If you are thinking about coming to Alberta as a temporary foreign worker, there are a few important steps you’ll need to take. First, you must receive a letter of employment from your potential employer. As well, you will require from your employer a positive Labour Market Opinion (LMO) issued by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC). Finally, you must apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a temporary resident permit and work permit. After receiving your application, CIC will determine whether you are eligible to receive a work permit. In certain circumstances, an application for a work permit may be made at a port of entry.

To learn more about work permits for temporary foreign workers, see Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

The following programs and services are available to help you adjust to work in Alberta, and understand your workplace rights and responsibilities.

Employment Standards are minimum standards of employment for employers and employees in the workplace.

Occupational Health and Safety provides the minimum standards for safe and healthy practices in Alberta workplaces.

Using Employment Agencies: Employers who want to hire temporary foreign workers may seek the services of employment and recruitment agencies. Under the Fair Trading Act, all businesses, including employment or recruitment agencies, are required to have an Employment Agency Business Licence.

The Workers' Compensation Board - Alberta provides coverage to workers when they are injured at work and unable to work. Employers are required under the Workers’ Compensation Act to post the 1-2-3 Poster where it can be seen by workers. The poster provides workers with basic steps on how to report a work-related injury. The poster is available in 15 languages.

To learn more, please see Information for Workers and Employment Standards Publications.

The Temporary Foreign Worker Advisory Office and Temporary Foreign Worker Helpline can help you learn more about your rights and responsibilities, and help you find solutions for situations involving unfair, unsafe or unhealthy working conditions.

The Immigrate to Alberta Information Service provides information on working in Alberta and permanent and temporary residency in Alberta. The service is accessible by email or phone and is used by Alberta employers, temporary foreign workers and the general public.

Resources on settlement services and immigrant-serving agencies are available to help you adapt to living in Alberta.

It is important that you have a safe and fair workplace. The First Day Checklist and other resources will help you understand your rights and responsibilities:

• First Day Checklist
• English Express - Employment law protects workers
• English Express - Be safe at work
• Worker’s Guide - Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Working in Alberta – A Guide for Temporary Foreign Workers (Student Guide)
• Working in Alberta – A Guide for Temporary Foreign Workers (Facilitator’s Guide)

There are two ways to file a complaint with Employment Standards. You can submit your complaint electronically through our employee online filing system. To file an online complaint, you will need an email address. Once you access the system, you will be asked to answer a number of questions related to your employment. This may take up to 20 minutes to complete. You should go through any employment records before you start. You will need to keep these records for when an investigation begins.

Or you may print and complete the Complaint by Employee form and submit it to the Employment Standards office nearest you.

For more information, see the Complaint Resolution Process Fact Sheet.

A workplace may have a union but that does not necessarily mean the work you do is covered by a collective agreement. You have the right to know if you are represented by a union and covered by a collective agreement. If you have spoken to your co-workers and are still not sure, your supervisor should be able to tell you. If you know there is a union at your workplace, you can also ask a union steward or representative if the collective agreement covers you and the work you do.

You may need help if you are being laid off or believe you are being treated unfairly at work.

If your employer has a bargaining relationship with a union or employee association and, if you are a member of the bargaining unit, then you are covered by the collective agreement.  However, that does not mean the problem or issue is covered by the collective agreement. A good place to start is to contact your union steward or representative. You can also talk to your employer’s human resources shop or other representative for more information. If you still need help after talking to these people, contact Employment Standards.

The Alberta Labour Relations Board provides information on Strikes, Lockouts and Picketing including definitions of terms and answers to questions like, “Do my benefits continue when I am on strike or locked out?” and “What happens during an illegal strike or lockout?”

If you believe your union is treating you unfairly, you may file a Duty of Fair Representation complaint with the Alberta Labour Relations Board.

The Labour Relations Code requires unions to fairly represent all members of the bargaining unit on matters in the collective agreement.

An employer may transfer a seasonal agricultural worker from one farm to another with the worker’s consent and prior written approval from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), Service Canada and the worker’s foreign government representative in Canada.

Yes. As a skilled worker, you may apply directly to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for permanent residency. To learn more, see Hiring Skilled Workers and Supporting their Permanent Immigration.

No. A live-in caregiver authorized to work for a specific employer, cannot:

• work for more than one employer at a time, or for any employer, or under any conditions other than that authorized on their work permit; and
• work for a health agency or labour contractor, or in a daycare or foster care.

There are other requirements that live-in caregivers and their employer must satisfy. To learn more, see The Live-in Caregiver Program.

An employer who wants to hire a temporary foreign worker must first apply to Service Canada for a Labour Market Opinion (LMO). This opinion assesses what impact the worker would have on Canada’s labour market or, in other words, how the offer of employment would affect Canadian jobs. There are cases when the employer does not require an LMO.

To learn more, see Working temporarily in Canada.

Below is information on the requirements and standards that employers must follow during and after they have hired temporary foreign workers:

Employment Standards are minimum standards of employment for employers and employees in the workplace.

Occupational Health and Safety provides the minimum standards for safe and healthy practices in Alberta workplaces.

Using Employment Agencies: Employers who want to hire temporary foreign workers may seek the services of employment and recruitment agencies. Under the Fair Trading Act, all businesses are required to have an Employment Agency Business Licence, including employment or recruitment agencies.

The Workers' Compensation Board - Alberta provides coverage to workers when they are injured at work and unable to work. Employers are required under the Workers’ Compensation Act to post the 1-2-3 Poster where it can be seen by workers. The poster provides workers with basic steps on how to report a work-related injury. The poster is available in 15 languages.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta: Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) applies to temporary foreign workers. PIPA applies to employers and employment agencies that operate in Alberta. If these organizations fail to protect personal information or disregard the rules for the collection, use and disclosure of personal information as set out under PIPA, then individuals can submit a complaint to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta for investigation. For more information, visit Private Sector Privacy.

For more information on employer’s rights and responsibilities, please see:

• First Day Checklist
• English Express - Employment law protects workers
• An Employer’s Guide to Employment Rules
• English Express - Be Safe at Work
• A Guide to Rights and Responsibilities in Alberta Workplaces
• Worker’s Guide - Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Working in Alberta – A Guide for Temporary Foreign Workers (Student Guide)
• Working in Alberta – A Guide for Temporary Foreign Workers (Facilitator’s Guide)

There are a number of resources to assist employers and employment agencies understand the process and requirements for hiring temporary foreign workers in Alberta.

The Fair Trading Act protects consumers from unfair business practices before, during or after a consumer transaction. Under the Act, businesses are required to have an employment agency business licence if they are:

• Finding jobs in Alberta for people
• Finding workers for employers in Alberta
• Testing or evaluating individuals for job-related skills on behalf of an employer

Employers should show active participation in the process of reviewing contracts, monitoring the agency and screening and selecting employees. For more information, visit Service Alberta Business - Tipsheets and Resources.

Additional information on using employment agencies and hiring and retaining foreign workers can be found by visiting Alberta's Official Immigration Website.

Programs and services are available to help employers retain temporary foreign workers. These include the Immigrate to Alberta Information Service, Temporary Foreign Worker Help Line, and Immigrant-Serving Agencies.

Resources on Immigrant-Serving Agencies, Living in Alberta and Hiring and Retaining Foreign Worker are available to help your employees adapt to living in Alberta.  For more information, visit Alberta Immigration Information for Employers.

The following resources are available:

• Using employment agencies
• Hiring and Retaining Foreign Workers
• Service Alberta Consumer Tip Sheet - Employment Agencies

Information on the federal government Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) is available from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. See Hiring Foreign Agricultural Workers in Canada.

Yes, employers who want to hire live-in caregivers must apply to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) and Service Canada for a Labour Market Opinion (LMO). An LMO assesses what impact hiring a foreign worker would have on Canada's labour market. There are other conditions that employers must agree to and meet before hiring live-in caregivers.

To learn more, see The Live-in Caregiver Program.