On March 22nd, 2010, the Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act (Live-in Caregivers and Others) came into force in Ontario.

In a nutshell, the Act:

• prohibits recruiters from charging any fees to foreign live-in caregivers;
• prevents employers from recovering placement costs from the live-in caregiver;
• prohibits employers and recruiters from taking a live-in caregiver’s property, including documents such as a passport or work permit;
• prohibits a recruiter, an employer, or a person acting on their behalf from intimidating or penalizing a live-in caregiver for asking about or asserting their rights under the Act;
• requires employers and recruiters to provide individuals with two information sheets (“Your Rights Under the Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act (Live-in Caregivers and Others), 2009”; and “Your Employment Standards Rights: Foreign National Live-in Caregivers”). These information sheets are available for download from the Ministry of Labour's website and are available in English, French, Filipino, Hindi, and Spanish.