Ontario company charged foreign workers up to $18,000 to find jobs in Alberta
An Ontario agency charged temporary foreign workers up to $18,000 to come to Canada and get jobs as tradespeople in Alberta, in direct violation of Alberta's laws.
In Alberta, recruiting and employment agencies, no matter where they are located, must be licensed with the province and cannot charge workers for connecting them with jobs in Alberta. Service Alberta has ordered WorldWide Workforce of Wodbridge, Ont., to immediately stop demanding money from people seeking work in Alberta and acting as an employment agency.
WorldWide Workforce, owned by Rupinder Pal (Bob) Singh, told at least seven men that in order to come to Canada and get a job in Alberta they would have to pay the agency about $18,000. The workers also had to pay all their own travel expenses.
Some of the men paid up to $10,000 before coming to Canada and upon arrival had to sign post-dated blank cheques to WorldWide for monthly payments on the unpaid portion of the recruitment fees.
Four of the men signed employment contracts as welders with an Edmonton company, but when they arrived those jobs weren't available. Two others signed contracts with another Edmonton company, but quit because they were being paid much less than what was stipulated in the contract. The seventh man left his job with a company in a remote area because of the isolation of the community.
The agency did nothing to help these workers find other jobs, but fortunately members of the Indian community and a temporary foreign worker advocate helped the men find new jobs within about four months of arriving in Canada.
In Alberta, recruiting and employment agencies, no matter where they are located, must be licensed with the province and cannot charge workers for connecting them with jobs in Alberta. Service Alberta has ordered WorldWide Workforce of Wodbridge, Ont., to immediately stop demanding money from people seeking work in Alberta and acting as an employment agency.
WorldWide Workforce, owned by Rupinder Pal (Bob) Singh, told at least seven men that in order to come to Canada and get a job in Alberta they would have to pay the agency about $18,000. The workers also had to pay all their own travel expenses.
Some of the men paid up to $10,000 before coming to Canada and upon arrival had to sign post-dated blank cheques to WorldWide for monthly payments on the unpaid portion of the recruitment fees.
Four of the men signed employment contracts as welders with an Edmonton company, but when they arrived those jobs weren't available. Two others signed contracts with another Edmonton company, but quit because they were being paid much less than what was stipulated in the contract. The seventh man left his job with a company in a remote area because of the isolation of the community.
The agency did nothing to help these workers find other jobs, but fortunately members of the Indian community and a temporary foreign worker advocate helped the men find new jobs within about four months of arriving in Canada.
