Canada has announced changes to regulations affecting live-in caregivers and temporary foreign workers in the country.
From 1 April 2011, there will be tighter scrutiny to Canadian families trying to hire a foreign nanny, to ensure that job offers are legitimate.
“The government is taking action to protect temporary foreign workers, including live-in caregivers, from potential abuse and exploitation,” says Immigration Minister Jason Kenney. “We owe it to them, their employers and all Canadians to ensure that the program is fair and equitable.”
With the new rules, there will be a four-year limit on the amount of time a foreign worker can be employed in Canada. The limit does not, however, affect the worker’s eligibility for permanent residence.
On the other hand, Canadian employers who fail to meet their commitments to foreign workers with respect to wages and working conditions will have a two-year prohibition on hiring foreign workers.
These changes come after a first round of new regulations was introduced to better protect the rights of foreign live-in caregivers.
