CIMM – Rights of Temporary and Migrant Workers – November 07, 2023

Key Facts and Figures

Foreign workers have the same rights to workplace protections under federal, provincial and territorial employment standards and collective agreements as Canadians and permanent residents.

All workers in Canada deserve safe, healthy and dignified working conditions. Mistreatment or abuse of low skill/low wage temporary foreign workers – or any worker – is always unacceptable and can never be tolerated.

New regulatory amendments came into force in September 2022 to help ensure the protection of the rights of temporary foreign workers (TFWs). The changes include prohibiting employers from charging and recovering recruitment fees and from hiring third parties who charge or recover these fees. In addition, employers must provide TFWs with information on their rights, access to healthcare in Canada, and an employment agreement stipulating job duties, wages and working conditions.
All Temporary Foreign Worker Program employers are required to ensure their employees have access to healthcare. During the period for which the temporary foreign worker is not covered by a provincial or territorial health insurance system, employers must obtain and pay for private emergency health insurance.
Foreign nationals working in Canada on an employer-specific work permit, similar to Canadians, have the right to change employers at any time and for any reason and can leverage the changing employers public policy to switch employers within ten business days.
As part of its ongoing commitment to protect temporary foreign workers, the Government of Canada has introduced the Migrant Worker Support Program, which establishes coordinated approaches among community organizations to provide resources and services to migrant workers. They also support migrant workers in emergency situations, help them access needed services, and promote inclusion in the community.