Migrant workers pay an equivalent of two years’ salaries in fees in their home countries to unscrupulous recruiters and agencies to come work in Canada. To pay these fees, entire families go into debt.
Often times, when workers arrive here, work conditions and wages are not as they were promised or agreed to.
With families back home in debt, workers are afraid to complain about ill treatment by bad bosses here.
In some cases when workers complained about recruitment fees, recruiters punished entire communities by blacklisting their ability to come to Canada.
All workers should be protected from being charged illegal and exorbitant fees by recruiters and agencies. Recruiters should be licensed, employers should be registered, they should be jointly and severally liable and the provinces and federal government should work together – and with workers’ home governments – to make sure that protection is effective across all borders.