Skip to content

Client Update: Nova Scotia Amends Foreign Worker Rules to Exempt Some Recruiters and Employers From Licensing and Registration Requirements

On May 19, 2011, Nova Scotia’s Labour Standards Code was amended to protect foreign workers from exploitation by recruiters and employers. These amendments imposed a requirement for third-party recruiters to obtain a license from the Province to recruit foreign workers for employment in Nova Scotia. They also introduced a requirement for employers to register with the Labour Standards Division before employing a foreign worker in Nova Scotia. The recruiter licensing process became mandatory on May 1, 2013, and employers of foreign workers have been required to register since August 1, 2013.

The purpose of these measures is to protect vulnerable foreign workers from unfair treatment and from being charged illegal placement fees. When the recruiter licensing and employer registration regimes came into effect the Province received feedback from various stakeholders who complained about the overly broad and burdensome nature of these requirements.

In recognition that some aspects of Nova Scotia’s foreign worker rules applied to the recruitment and hiring of individuals who are not vulnerable, amendments were made to the General Regulations Respecting Labour Standards on September 10, 2013 to exempt certain third-party recruiters and employers of foreign workers from the licensing and registration requirements. These changes function to more narrowly focus the provincial regulations governing the recruitment and hiring of foreign workers on those who are more vulnerable, by virtue of the skill level of their job, by exempting certain types of employers (and those who recruit foreign workers for them) from these requirements.

Foreign Worker Recruiter License

Previously any third party engaged in foreign worker recruitment for a Nova Scotia employer was required to hold a license issued by Labour Standards. Following last week’s amendments, recruiters no longer require a license to engage in the following types of foreign worker recruitment activities on behalf of Nova Scotia employers:

1. Recruiting foreign workers for jobs with the following types of entities:

  • Provincial “Government Reporting Entities” such as provincial government departments, crown corporations, health authorities, the Nova Scotia Community College and school boards.
  • Municipalities.
  • Universities.

2. Recruiting foreign workers for management and professional positions that fall within skill type 0 and skill level A occupations on the National Occupational Classification (“NOC”) Matrix developed by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada in partnership with Statistics Canada. Based on skill type and level, the exempt occupations include:

 

    • Management Occupations (NOC 0) – The NOC Matrix lists management occupations in a variety of industries in this skill type classification including executive roles, senior managers, legislators, managers in health care, corporate sales managers and managers in human resources, finance, construction, information technology and retail.
    • Professional Occupations (NOC A) – The professional occupations included as NOC A roles in the NOC Matrix include accountants, physicians, lawyers, teachers, professors, dentists, librarians, translators, psychologists, engineers, mathematicians and scientists.

    Third-party recruiters, however, are only exempt from the licensing requirement if their recruitment of foreign workers for employment in Nova Scotia is restricted to NOC 0 and A positions. Any recruiter that also searches to fill NOC B (high-skilled), C (semi-skilled) or D (low-skilled) positions with foreign workers must be licensed by Nova Scotia. Recruiters who conduct overseas recruitment efforts to fill NOC 0 and A roles are permitted to recruit domestically for NOC B, C and D positions without needing a license.

    Not all recruiters qualify for a license to recruit foreign workers for employment in Nova Scotia. Only members in good standing with a provincial or territorial bar society, the Chamber des notaires du Quebec or the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council are eligible to apply for a license. The newly implemented recruiter licensing exemptions are, therefore, good news for executive search firms in Canada and the Nova Scotia employers who rely on their expertise. The requirement to become licensed was particularly problematic since most professional search firms do not have (or otherwise require) a lawyer or immigration consultant actively involved in searches that extend beyond Canada’s borders.

    Employer Registration Process

    The regulatory amendments also identify certain employers who are exempt from the requirement to hold a registration certificate to hire foreign workers in Nova Scotia. These amendments mirror the exemptions that were added to the recruiter licensing regime such that the following types of employers no longer require a registration certificate:

 

  • Provincial government reporting entities, municipalities and universities.
  • Employers seeking to hire foreign workers in management (NOC 0) or professional (NOC A) occupations listed on the NOC Matrix.

Employers who fit into one of these exemptions and who use a third-party recruiter are also exempt from the requirement to use a licensed recruiter, provided the recruiter is also exempt from needing a license.

Over the last few months, Labour Standards has taken steps to refine the employer registration process to make it easier for Nova Scotia employers. Employers can now apply for a single registration certificate on an annual basis, rather than applying for a new registration certificate each time they wish to recruit and/or hire a foreign national. If, however, the information upon which a registration certificate is issued changes significantly, employers are required to advise Labour Standards. A significant change includes working with a new third-party recruiter or recruiting foreign workers for employment in different skill level than originally planned.

An employer registration application may be completed and submitted online through the Access to Business portal, or by printing the application form from the Labour Standards website, completing it and submitting it by mail, fax or email. Completing an employer registration application requires some amount of projection for the coming year as employers are asked to indicate the number of foreign workers, positions and source countries from which they plan to recruit.

What this Means to You

There is interplay between Nova Scotia’s foreign worker rules and federal immigration laws. Nova Scotia employers (and their third-party recruiters) must demonstrate compliance with provincial laws governing employment and the recruitment of foreign workers before they will be issued a labour market opinion (“LMO”) from Service Canada. Similarly, Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency have authority to request proof of compliance with these laws when adjudicating LMO-exempt work permit applications from foreign workers. For these reasons, adherence to the employer registration and recruiter licensing regimes is of utmost importance to Nova Scotia employers who rely on Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program to supplement their work force during labour shortages.

SHARE

Archive

Search Archive


 
 

Parlez-Vous Francais? Recent amendments to Quebec’s Charter of the French Language may impact Atlantic Canadian businesses

March 7, 2023

By: David F. Slipp and Levi Parsche In May 2022, Bill 96 was adopted by Quebec’s National Assembly, significantly amending the Charter of the French Language (the “Charter“). The amendments create new requirements for using…

Read More

The Winds of Change (Part 7): Paying the Piper: New Newfoundland and Labrador Fiscal Framework expects billions in revenues from wind to hydrogen projects

February 24, 2023

By Dave Randell, G. John Samms, and Stuart Wallace With the deadline for bids on crown lands available for wind energy projects extended to noon on March 23rd, the latest development in our Winds of…

Read More

Retail Payments Activities Regulations released and open for comment

February 14, 2023

By Kevin Landry and Colton Smith The Retail Payment Activities Regulations have been released in the Canada Gazette Part 1 for comment. Interested persons may make representations concerning the proposed regulations for a period of 45…

Read More

Outlook for 2023 Proxy Season

February 13, 2023

By Andrew Burke, Colleen Keyes, Gavin Stuttard and David Slipp With proxy season once again approaching, many public companies are in the midst of preparing their annual disclosure documents and shareholder materials for their annual…

Read More

Open work permits for dependent family members of foreign workers

February 9, 2023

By Brittany Trafford and Sean Corscadden In response to the nationwide labour shortage, the Federal government is allowing select family members of foreign workers to apply for open work permits. This temporary policy came into…

Read More

Change to Ontario Employment Standards: IT consultants and business consultants excluded from ESA

January 19, 2023

Mark Tector and Ben Currie Effective January 1, 2023, amendments to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) took effect, excluding “business consultants” and “information technology consultants” from the application of the ESA. This is a…

Read More

Land use planning in Prince Edward Island – the year in review

January 13, 2023

By Perlene Morrison, K.C. and Curtis Doyle Once again, the time has come to review the year that was and to chart the course for the year ahead. For municipalities and planning professionals in Prince…

Read More

Trends in Employment Law: A look forward in 2023

January 13, 2023

By Grant Machum ICD.D, Sean Kelly & Ben Currie As the window for “Happy New Year” wishes winds down, our Labour and Employment Group has compiled an overview of emerging trends and issues in workplace…

Read More

Regulations and other considerations: further impacts of the Prohibition of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act

January 6, 2023

Wednesday’s Thought Leadership piece from our Immigration Group detailed the impacts of recent Federal legislation limiting housing purchases by non-Canadians on Foreign Nationals, international students and temporary and permanent residents. Today, lawyers from our Real…

Read More

Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians

January 4, 2023

By Brendan Sheridan Residential housing prices in Canada have been a major area of concern for many Canadians who have been looking to purchase a home in recent years. While the market for residential homes…

Read More

Search Archive


Scroll To Top