CSIC looks to protect Temporary Foreign Workers in Ontario

CSIC looks to protect temporary foreign workers in Ontario

TORONTO, July 20 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Society of Immigration
Consultants (CSIC) presented its recommendations regarding how the Government
of Ontario can better protect temporary foreign workers from exploitation and
abuse. The recommendations were presented as part of the Minister of Labour's
stakeholder consultation process to solicit input on how to improve conditions
for temporary foreign workers.
"Temporary foreign workers often find themselves the victims of
unscrupulous agents and recruiters. CSIC's recommendations target these
nefarious practices in a meaningful way," said John Ryan, CSIC Chair and
Acting CEO. "CSIC has been at the forefront of consumer protection issues to
ensure the fair treatment of foreign nationals as a public policy priority and
its recommendations, if implemented, will strengthen and improve protections
for vulnerable foreign workers," added Ryan.

The following five major recommendations were made:

1. Mandatory Foreign Worker Recruitment Licensing
2. Mandatory Registration for Employers of Foreign Workers
3. Prohibitions Against Charging a Fee, Directly or Indirectly, to a
Worker
4. Revenue Neutrality
5. Comprehensive Enforcement and Punitive Measures

CSIC is only mandated to accredit, educate, and discipline its members,
but the temporary foreign worker issue goes well beyond the parameters of
CSIC's mandate. Therefore, CSIC recommends that the Province of Ontario adopt
a multi-jurisdictional approach to address the issue of temporary foreign
workers in the province and implement its recommendations.
"These recommendations protect the vulnerable. They require all those
engaged in foreign worker recruitment to be a member in good standing of a
provincial or territorial bar or the Chambre des notaires du Québec or the
Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants."
CSIC's entire submission is available on its website at www.csic-scci.ca.

For further information: Nancy Tibbo, (416) 572-2800, Toll Free:
1-866-308-CSIC (2252), ntibbo@csic-scci.ca