The rights of temporary foreign workers staying in Québec will now be better protected, year -round.
Faced with a huge labor shortage, Quebec wants to focus more on the contribution of these foreign workers to meet its needs, hence its desire to give them better management.
The Minister of Labor, Jean Boulet, announced on Monday that the existing prevention squad created to supervise these workers will therefore be extended to certain sectors of activity and will be permanent.
At a press conference, the Minister recalled that this seasonal auxiliary workforce, which is mostly associated with the agricultural sector, has the same rights as all other workers.
The squad of the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety and Work (CNESST), created in 2019, will go beyond the agricultural sector to cover the whole year during the retail trade, the sector of manufacturing, accommodation, catering, processing of food, management companies and businesses and healthcare.
The initiative is based on the observation that these workers come to Quebec without knowing their rights and the employers who hire them are often unaware of their obligations to them, in terms of the conditions in working.
In 2023, the group will offer free information workshops in the field, in several regions, on standards, health and occupational safety. These workshops are available in Spanish, as many of these workers speak Spanish.
Source: Radio-Canada
