There are many working in this city and across the province and now new rules will help to ensure their fair treatment.
The Saskatchewan Government has announced new legislation intended to protect immigrants and foreign workers from exploitation and mistreatment while they are in the process of immigrating to the province or are being recruited to work.
Saskatchewan's Minister responsible for Immigration Bill Boyd says, "This Act is one of the most comprehensive and progressive pieces of legislation in Canada to protect foreign nationals. It will protect newcomers to the province who may be vulnerable to exploitation because of their language ability or lack of knowledge about law or culture."
Almost 48,000 immigrants have arrived in the province since 2007, with more than 11,000 new immigrants arriving in 2012. Immigration to Saskatchewan has increased as the economy has grown, and subsequently, employers have an increased need for workers.
"Saskatchewan has a growing need for skilled workers," Boyd adds. "By making sure workers will be fairly treated and protected, we will be able to attract those skilled workers and meet pressures in our labour market."
The Program Integrity Unit within the Ministry of the Economy has received a total of 353 case files for the period of August 2008 to September 2013. Many of these cases are related to issues regarding the legal rights and responsibilities of foreign workers and employers. About 30 per cent of the cases were not covered by existing federal or provincial legislation.
Six other Canadian provincial jurisdictions have some form of regulation of foreign worker recruiters, immigration consultants or employers of foreign workers.
All stakeholders will benefit from Saskatchewan being an attractive destination for immigrants says Boyd. Employers will benefit from the legislation, as it will give them assurance that the recruiters they use to find foreign workers are acting ethically and legally.
