Judicial Review of decision to hire Chinese Workers set to begin this week
By Sharaf Sultan
A federal court this week will hear a challenge of the decision of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (“HRSDC”) to allow 201 Chinese workers into Canada.
The case involves HD Mining, a Vancouver-based mining company, which came under intense public scrutiny for its hiring of hundreds of Chinese nationals to work at its Murray River Coal project, a major coal mining project in northern British Columbia. The company was initially granted approval by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (“HRSDC”) to have over 200 Chinese workers enter Canada to work in developing the mine.
Two prominent labour unions, the International Union of Operating Engineers (the “IUOE”) and the Construction and Specialized Workers’ Union (the “CSWU”), charge that HD Mining did not follow the proper procedure in hiring foreigners. The unions specifically argue that HD Mining did not make enough efforts to find Canadians for these jobs and that accordingly, the decision of HRSDC was improper.
In securing permits for the Chinese workers, the company applied to HRSDC in British Columbia for positive Labour Market Opinions (“LMOs”). Approval from HRSDC is a necessary prerequisite to the entry of most foreign workers into Canada’s labour market. This process involves an assessment of the local labour market to determine whether allowing a foreigner to work in Canada is justifiable in the circumstances, such as where there is a shortage of skilled labour.
The unions argue that HD Mining was presented with several qualified Canadians who were more than capable of doing the jobs needed. The unions also accuse HD Mining of acting inappropriately in not interviewing or otherwise seriously considering local applicants. The unions specifically point to the fact that HD Mining received approximately 230 resumes from Canadians or Permanent Residents, but hired only 12 to support their claim that the company did not make sufficient efforts to hire locally.
The federal court will now have an opportunity to weigh in on the matter. The court’s decision will be closely followed as it will likely set an important precedent in the law applicable to the hiring of foreign workers.
What does this mean for employers?
This case is important for any employer that has ever or may ever hire foreigners. The number of temporary foreign workers has exploded in recent years, in part because of the prominent and growing skills labour shortage in Canada. This decision could accordingly have serious implications for employers who are struggling to find practical strategies to secure the right skills for their labour force.
We will continue to monitor this case and provide updates and analyses as more information becomes available.
For more information please contact Sharaf Sultan (ssultan@heenan.ca) or at (+1)416-777-4175.