Concerns raised over high fees charged to temporary foreign workers
OTTAWA — Canada needs to do more to protect temporary foreign workers from being charged predatory recruiting fees and falling victim to human trafficking, says a national non-profit organization that fights for the rights of refugees and vulnerable migrants.
The Canadian Council of Refugees says some temporary workers brought in to fill low-wage jobs are being recruited overseas by agents who charge upwards of $40,000 to place them in a job.
This has led to situations where migrant workers are left indebted to the recruiters and are then vulnerable to abuses, including human trafficking.
Charging employees recruitment or placement fees is illegal, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening, says Janet Dench, executive director of the council.