The Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act will establish a requirement for foreign worker recruiters to be licenced, and for employers who recruit and hire temporary foreign workers to be registered with the Province. The legislation will increase provincial oversight and establish criteria for issuing, refusing, suspending or cancelling a license or registration of those recruiters and employers utilizing temporary foreign workers. Recruiters and employers that violate the legislation could lose their license or registration, and they will be subject to financial penalties and possibly jail time. The proposed legislation will permit government to recover, and return to workers, fees charged illegally to workers by recruiters to get jobs including where the fees are charged in other jurisdiction for work in B.C. The legislation will also establish a number of obligations on foreign worker recruiters and employers. By creating two registries, the provincial government will be able to hold foreign worker recruiters and employers accountable for their actions and bring in other ministries and agencies as needed when there is health, housing or other violations of B.C laws.
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