Table of contents

Your rights and responsibilities

It is important for temporary foreign workers to be aware of their employment rights. The following easy reading guide can help you understand employment standards and your paycheck.

The following resources can help you learn about employment standards rules in Alberta:

The following brochure has information on your rights and responsibilities as a worker in Alberta, and the support you can access from Alberta's Temporary Foreign Worker Advisory Office.

Safety

These resources can help you learn how to stay safe at work.

Employment agencies

Employment agencies can help:

  • people look for work in Alberta
  • employers recruit employees in Alberta

License requirements

Employment agencies must have a license issued by Service Alberta to exist in Alberta or recruit for an employer located in Alberta.

This is the law even if the agency recruits people outside of Alberta.

Find out if an employment agency is licensed.

Rules

Employment agencies cannot:

  • demand or collect a fee from a Temporary Foreign Worker for recruiting services or for helping them find a job
  • demand or hold a bond or deposit from an individual
    • It is against the law to collect any fee from a person even if the agency may pay it back later.
  • tell an employer that the employer can recover costs of the agency’s services from the employee
    • This includes deducting from the employee’s salary or demanding cash from the employee.
  • make an individual pay for other services as a condition to help the person find work
    • This includes immigration services.

Learn more about employment agencies.

Temporary Foreign Workers can file a complaint with government if they believe an immigration consultant or employment agency has:

  • deceived or misled them
  • charged prohibited fees
  • otherwise broke the rules described in the legislation

English as a Second Language (ESL)

ESL drop-in centres

Visit an ESL drop-in Centre to help you in your transition.

Calgary

The Immigrant Education Service
Phone: 403-235-3666

Address:
1723 40 Street SE
Calgary, Alberta  T2A 7Y3

Edmonton

Cultural Connection Institute

Phone: 780-944-0792

Address:
The Learning Exchange
4th Floor, 10621 100 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 0B3

Edson

Edson and District Community Learning Society

Phone: 780-723-6247

Address:
#103 Edson Provincial Building
111 54 Street
Edson, Alberta  T7E 1T2

Taber

Taber & District Adult Learning Association

Phone: 403-223-1169

Address:
ESL Drop-In Centre
5011 49 Avenue
Taber, Alberta  T1G 1V9

Immigration

For temporary foreign workers interested in gaining permanent residency in the province, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) can help make the immigration process go faster.

Contact

Connect with the Temporary Foreign Worker Advisory Office:

Email: [email protected]

Calgary

Phone: 403-476-4540

Edmonton

Phone: 780-644-2584

Temporary Foreign Worker Helpline

You can contact the Temporary Foreign Worker Helpline toll-free throughout most of the world at 1-877-944-9955, with the following exceptions:

  • China (North): 108007141500
  • Chine (South): 108001401372
  • Mexico: 0018005145713
  • Philippines: 18001110151
  • Thailand: 0018001562045713

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