Reports of wage theft, long work hours, minimal breaks, and physical mistreatment have emerged regarding Canada’s temporary foreign workers, as highlighted in a recent final document by the United Nations’ special rapporteur focusing on modern forms of enslavement.
Reiterating concerns expressed during a previous visit to Canada, special rapporteur Tomoya Obokata labeled the temporary foreign workers scheme as a “hotbed for contemporary forms of enslavement.”
Within the final publication, Obokata, also a professor of international human rights law at the University of York in the U.K., outlined instances of underpayment, absence of safety gear, document confiscation by employers, arbitrary reduction of work hours, and constraints on accessing healthcare for these workers.
The report further detailed accounts from women regarding sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse, alongside allegations that authorities trivialize complaints, disclaim jurisdiction, and redirect workers to immigration officials rather than addressing their grievances.
The government largely relies on employers to educate temporary foreign workers about their rights, despite the evident conflict of interest.– Tomoya Obokata, UN special rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery
In response to the report, Immigration Minister Marc Miller expressed disagreement with the characterization of the temporary foreign worker program as “modern slavery” but acknowledged the documented abuses, stressing the need for their cessation.
Miller emphasized the obligation for all individuals in Canada, irrespective of their employment status, to adhere to legal standards of treating others with dignity and respect, particularly in sectors employing temporary foreign workers where misconduct persists.
Notwithstanding forthcoming program revisions, Miller highlighted the government’s cautious approach to avoid escalating food costs, with the agricultural industry being the primary beneficiary of temporary foreign labor permits.
Ensuing from Obokata’s report, the maltreatment was attributed in part to a power imbalance, as temporary foreign workers are bound to their employing entities through restrictive work permits, exacerbating their vulnerability, compounded by a lack of awareness of their entitlements.
The report criticized the government’s passive approach in educating workers about their rights, primarily relying on online resources and sporadic funding for migrant rights education by civil societies, which employers can impede workers from accessing.
