Foreign workers abuse claims have skyrocketed, document say

OTTAWA—Tips to a phone line and website where temporary foreign workers can report wage theft, unsafe housing or other abuse have more than quadrupled over the last five years, according to documents tabled in the House of Commons.

There were 14,041 claims made to the government tip line or website during the 2024-2025 fiscal year with over 10,000 made between April and September of this year. The complaints can come from workers as well as advocacy groups, government employees and embassies or consulates. Five years ago, in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, the government received 3,751 tips.

“I would say that this does not suggest that the conditions are getting worse. It’s always been this bad,” Syed Hussan, co-executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change.

Despite the large