employed with their sponsoring company. Lad does not expect a decision on his application until early 2027, which is months after the planned layoff. He and other immigrant workers are calling on the Canadian government to provide a special exemption to keep their applications active.“I want the government to look at this situation as a special case and make some exemptions,” Lad said.

He added: “We need answers, especially from the provincial government.”Lad explained that the layoffs are due to operational issues caused by tariffs, not poor performance or company closure.An OINP spokesperson said employment changes, including layoffs, may affect applications, but workers could still qualify through other provincial or federal immigration programs. Lad has not received any guarantees.Ontario recently cancelled the skilled trades stream of the OINP and is considering reducing the nine entry categories to four. Ottawa has also halved the number of provincial nominee applications it will accept.“If Algoma Steel and OINP come to some decision that allows us to find a new employer, I might continue my permanent residency journey,” Lad said. “Otherwise, I am starting from scratch.”Lad said he and his family have grown attached to Sault Ste. Marie. “My daughter’s in Grade 4, and she’s already adapted to the culture. I love the people here. This is a big disruption.”