Protecting foreign workers

Last May, the Ontario Legislature passed a bill meant to enhance the protections for temporary foreign workers.

Specifically targeted to temporary help agency employees, the bill (which will come into effect later this fall) guarantees that employees will be told of their rights and have access to more legal protections, including termination and severance pay.

Protections for temporary foreign workers have been few and far between. And with the numbers of such workers rising, these protections are even more important.

The federal government has implemented various fast-tracking options for employers to get temporary foreign workers here more quickly. However, does this speedy process reduce even further the likelihood that temporary foreign workers will be told of their rights, given full explanations about their contracts, and ensured of proper treatment upon arrival? 

The Ontario legislation is one step in the right direction. Alberta has advisory offices set up for temporary foreign workers, with information and services relating to employment standards and workplace safety. But are these measures enough? And what programs and policies can we implement that will ensure temporary foreign workers are treated by the same standards as those permanently living in Canada?