Temporary foreign workers: 97 statements of offence issued to 11 Quebec companies

QUÉBEC – Reports of abuse by temporary foreign workers have led the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité au travail ( CNESST) to issue 97 statements of offence to 11 companies in 2023.

The CEO of the CNESST, Manuelle Oudar, confirmed the information at a press conference in Quebec City with the Minister of Labour, Jean Boulet.

The two reviewed the CNESST’s actions this year to better protect temporary foreign workers, who are “vulnerable” and “unfamiliar with labour standards”.

In Quebec, the number of temporary foreign workers has tripled since 2015, to 38,500. Once predominantly working in agriculture, they are now present in manufacturing, hotels, accommodation, retail and food processing.

“They have the same rights and obligations as any other Quebec worker,” said Boulet, revealing that Bombardier Recreational Products, accused of underpaying its Mexican workers, had received 41 of 97 statements of offence this year.

In 2022, the CNESST had issued a total of only 14 statements of offence.

Asked whether the temporary foreign worker program was “modern slavery”, as denounced by UN Special Rapporteur Tomoya Obokata, Boulet said there was “room for improvement”.

He recalled that in September, his government commissioned the Commission des partenaires du marché du travail (CPMT) to evaluate the impact of the so-called “closed” work permit on the Quebec labor market and on its workers.

This type of work permit has long been criticized for tying temporary foreign workers to a single employer. In recent months, several cases of abuse have been reported in the media.

However, since 2019, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) can grant an open work permit to vulnerable workers (victims of violence or at risk of violence).

The Legault government says it is looking for ways to offer temporary immigrants more job flexibility. “We’ll wait for the CPMT’s recommendations,” Boulet said on Tuesday.

Occupational injuries

The Minister also reported an increase in work-related accidents and illnesses among temporary foreign workers.

The number of recognized occupational injuries has risen from 1193 in 2018, to 2176 in 2020, to 3541 in 2022, because temporary workers are more numerous than ever, and the CNESST is also more active, according to Boulet.

“It’s bad news, (…) but good news, because they can benefit from compensation and all the rehabilitation services that are provided by the CNESST,” he said.

Last March, Boulet announced that the CNESST was expanding the activities to reach workers and employers in a greater number of sectors.

A cohort of a dozen prevention officers was added during the summer of 2023 to the permanent team, already made up of a dozen people.

Since March, the CNESST has given 286 workshops, raising awareness among 2,500 temporary foreign workers working for 300 companies. In addition, nearly 1,000 employers have benefited from personalized advice.

The CNESST also systematically checks placement and recruitment agencies to detect those without permits.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 12, 2023.