OTTAWA, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Regulations to take effect next year are intended to protect au pairs and other foreign homecare workers in Canada from exploitation, officials say.
Under the new rules, employers' past history will be considered before their applications to hire temporary help from overseas are approved, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. Those who have violated about agreements about pay and working conditions can be rejected.
This past April, regulations requiring specific agreements covering most aspects of work took effect.
"The government is taking action to protect temporary foreign workers, including live-in caregivers from potential abuse and exploitation," Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said. "We owe it to them, their employers and all Canadians to ensure that the program is fair and equitable."
Current rules allow temporary workers to apply for permanent residence after two years of full-time work. The new regulations, which take effect April 1, allow those who work a lot of overtime to apply sooner, while those who have been unable to work fulltime because of sickness can extend the deadline.
