temporary foreign workers

Long-awaited regulations regarding placement agencies in Quebec set to come into effect on January 1, 2020

January 3, 2020 Occasional Contributors Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, French Based HR/RH Content, Human Resources, Payroll, Recruiting and Hiring, Source Deductions and Reporting, Training and Development, Wages and Compensation, 0

The wait is over. Announced along with the sweeping changes to Quebec’s Act respecting labour standards (the “Act”) back in June 2018, the regulation regarding Quebec placement agencies has finally been published and is set to come into effect on January 1, 2020 (the “Regulation”).

Act Respecting Labour Standards, employment law, placement agencies, protection of workers, temporary foreign workers, working conditions

IRCC announces details of global skills strategy

July 19, 2017 Henry J. Chang, Dentons LLP Announcements and Administration, Corporate Immigration, Employment/Labour Standards, Government Budgets, Throne Speeches and Plans, Health and Safety, Human Resources, Payroll, Recruiting and Hiring, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation

On June 12, 2017, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced details of its Global Skills Strategy. First announced in November 2016, the Global Skills Strategy is intended to help promote global investment in Canada and support the Government of Canada’s Innovation and Skills Plan.

employment law, foreign nationals, Global Skills Strategy, Global Talent Stream, health and safety, hiring temporary foreign workers, Labour Market Impact Assessment, LMIA, temporary foreign workers, Unions, work permits, working conditions

Changing Workplaces Review final report: Sweeping changes to Ontario employment law coming

May 25, 2017 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring, Source Deductions and Reporting, Training and Development, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation

On May 23, 2017, the Government of Ontario released the Changing Workplaces Review final report by authors C. Michael Mitchell and John C. Murray. It contains 173 recommendations that endorse significant changes to Ontario employment law aiming to create better workplaces with decent working conditions and widespread compliance with the law. The authors consulted with […]

Changing Workplaces Review final report, employment law, employment standards act, exemptions and exclusions to employment standards, hours of work, labour relations, Labour Relations Act, minimum wage, Ontario employment law, Ontario Ministry of Labour, paid sick leave, Part-time casual temporary seasonal and contract employees, personal emergency leave, Public Holiday Pay, Scheduling, temporary foreign workers, temporary help agencies, vulnerable workers, work-related issues

Salary increases and temporary foreign workers — are you compliant?

July 9, 2015 Occasional Contributors Corporate Immigration, Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring, Source Deductions and Reporting, Wages and Compensation

There have been many changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) over the last year, with an emphasis on employer compliance, including respect of actual salaries paid.

changes to salary or terms of employment, employment contract, employment law, Job offer, Labour Market Impact Assessment, LMIA, risk of non-compliance, salary increases, Service Canada, temporary foreign workers, Wages paid, work permit

Canadian government announces changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program

July 16, 2014 Henry J. Chang, Dentons LLP Corporate Immigration, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, International Payroll, Payroll, Recruiting and Hiring, Source Deductions and Reporting, Wages and Compensation

On June 20, 2014, the Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development, and Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, announced significant changes to Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Under the new structure, the Labour Market Opinion will now be replaced by the Labour Market Impact Assessment (“LMIA”). LMIA-exempt foreign workers will become part of the newly-named International Mobility Program. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program will include only workers who require an LMIA.

CIC, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada, employment law, ESDC, Foreign workers, Labour Market Impact Assessment, Labour Market Opinion, LMIA, LMO, Temporary Foreign Worker Program, temporary foreign workers, work permit

Ontario Ministry of Labour announces 2014-15 employment standards inspection blitzes

April 15, 2014 Simon Heath, BA, MIR, LLB, Heath Law Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Wages and Compensation

On April 3, 2014, the Ontario Ministry of Labour announced the focus of its 2014-15 Employment Standards Act (ESA) inspection blitzes. A “blitz” occurs when the Ministry of Labour (MOL) decides to have its employment standards officers target industries that have a history of employment standards violations or industries that employ vulnerable workers in order to ensure compliance with the ESA.

compliance orders, employment law, employment standards act, employment standards inspection blitzes, Employment Standards Officers, ESA poster, interns, internships, Ontario Ministry of Labour, orders to pay wages/fees, Part I Notices of Offence, province-wide inspection blitzes, temporary foreign workers, temporary help agencies, tickets, vulnerable workers, working conditions

Slaw: Quebec Calls for corrections to the 2012 federal Employment Insurance reforms

December 5, 2013 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Corporate Immigration, Employee Relations, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring, Source Deductions and Reporting, Training and Development

On November 27, 2013, Quebec’s National Employment Insurance Review Commission released its report regarding the impact of the federal government’s 2012 changes to the Employment Insurance (EI) program. The report makes 30 recommendations, with three key recommendations calling for the provincial and federal governments to negotiate an agreement giving Quebec the power to manage its own EI system to meet the needs of the province’s labour market.

2012 federal Employment Insurance reforms, EI, EI benefits, EI program, EI recipients, employment insurance system, job search, Quebec, Quebec’s National Employment Insurance Review Commission, temporary foreign workers, unemployed Canadians

Citizenship and Immigration Canada proposes regulatory changes to the temporary foreign worker program

June 19, 2013 Henry J. Chang, Dentons LLP Corporate Immigration, Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Recruiting and Hiring

In early April 2013, it was reported that 45 Royal Bank of Canada employees would be losing their jobs because the company had outsourced several technology services to a California-based firm that specializes in sending jobs offshore. RBC faced a severe public backlash over the incident and Citizenship and Immigration Canada subsequently published proposed regulatory amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations…

Accelerated Labour Market Opinion, authority to enter or inspect, CIC, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, compliance verification, compliance verification inspection powers, criminal code, erotic dance, erotic massages, escort services, force majeure, HRSDC, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, human trafficking, Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, information-sharing, job creation of Canadian citizens or permanent residents, Labour Market Impact Questionnaire, Labour Market Opinion, live-in caregivers, LMO, offshoring, outsourcing Canadian jobs, sexual exploitation, stripping, Temporary Foreign Worker Program, temporary foreign workers, TFW regulations, TFWP, transfer of skills and knowledge, wage flexibility, work permit, work permit fees, workplace violence

Canada’s laws fuel migrant worker exploitation: Report

September 19, 2012 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Corporate Immigration, Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation

According to a published report titled “Made in Canada: How the Law Constructs Migrant Workers’ Insecurity” by the Metcalf Foundation, Canada’s reliance on low-wage migrant workers with temporary immigration status is growing but the employment and labour laws of the country make them vulnerable to abuse.

employment law, exploitation, Foreign workers, Immigration Law, Labour Law, labour migration cycle, low-wage migrant workers, migrant workers, migrant workforce, overworked and denied basic rights, temporary foreign workers, temporary immigration status, temporary migration stream, underpaid, vulnerable workers

Denny’s temporary foreign workers employment standards class action suit gets certified

May 11, 2012 Christina Catenacci Corporate Immigration, Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Recruiting and Hiring

The British Columbia Supreme Court just certified a class action where the plaintiffs (foreign workers) allege that the employer failed to provide them with the amount of work promised, overtime pay and reimbursements for travel expenses and recruitment fees contrary to the Employment Standards Act. Also, the employees argued the employer breached the contract and its fiduciary duty, and was unjustly enriched for having the workers work without being paid. To top it off…

BC, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, British Columbia, cause of action, class action suit, Class Proceedings Act, common issues, Denny's, employment contract, employment law, employment standards act, Hiring foreign workers, identifiable class, overtime, recruitment fees, representative plaintiff, temporary foreign workers, unpaid wages

Quebec Ministry of Immigration will restrict certificate of selection applicants

April 19, 2012 Henry J. Chang, Dentons LLP Corporate Immigration, Human Resources

On March 20, 2012, the Quebec Minister of Finance presented his 2012–13 budget, including an omnibus bill containing modifications to Quebec’s immigration program. Although it is a proposed bill, once enacted the immigration provisions will be retroactive to March 20, 2012. Therefore, these changes should be treated as if they are already in force. The proposed bill will establish caps on the number of Quebec immigration applicants that may be accepted between March 21, 2012, and March 31, 2013.

business immigrants, Foreign workers, Hiring foreign workers, Ministry of Immigration and Cultural Communities, Quebec Certificate of Selection, Quebec immigration applicants, Skilled Workers, temporary foreign workers