LIVE-IN CAREGIVERS IN CANADA GETS BIG BOOST

Did you know that Ontario, Canada has one of the best protection laws for live-in caregivers?

Enacted into law by the provincial legislation of Ontario, Canada in December of 2009 and took effect in March 2010, the Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act (EPFNA) of 2009, specifically protects foreign national live-in caregivers in Ontario greater protection against recruiters' fees.

According to the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), the following are the highlights of the EPFNA:

• Ban on fees charged to live-in caregivers by recruiters, either directly or indirectly, or by anyone on behalf of a recruiter;
• Preventing employers from recovering, directly or through a third party, recruitment or placement costs from live-in caregivers; 
• Imposing fines of up to 50,000 Canadian Dollars and a year in jail if anyone charges a placement or recruitment fee;
• Prohibiting the practice of taking a caregiver’s personal documents such as passport or work permit;
• Prohibiting reprisals against caregivers for exercising their rights under the legislation; and,
• Allowing live-in caregivers up to 3 ½ years to make a complaint.

The EPFNA will certainly make life for foreign live-in caregivers in Ontario, Canada a lot lot more rewarding. I hope other countries will follow suit.

To see more of the POEA's page click on this link EPFNA of 2009.

For more resources on the EPFNA of Ontrario, Canada, click on the following links.
http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/is_fn_epfn.php
http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/other/filipino/is_fn_epfn.pdf