The Case for Permanent Residency for Frontline Workers

This article presents the case for granting permanent residency to those experiencing significant risks throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to increase citizens’ safety. Increasing safety comes in many forms: directly, as when doctors, paramedics and nurses assist patients; and indirectly, as when farmworkers produce life-sustaining food, garbage collectors protect sanitation, and social workers respond to emergency calls. A range of such workers are owed gratitude-derived duties from citizens which are best fulfilled via permanent residency. I defend this claim first for authorised migrants, and then for unauthorised migrants whose presence citizens would consent to, if aware of the benefits they provide. Finally, I defend the claim that many frontline workers not owed gratitude are owed duties of justice, acquiring similar rights to permanent residency.