Ontario Protecting Vulnerable Workers in York-Simcoe by Requiring Temporary Help Agency Licences

While temporary help agencies are vital to local farms, businesses, and jobseekers looking to get their foot in the door, for too long they have operated in a grey zone that allows criminals to prey on vulnerable workers.

That is why the provincial government is protecting vulnerable and temporary foreign workers in York-Simcoe and across the province by requiring temporary help agencies (THAs) and recruiters to have a licence to operate in the province as of January 1, 2024.

Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development inspections have shown that multiple temporary help agencies in Ontario are illegally paying people below the minimum wage and denying other basic employment rights to gain an unfair competitive advantage over law-abiding agencies by undercutting rates.

That is why THAs and recruiters can now apply for their licences online, six months before the law comes into effect.

To operate their businesses, THAs and recruiters will need to provide a $25,000 deposit that can be used to repay wages stolen from employees.

Offenders could face up to a $50,000 penalty – the highest amount in Canada – and be banned from operating in Ontario.

In 2022, the government assigned a dedicated team of officers to work with law enforcement agencies and community partners to detect illegal practices and recover unpaid wages for exploited employees.

Their work has resulted in multiple investigations helping remove hundreds of vulnerable and migrant workers from hazardous working situations.

Ontario also recently introduced legislation to strengthen penalties for withholding worker passports.

This government’s licensing system will ensure law-abiding businesses can have confidence in the THAs and recruiters they work with and that those who abuse workers face the harshest fines in Canada and are banned from operating in our area and our province.

Learn More: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1003244/ontario-protecting-workers-by-requiring-temporary-help-agency-licences