Federal government inspectors gave out the highest-ever fines in 2022, a record $1.54 million, to companies that did not follow the regulations for migrant workers, the Department of Employment announced on Wednesday..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, following the department's failure to conduct any spot checks as recently as 2017, thousands of inspections were carried out to ensure compliance with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program..“Last fiscal year, over 2,100 inspections were completed,” the department said in a statement. .“Of the employers inspected, 94% were ultimately found compliant and 6% were found non-compliant.”.A total of 116 employers were considered scofflaws and all of them were publicly named on a federal website. However, a total of 94 were fined a combined $1.54 million..“In addition, 23 employers were issued a warning and seven are now banned from using the program, some for up to five years,” it said..Records show fines typically averaged less than $10,000 and included penalties for minor breaches of Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, such as inadequate bookkeeping. Other fines ranged as high as $258,000 for misrepresentations or failing to comply with an inspector’s order..The department reported receiving 5,465 tips last year that alleged employer misconduct in relation to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. During that time, a total of 204,700 migrant workers were part of the national workforce..“The government takes its responsibilities to protect temporary foreign workers very seriously and continues to take steps to improve employer compliance,” it said..As of 2017, the department had not conducted any spot inspections under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. It was not until a critical audit that year that enforcement efforts were initiated..“Most activities consisted of reviewing documents that employers were asked to provide investigators by mail and did not include on-site inspections or interviews with temporary foreign workers,” said the Auditor General’s report Temporary Foreign Worker Program..The audit reported 173 on-site inspections it examined. Only 13 were complete and “none involved interviews with migrant workers.” .Despite the availability of fines under 2014 regulations, no employers have been penalized for abusive practices..“We also found the department’s approach to on-site inspections was flawed because the department always told employers about them well in advance,” wrote auditors. .“In our opinion, on-site inspections are important.”.In a 2022 Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement, the cabinet said employers relied on migrants, though they comprised a fraction of the national workforce. .“The success and continued growth of the Canadian economy depends on a number of factors, including the contribution of temporary foreign workers,” it said. .“They have the same workplace protections and rights as Canadians.”
