Latest news with #temporaryforeignworkers
CBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Alberta companies ordered to repay almost $165K to temporary foreign workers
Two Alberta-based companies are appealing Ontario labour ministry decisions that say they charged temporary foreign workers tens of thousands of dollars to be placed in retail jobs at a Canadian Tire. The companies were ordered to repay almost $165,000. Some of the workers were originally from the Philippines but ended up at a Canadian Tire in Etobicoke, Ont. Though they said they each paid up to $7,900 US to an Alberta company to get the position, once they got the jobs, they say they were underpaid and poorly treated. Many of the workers quit and found jobs in Atlantic Canada and other provinces around the country. An employment standards officer from the Ontario Ministry of Labour conducted an investigation following a series of complaints from workers in October 2023. The ministry issued repayment orders on May 14 against Allison Jones Consulting and AJ Immigration Group in eight cases. Both companies share an owner, Allison Jones, and a common address in St. Albert, Alta. "We trust the appeal process and are committed to a fair and accurate resolution based on a complete review of the facts," she wrote. One of the workers who received the recent decision was Rowell Pailan, who previously shared his story with CBC News from his home in Wolfville, N.S. Pailan says he came to Canada in 2023 after being offered a position as a stock clerk supervisor at an Ontario Canadian Tire. However, paystubs he showed CBC News indicated that while he started being paid at the wage in his contract, his wages were later reduced, making it challenging for him to pay his bills and provide for his family in the Philippines. He says he got the position after he paid the fee to Jones' company using money borrowed from family members. The Ontario Labour Ministry's employment standards officer said Jones should repay Pailan $10,655.52 in Canadian dollars, the calculated equivalent of the $7,900 US he paid in 2022, plus a ten per cent administration fee. "I [was] so happy and teary-eyed, because finally I got justice," he said in a phone interview. "Maybe they [were] thinking that they can do whatever they want, because we are eager to come into Canada," Pailan said, adding that he wants to send a message that people should not "take advantage" of temporary foreign workers. "We didn't have any idea about the amount in regards to the immigration fee, or whatever it is to come into Canada." Companies acted together, decision says It's illegal under federal and Ontario law for a recruiter to charge a foreign worker for a job placement; the recruiter is supposed to be paid by the employer. However, it is legal to charge a fee for immigration advice or assistance with immigration paperwork. In the written decision issued to Pailan and reviewed by CBC News, a lawyer for the two companies told the employment standards officer that Allison Jones Consulting and AJ Immigration are "separate and independent" companies, each with their own branding and invoicing. The lawyer told the officer that Allison Jones Consulting charged Canadian Tire for recruiting services, while AJ Immigration Group was a separate entity that provided immigration services to the foreign workers and charged them fees for these services. This did not convince employment standards officer Charles Beauparlant, who concluded the fees were not legal because both companies were related. He found they shared "common management" in the owner, Allison Jones. "It does not change the fact that both businesses functioned as one comprehensive and unified business," Beauparlant wrote in his decision in Pailan's case. Jones' position, according to the lawyer, was that she is the "directing mind" behind the recruitment company, but not the other company as she "does not participate in the day-to-day operation of AJ Immigration." In her email to CBC News, Jones re-stated her position. "We respectfully disagree with the findings and with the characterization of these two companies — Allison Jones Consulting Services Inc. and AJ Immigration Group Inc. — as a 'unified business,' " she wrote. "Each is a distinct legal entity, and both maintain that their respective practices fully comply with applicable legislation." Beauparlant found that evidence like employee emails and information on Jones' two business websites showed both companies were sharing employees and that Jones was the "controlling mind" behind both. He also noted that Jones was described as the leader of both companies in a sentence on the website for Allison Jones Consulting that read: "She has successfully led the companies since inception creating one of Canada's leading recruitment agencies and immigration consultancies." As well, Beauparlant wrote, "having AJ Immigration Group Inc. collect fees through a retainer agreement after each phase of recruitment demonstrates not only their involvement but further confirms that AJ Immigration was assisting in the process of finding the claimant employment." Pailan previously told CBC News that he had to pay in three stages. The officer issued identical orders to both of Jones' companies, but the Ontario Labour Ministry told CBC News the intent was that the companies should repay Pailan "jointly," not twice over. The ministry also fined Allison Jones Consulting $250 for each of the eight cases, totalling $2,000. 'An affront to our entire system' Chris Ramsaroop is an instructor at the University of Toronto and an organizer with Justice for Migrant Workers, which supported Pailan's case. He says it concerns him that workers must be the ones to ensure the process is followed. "There's an expectation that [the workers] need to come forward, rather than the province or the federal government taking steps to protect the interests of workers," he said. "This is an affront to our entire system — this is disgusting." Ramsaroop feels temporary foreign workers like Pailan are in extremely vulnerable positions, and placing the onus on them to pursue the case to the next level when there is an appeal is a high burden. Pailan says he worries that he won't get the money back after an appeal. "That amount is not a joke, it's totally big," he said, adding that he's trying to repay his relatives who lent him the money. Ramsaroop noted that temporary foreign workers are often tied to a single job by virtue of the closed-permit system, which makes their position in Canada vulnerable. "These injustices will continue as a result of a system where we have workers tied to a particular employer," he said. WATCH | Why this professor believes closed permit system should end: HR professor on why closed work permit system should end 8 months ago Duration 2:39 Canadian Tire store still under investigation The Ontario Ministry of Labour confirmed it's also investigating complaints against the Canadian Tire store where the workers were employed, but the case is still open. There is a separate federal investigation underway by Employment and Social Development Canada into that Canadian Tire, but as of early June, it wasn't complete either. The store owner, Ezhil Natarajan, previously told CBC News he "vehemently denies" all the allegations against him. Canadian Tire Corporation made a policy change in the fall of 2024 to prohibit its stores from using recruiters that charge fees to temporary foreign workers. The corporation said it made the decision together with its dealers, who own franchised stores and make their own hiring decisions.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Canada work permit rule wey allow foreign workers to change work - wetin e dey about?
Di govment of Canada don introduce option wey go allow foreign workers to change dia job without waiting for work permit approvals. Normally, foreign nationals wey wan work for Canada go need a work permit, wey be di legal document wey fit allow di pesin to get employment and receive pay from employer. Now, Canada govment dey reduce delays for foreign workers wey dey try change dia jobs without dem waiting for work permit approval. Meanwhile, any individual wey dey eligible to work witout a work permit go still need a Temporary Resident Visa to enta Canada. But di new policy na to make am easy for workers to change dia jobs, grow dia careers and support di financial stability of temporary foreign workers for Canada. Categories under which foreigners fit work without approval Foreign nationals wey dey Canada but previously get a valid work permit and apply for a new one bifor di expiry of dia previous permit. Dis dey known as 'Maintained status'. Dem fit kontinu to work under same condition until dia new application get approvals. Maintained status offer temporary residents di opportunity to continue dia work, but get gatz stay for Canada. If dem comot for Canada, dem no go benefit from di opportunity. Meanwhile, foreign nationals wey dey maintained status need to stay for Canada while dia application dey under processing so dem no go lose dia authorization to work. Also, foreigners wey get valid study permit fit work without a permit. Dem fit work off-campus and during academic breaks. International representatives and dia family members and personal staff fit work witout a permit for Canada. Wit dis new public policy, foreigner wey get valid job offer and e don submit a work permit application, di worker dey allowed to begin employment witout delay. Meanwhile, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) dey reduce score of married pipo wey dey enta or wan stay for Canada but declare dia spouse as 'non-accompanying'. Di 'non- accompanying' option dey help married workers choose if dia spouse dey come wit dem or not, if dem wan apply for di permanent residency. How Canada 'non-accompanying' spouse option fit affect married pipo Canada dey give skilled workers pathway to become permanent resident but if dem lie say dia spouse no dey follow dem to gain more points, e fit get serious wahala. Di IRCC go issue one letter especially wen di spouse dey live and work for Canada. If dem find lies for di letter, e fit lead to five-year ban. Canada Express Entry dey score applicants through di Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for different factors like age, language proficiency, qualifications. Single applicants fit get more points dan dia married applicants if dia spouse qualifications and language scores no dey good enough. But married applicants fit declare dia spouse as "non-accompanying". Dis mean say dem no go relocate to Canada as permanent residents. Di "non-accompanying" declaration go make dem assess di applicants as single and e fit add up to 40 CSR points. Wit Express Entry, candidates dey use di 'non-accompanying' spouse option to increase dia score. Meanwhile, for October 2024, Canada announce say dem go reduce permanent residency targets from 395,000 for 2025, 380,000 for 2026, and 365,000 for 2027. Dis dey make plenti married applicants to declare dia spouses as 'non-accompanying' to give dem more chances, and IRCC consida am as misrepresentation. For Canada, misrepresentation na offence under Section 40 of di Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), wen an applicant provide false information or no provide material facts wey fit affect an immigration decision, weda intentional or not. Although, to declare a non-accompanying spouse dey allowed under immigration law for valid reasons, such as a spouse career abroad or family obligations, but Canada IRCC fit get issue wit am especially wen di spouse don alreadi dey for Canada on temporary status.
National Post
24-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
What the data show about the state of immigration in Canada since cuts were announced
Article content Twenty-five per cent fewer people on IMP permits came to Canada in the first quarter of 2025 (176,805) compared to the first quarter of 2024 (230,405). There were 53,600 fewer IMP permits issued, but this can mostly be attributed to the fact that 45,610 fewer Ukrainians came to Canada in that period. In the first quarter of 2024, between Jan. 1 and March 31, 66,720 Ukrainians came to Canada on an IMP permit, compared to 21,110 in the first quarter of 2025. Article content The number of temporary foreign workers actually grew between the two quarters. In the first quarter of 2024, 42,730 permits were granted, compared to 44,675 in the first quarter of 2025. Article content Article content Article content Only Quebec (with a five per cent decline) and Alberta (with a 12 per cent drop) saw the number of new temporary foreign workers decline. Article content Study permits declined by 20 per cent between the two periods, from 121,070 approved in the first quarter of 2024 to 96,015 in the first quarter of 2025. In Ontario, in the first quarter of 2024, there were 58,470 new study permit holders; in the first quarter of 2025, there were 44,185. While other provinces remained relatively stable — albeit on an entirely different order of magnitude than Ontario — British Columbia also saw a significant drop, from 27,735 new study permits to 18,850. Article content The largest declines in new study permit holders were seen among those from Hong Kong (a 40 per cent drop), Ghana (a 39 per cent drop) and India and Brazil (both saw a roughly 31 per cent drop). Article content Article content Article content The number of new permanent residents dropped across the country, when comparing the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. However, the effects ranged widely by province: Manitoba saw a five per cent decline in the number of permanent residents, while Prince Edward Island saw a 39 per cent drop. Nova Scotia and Quebec both saw a 29 per cent drop, New Brunswick a 19 per cent drop, Ontario an 11 per cent drop, Saskatchewan an 18 per cent drop, Alberta a 12 per cent drop and British Columbia a 16 per cent drop, while Newfoundland and Labrador actually saw a 12 per cent increase. Article content For the first time, Quebec's share of new permanent residents in Canada dropped below 10 per cent of the total. In the first quarter of 2025, just nine per cent of them settled in Quebec. In comparison, Ontario took 45 per cent of new permanent residents while Atlantic Canada took eight per cent. Around nine per cent of new permanent residents went to Manitoba and Saskatchewan, while Alberta took 13 per cent and B.C. took 14 per cent. Article content The largest reduction among classes of new permanent residents was seen among refugees. Article content 'When looking at what happened over the first quarter, by analyzing the data made available by (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada), is that the disproportionate cut in the reduction of numbers when comparing the first quarter of last year to the first quarter of this year was to refugees,' said Jedwab. 'We do have an important humanitarian tradition in Canada, the government continues to reiterate that. And so those disproportionate cuts, we need to know what those disproportionate cuts in refugees imply for our humanitarian commitments.' Article content In the first quarter of 2024, around 15 per cent of new permanent residents in Canada were refugees; in the first quarter of 2025, just 11 per cent were. The proportions of other classes of newcomers remained fairly stable: almost 63 per cent of new permanent residents in the first quarter of 2024 were economic migrants, and in 2025, 65 per cent were. In 2024, 20 per cent of all new permanent residents came into the country via sponsored family resettlement, compared to 21 per cent in 2025. Article content When it comes to economic migrants, Ontario was the outlier. Between the first quarter of 2024 and 2025, Ontario experienced only a 1.5 per cent drop. Quebec saw a nearly 28 per cent drop and the Prairies saw a nearly 23 per cent drop. Article content However, Ontario saw a fairly significant decline in the number of refugees who were granted permanent residence (a 40 per cent drop). Quebec experienced a nearly 58 per cent drop. Newfoundland and Labrador had the most significant decline (72 per cent), while Manitoba saw a 27 per cent drop, B.C. a 37 per cent drop and Alberta a 7.5 per cent drop. Article content Newfoundland and Labrador was another outlier: While economic resettlement figures declined by 13 per cent across the country, the easternmost province actually gained 36 per cent more economic migrants in the first quarter of 2025, compared to the first quarter of 2024. Article content 'There are going to be regional effects for those cuts,' said Jedwab. 'They don't all get implemented evenly across all the regions. That may be the theory, the idea may be to see those cuts distributed equally across regions. But, in practice, that isn't what happens.' Article content Article content Canada has also seen a major decline in the number of asylum claims made at the border. Canada saw a 75 per cent drop in asylum claims made at airports, from 13,400 to 3,340, between the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. There was a 10 per cent drop in claims at other borders, from 4,575 to 4,125, and a 24 per cent drop in those making claims at inland borders, from 28,135 to 21,415. Article content Claims dropped the most among people coming from Mexico (a 72 per cent drop) and Bangladesh (an 82 per cent drop)The most claims came from India, but those also saw a significant drop (22 per cent), from 6,760 to 5,260. Article content The only two countries that saw growth between the two quarters were Haiti (a 22 per cent increase) and Iran (a five per cent increase).
CBC
08-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Quebec reports high immigration, record low fertility in 2024
Quebec is reporting a near-record rate of immigration in 2024, with the province's population increasing to more than 9.1 million at the start of this year. A new report from Quebec's statistics institute says nearly 160,000 immigrants arrived in Quebec last year, the second-highest number recorded after 2023. The majority of the newcomers were non-permanent residents, including temporary foreign workers, international students and asylum seekers. The institute says there were nearly 617,000 non-permanent residents in Quebec in January 2025, and nearly half were temporary foreign workers. Deaths outnumbered births in Quebec last year, with the fertility rate reaching a record low of 1.33 children per woman. Life expectancy in the province was 82.7 years, which has changed little since 2016.
