Working Temporarily in Saskatchewan

Q: Do I have to pay a placement fee in order to find a job in Canada?

No, it is against the law in Saskatchewan for any worker to be charged a placement fee
by a recruitment or employment agency.

If you are from the Philippines, this also means that you are not required to pay any portion
of the relocation funds given by the Government of the Philippines to your employer or recruitment
agency. For more information on the regulations for recruitment and employment of Filipino
workers, visit www.poea.gov.ph.

Q: Can my employer keep my passport?

An employer may ask to see your passport to ensure you have a valid work permit. However,
it is not acceptable for an employer to keep your passport.

Nobody has the right to withhold your passport. You should keep your passport in a safe place.
Your passport, your work permit and your visa are proof that you have permission to stay in Canada.
If your employer is withholding your passport from you, report this to the police immediately. You
may also wish to report this to your embassy.

A list of local Police Services is available at www.cpsp.gov.sk.ca/list-mps. For information on

diplomatic missions in Canada, visit w01.international.gc.ca/Protocol-Protocole/Missions.
aspx?lang=eng.

Q: Am I able to stay in Canada if I lose my job?

If you are working in Saskatchewan on a valid work permit and you lose your job, you still have
temporary status in Canada until your work permit expires. This means that you can stay in Canada,
but you cannot work unless you get a new work permit for your new job. If you do not get a new
job and a new work permit, you must leave Canada before your original work permit expires.

The application form for a new work permit can be found on the Citizenship and Immigration
Canada website at www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/apply-how.asp.
Q: Am I able to get a new job?

You may change jobs while you are in Canada on a work permit. However, your new employer may
need to apply for a Labour Market Opinion from Service Canada before you can begin to work. You
will need to apply for a new work permit. You cannot work at your new job until you have a new
work permit.

The application form for a new work permit can be found on the Citizenship and Immigration
Canada website at www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/apply-how.asp.

Q: Can my employer have me deported?

Your employer has no authority to have you deported from Canada. You can only be deported by
the Canadian Border Services Agency and only if you have committed a crime or have violated the
regulations of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).

For more information on the Canadian Border Services Agency, visit www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/.

Q: Can I bring my family if I am on a work permit?

It may be possible for your spouse or common-law partner and children to come with you
to Canada or visit you in Canada. However, they must meet the requirements for temporary
residents to Canada and this may mean that they will also require Temporary Resident Visas before
they can enter the country. This evaluation is done at the discretion of Citizenship and Immigration
Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada may refuse to allow your family members to come
to Canada if there are concerns that you or your family may stay longer than the period allowed
in your work permit.

Application forms and instructions are available on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada
website at www.cic.gc.ca.
Q: Can my family members work in Canada?

If your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children want to work while in Canada,
they must apply for their own work permit. Normally, they must meet the same requirements that
you did, including (if needed) the Labour Market Opinion from Service Canada.

Under certain circumstances, if you are authorized to work in Canada for at least six months and
you are working in a skilled occupation, your spouse may not need a Labour Market Opinion.
If you meet these two requirements, your spouse may apply for a work permit that is “open” and
that will allow him/her to accept any job with any employer. Your spouse’s permit will be valid
for the same period as your authorization to work in Canada. This application can be made from
within or outside of Canada and the final decision will be at the discretion of Citizenship and
Immigration Canada.

For more information on Citizenship and Immigration Canada, visit www.cic.gc.ca.

Q: Who can help me if I have concerns?

If you are a foreign temporary worker in Saskatchewan and are experiencing problems, you can
contact the Saskatchewan Immigration Services Division at (306) 798-7467 for more information.
You can also contact the Labour Standards Branch by phone (toll free) at 1-800-667-1783 or by
email at cru@lab.gov.sk.ca, or visit one of their offices across Saskatchewan. For a list of Labour
Standards offices go to www.aeel.gov.sk.ca/ls.

Your conversation will be confidential and nobody will report you to your employer.