he prestigious Human Resources Reporter (“HR Reporter”) publication recently interviewed our law firm’s founder, Ravi Jain for an article by Sarah Dobson on July 22, 2024, titled Greater Enforcement Challenges TFW Employers. Significant developments in Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) were highlighted, underscoring intensified regulatory scrutiny and enforcement actions affecting employers across various sectors.
The article opens by detailing the diverse range of companies, from convenience stores to hotels, implicated in non-compliance with the TFWP or International Mobility Program. For instance, Gateway Newsstand in Brampton, Ont., Windsor Hotel in Greenwood, B.C., and Ultra Shine Building Maintenance in Edmonton were among those fined substantial amounts and subjected to bans for breaches such as discrepancies in pay or working conditions and failure to provide adequate worker rights information.
Mr. Jain expressed concerns about the allocation of government resources, stating, “You have these regular companies that are bringing in higher skilled workers — they’re competently run, they take these kinds of things quite seriously, they have legal counsel in-house, they have a proper HR and everything — so, to drag them through the process, they see a lot of random inspections, it just seems a bit unproductive.”
Jain emphasized the need for more targeted enforcement efforts, suggesting, “They should just be a little bit more targeted. And the tip line and then multi languages, all that stuff is good, but the more awareness they can raise, both with employers and the employees, I think the better it’ll be.”
The article concluded by advocating for a balanced approach that targets bad actors while supporting compliant employers. It underscored the critical role of comprehensive legal counsel and robust internal policies in navigating the complexities of immigration compliance under the TFWP.
Read the full article here.