GOVERNMENTS OF CANADA AND SASKATCHEWAN CO-OPERATE TO PROTECT TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS

Information sharing to strengthen the protection of temporary foreign workers will be facilitated through a Letter of Understanding between the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan. Ed Komarnicki, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour, and Member of Parliament for Souris-Moose Mountain, on behalf of Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, announced the signing today.

"Our government is working with the Province of Saskatchewan to promote information sharing, which is critical to better enforce provincial labour standards and to ensure that employers fulfill terms of employment," said Komarnicki. "This agreement also increases our ability to administer the Labour Market Opinion process and make sure that workplaces meet generally accepted Canadian standards."

"Our priority is to ensure the rights and well-being of all Saskatchewan workers are upheld and protected, including newcomers and temporary foreign workers," Saskatchewan Advanced Education, Employment and Labour Minister and Minister responsible for Immigration Rob Norris said. "Through this agreement our governments will be able to share information that improves the protection of foreign workers' rights and make certain that employers are fulfilling their responsibilities - thereby securing Saskatchewan's reputation as a great place to work and live."

The Wall government has created a Program Integrity Unit to help protect immigrants and temporary foreign workers in Saskatchewan, and has created fact sheets in numerous languages that address the issues these workers may face in the workplace. More recently, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) instituted a Code of Conduct and Applicant Declaration form, which lays out the minimum standards immigration representatives must abide by and ensures applicants to the SINP are aware of their representative's responsibilities.

The two governments also collaborate on outreach activities and share communications tools that help inform both employers and temporary foreign workers about their rights and responsibilities. The federal Temporary Foreign Worker Program has a number of provisions to ensure the well-being of foreign workers during their stay in Canada and similar information sharing agreements are also in place with the Governments of Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia.

Foreign workers play an important role in the Canadian economy. Foreign workers can fill labour shortages as well as bring new skills and knowledge to help Canada's economy grow. Foreign workers help employers meet their labour needs when Canadians or permanent residents are not readily available. Employers must demonstrate that sincere efforts were made to hire Canadians before they are authorized to hire temporary foreign workers and wages and working conditions offered to foreign workers must be comparable to those offered to Canadians or permanent residents. Temporary foreign workers have the same rights and protections as Canadian workers.

For more information on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, please visit the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada web site at www.hrsdc.gc.ca.

For more information on the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program, please visit www.saskimmigrationcanada.ca or www.aeel.gov.sk.ca/immigration.

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For more information, contact:

Michelle Bakos
Office of Minister Finley
Ottawa
Phone: 819-994-2482

edia Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
Ottawa
Phone: 819-994-5559

Daniela Machuca
Advanced Education, Employment and Labour
Regina
Phone: 306-787-3716