Accredited domestic workers: your rights are protected

This guide is intended for domestic workers accredited by the Office of Protocol of Global Affairs Canada. The Immigration Liaison Unit of the Office of Protocol is responsible for this web page.

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Your rights

In Canada, the rights of all workers, including those of accredited domestic workers, are protected by law. As an accredited domestic worker, you are entitled to labour rights, human rights and social protections while in Canada. The Government of Canada condemns and does not condone any acts of exploitation, including labour exploitation and human trafficking.

Your employer must at a minimum:

  • give you information about your rights
  • give you a signed copy of your employment agreement
  • pay you for your work as stated in your employment agreement, including overtime
  • provide you with a workplace free of abuse, including reprisals
  • follow the employment standards of the province where you work
  • get and pay for private health insurance that covers your routine and emergency medical care (unless you are eligible for provincial health insurance coverage)
  • make reasonable efforts to give you access to health care services if you are injured or become ill at the workplace
  • provide you with healthy and safe living quarters

Your employer cannot:

  • force you to perform unsafe work or work that your employment agreement does not authorize you to do
  • force you to work if you are sick or injured
  • pressure or force you to work overtime not included in your employment agreement
  • punish you for reporting mistreatment, unsafe work, or inadequate housing
  • take (confiscate) your passport, Government of Canada identity card or other identification documents, or bank card away from you
  • deport you from Canada or change your status
  • make you reimburse fees they may have paid to hire you, including travel expenses

Your employment agreement and accreditation documents

Do not sign a contract if you do not understand what it says.

Your employer must give you a signed copy of your employment agreement. It must be in English or French (your chosen official language while in Canada). Both you and your employer must sign this agreement. The employment agreement must refer to the same occupation, wages and working conditions as those agreed to by the Office of Protocol.

Your employer cannot ask you to sign another employment contract with different terms of employment. Your employer cannot reduce your wages or hours or charge you room and board fees. You cannot work for more than one employer at a time, or care for individuals not forming part of the accredited employer’s household. If you have concerns about your contract, including changes that were made to your employment agreement after your entry visa application, contact the Office of Protocol’s Immigration Liaison Unit.

The Office of Protocol will issue accreditation documents (Government of Canada identification card and multiple-entry acceptance affixed in your passport) shortly after your arrival in Canada.

A staff member of the Office of Protocol will meet with you after your arrival, as well as annually during your employment in Canada. Your employer is responsible for giving you paid time off to attend these meetings and pay your transportation costs to and from the Office of Protocol without deducting money from your salary.

Your pay

Upon your arrival in Canada, you must promptly open a bank account with an ATM card in your name for your pay deposits. Your employer must deposit your pay as per the schedule in your contract by cheque or electronic transfer into your Canadian bank account.

Payments in cash are prohibited under Canadian policy.

Access to health care services

You do not need your employer’s permission to seek health care. In most cases you should not have to pay to see a doctor or for hospital care in Canada.

Private health insurance

Your employer must obtain and pay for your private health insurance that covers routine and emergency medical care (unless you are covered by the provincial  health insurance). Your employer cannot deduct any money from your pay for this private health insurance.

If you are injured or become ill at your workplace

Tell your employer as soon as possible and get medical attention as quickly as possible. Your employer must make reasonable efforts to provide access to a health care provider (like a doctor, nurse or pharmacist) by, for example:

  • giving you time off to seek medical attention
  • ensuring there is a phone available to call emergency services
  • giving you information on what to do and where to go to get health care
  • helping you get transportation to the health care provider

Your employer is not required to pay for your transportation to get to a hospital, clinic, doctor or other health care service.

You have the right to speak privately with a health care provider, without your employer present.

Health and safety at work

Your employer cannot force you to do work that you think is dangerous. They cannot fire you or refuse to pay you. Your employer must investigate any danger that is reported in the workplace.

You have the right to refuse to do the work until you and your employer agree that:

  • the danger is removed
  • you have received the proper equipment and training
  • the problem no longer exists

Your employer must:

  • follow employment laws
  • train you to do your job safely, including how to safely operate any equipment or machinery
  • give you protective equipment and appropriate training if your job requires you to use pesticides/chemical products. Your employer must not deduct any money from your pay for this equipment or training. You must learn to properly use this equipment

If you and your employer disagree about a health and safety issue, or about potential hazards in the workplace, report the situation to the workplace health and safety office in your province.

Workplace free of abuse, harassment, discrimination and exploitation

Your employer cannot treat you differently or badly because, among other things, of your:

  • race
  • national or ethnic origin
  • colour
  • religion
  • age
  • sex
  • sexual orientation
  • gender identity or expression
  • marital status
  • family status
  • disability
  • genetic characteristics

Your employer must provide a workplace that is free of abuse and harassment. Your employer or anyone acting on behalf of your employer (for example, mission staff, a member of the family or a guest) cannot abuse you, physically, sexually, psychologically or financially.

Abuse includes reprisals such as actions or threats of demotion, disciplinary measures or dismissal due to reporting your employer for non-compliance. Any behaviour that scares, controls or isolates you could be abuse.

Some examples of abuse:

  • physical harm
  • threats, insults
  • forcing you to work in a way that is unsafe or risky to your health
  • unwanted sexual touching
  • demanding sexual favours so you can keep your job
  • controlling where you can go or who you can see
  • stealing from you
  • taking any or all of the money you are owed
  • taking and refusing to return your passport, or other identification documents
  • forcing you to commit fraud
  • firing, threatening or disciplining you for complaining about your working conditions or abuse
  • firing you, making you or threatening to make you leave Canada or pressuring you to have an abortion if you are pregnant

If you’re in immediate danger while in Canada, call 9-1-1. You should not be afraid report abuse situations to, or seek help from, the Office of Protocol’s Immigration Liaison Unit.

If your employer terminates your employment

Your employer must provide reasonable notice before laying you off or pay you termination pay. The amount is based on how long you have been working and in which province you are working.

Your employer must pay for your return trip to your place of habitual residence, free of charge to you. Your employer cannot take money from your pay to cover travel expenses.

Changing employers and departure from Canada

If you wish to transfer your employment to another accredited foreign representative employer, you must contact the Office of Protocol’s Immigration Liaison Unit for guidance. All transfers must be approved by the Office of Protocol. 

You are required to leave Canada upon termination of your employment contract, at the end of your employer's posting, or after seven years, whichever is earliest, unless you have received approval from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to remain in the country.

If you have been in Canada for seven years and you wish to continue to work for an accredited foreign representative in Canada, you must leave Canada for at least six months before accepting a new offer of employment. For additional guidance on this point, please contact the Office of Protocol’s Immigration Liaison Unit.

Housing rights

Your employer must ensure that adequate and suitable housing is provided to you as per the terms of your contract. Your employer cannot deduct additional money from your pay for costs such as water and electricity.

Adequate housing

Accredited domestic workers should also enjoy decent living conditions that respect their privacy. The place where you live must meet provincial and municipal legislations, including:

  • be safe (free of hazards)
  • not be overcrowded
  • be in good condition and protect you from the weather
  • have a working fire extinguisher and smoke detectors
  • have proper ventilation
  • have functioning toilets, hand-washing sinks and showers that work properly and offer privacy
  • have a constant supply of hot and cold drinking water
  • have access to cooking facilities

If there is a problem with your housing, report it by contacting the Office of Protocol’s Immigration Liaison Unit.

Reporting abuse

If your employer is abusing you or someone you know, you should report it. You can also contact the Office of Protocol’s Immigration Liaison Unit.

Reporting a workplace health or safety problem

Contact your provincial workplace health and safety office if:

  • you have been asked to perform dangerous work
  • conditions at work are unsafe
  • you have been injured or sick because of your work
  • you are pregnant and the nature of your work may jeopardize your pregnancy

Provincial workplace health and safety offices (provinces where there are currently accredited domestic workers)

Reporting other employment problems

If you think that you are not being properly paid, treated unfairly or if your employer is not respecting your employment agreement, contact the Office of Protocol’s Immigration Liaison Unit.

You can also separately contact your provincial employment standards office (provinces where there are currently accredited domestic workers):

Protection and help for victims of human trafficking

Are you a victim of human trafficking?

You might be a victim of human trafficking if you answer “yes” to one of these questions:

  • Are you restricted from leaving the work site or your accommodation on your own?
  • Has someone taken away your passport or identification documents from you?
  • Has your employer - or someone representing them - physically, sexually or psychologically abused you, or allowed it to happen to you?
  • Has your employer or someone representing your employer threatened you or your family member?
  • Do you fear something bad will happen to you or to a family member if you leave your job?
  • Is your employer pressuring you to perform labour, services or commercial sex acts to repay a debt?

How do you identify a human trafficker?

Be aware that human traffickers entice and control their victims in several ways, such as:

  • lying to victims about future employment, travel, living conditions or treatment
  • promising valid immigration and travel documents
  • making offers that sound too good to be true
  • threatening to harm the victim or the victim’s family
  • involving victims in criminal activities
  • moving victims from workplace to workplace against their will or forcing them into prostitution
  • coaching victims on how to mislead officials
  • imposing debts on victims that may be difficult or impossible to pay off and may cause the victim to believe that they must remain in the employer's service until the debts are paid

Protection and assistance for victims of human trafficking

If you are a victim of human trafficking, or you suspect or know of human trafficking activity, call the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010 or by online chat to be connected with support services. Services are available in 200 languages.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) helps protect victims of human trafficking by securing their immigration status with a special temporary resident permit (TRP). An initial TRP may be issued for up to a year but, depending on the person’s situation, can be reissued.

If you are a victim of human trafficking, you may apply for a special temporary resident permit (TRP). This special permit gives you temporary immigration status in Canada to:

  • escape the influence of traffickers
  • give you time to further consider your options and make an informed decision on a future course of action
  • have time to recover from physical or mental trauma
  • for any other purpose officers may find relevant to facilitate your protection

In Canada, victims of human trafficking are not required to testify against their trafficker to gain temporary or permanent resident status. There is no fee for an initial TRP or a work permit for victims of human trafficking.