The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades says employer abuse of foreign workers is running “rampant” in the construction sector and Ottawa should pause the temporary foreign workers program entirely until an independent audit is conducted to investigate the scale of fraud and misuse within the program.
The construction union said in a statement Thursday it discovered financial abuse of migrant workers at a British Columbia painting company. At least one of the workers has since been approved for a government program that converts closed work permits to open work visas if applicants can prove they suffered severe abuse and exploitation by their employer.
