CIMM Committee Report

Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada grant live-in caregivers permanent resident status on certain conditions. In order to retain permanent resident status, a caregiver must accumulate 24 months of work during the first three years in Canada. Once the conditions have been met, caregivers have to provide evidence to Citizenship and Immigration Canada in order to have the conditions lifted.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada extend coverage under the Interim Federal Health Program to caregivers denied coverage under a provincial health plan.

Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada waive the requirement to obtain a study permit for live-in caregivers.

Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada ensure that orientation sessions for caregivers address the following subjects:

• The requirement that the employer provide a statement of earnings with each pay cheque;
• The need for the caregiver to have access to complete statements of earnings and deductions in order to meet the conditions for becoming a permanent resident; and
• The procedure for opening a bank account.

Furthermore, in these orientation sessions, it should be made clear that the following behaviors are unacceptable, and in many cases subject to sanction. It should also be explained to which bodies each of these inappropriate behaviours should be reported:

• Confiscating passports;
• Failing to comply with the Canada Revenue Agency rules regarding pay and record of employment;
• Failing to make required deductions;
• Employing a caregiver without a work permit to work in their homes;
• Paying less than the minimum required by provincial legislation;
• Requiring caregivers to work longer than reasonable work hours; and
• Assigning caregivers tasks entirely unrelated to their prescribed role.

Copies of the materials used for this orientation session should be provided to all provincial governments to make them aware of the types of behaviors that might be reported to them, and so that they can note that they should act on these reports.

Recommendation 5

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada require employers to attend a briefing on the live-in caregiver program and the rights and responsibilities of all concerned, before a caregiver can start work.

Furthermore, in this briefing, it should be made clear that the following behaviors are unacceptable and in many cases subject to sanction:

• Confiscating passports;
• Failing to comply with the Canada Revenue Agency rules regarding pay and record of employment;
• Failing to make required deductions;
• Employing a caregiver without a work permit to work in their homes;
• Paying less than the minimum required by provincial legislation;
• Requiring caregivers to work longer than reasonable work hours; and
• Assigning caregivers tasks entirely unrelated to their prescribed role.

Recommendation 6

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada implement as soon as possible the changes set out in the Committee’s 7^th Report as well as those of this report in order to ensure that all participants have the necessary knowledge and opportunity to participate in the live-in caregiver program to their advantage and to ensure that the rights of temporary foreign workers are upheld.

Recommendation 7

The Committee recommends that the authorized bodies in the provincial and federal governments investigate the allegations of the former live-in caregivers in the Dhalla residence and take measures as appropriate. Further, the Committee requests that these government bodies, upon completion of their investigations, send the result to the Committee.