Agencies and recruiters who help bring temporary foreign workers into the province will soon need a licence.
The Ontario government introduced new legislation which will make the licence a requirement by January 1, 2024.
Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Monte McNaughton said there have been too many instances of help agencies 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.
"My message to any predators out there thinking they can abuse workers or traffic human beings is simple, there's no place for you in Ontario," said McNaughton.
McNaughton says the businesses will need to follow many licensing requirements and once they receive their licences they will be added to an online database.
It will also be illegal for businesses to use temporary help agencies that do not have a licence. If caught, businesses could face a $50,000 fine.
