For agricultural TFWs, employers must provide adequate housing (not requiring major repairs). For low-wage TFWs, employers must help them find suitable, affordable housing, or provide them with accommodations. Housing can be onsite (e.g., dormitory) or offsite (e.g., commercial facility). Employers must ensure that the occupancy rate for each unit does not exceed the maximum occupancy rate allowed.
Minimum Housing Standards
It is possible that even if housing meets minimum standards, it is inadequate. If you feel that your accommodation does not meet your needs, talk to your employer first. If your request is not taken into consideration, you can report it to Service Canada by calling + 1 866 602-9448.
SAWP (Mexican and Caribbean Agricultural Workers) No fees should be charged for housing.
TFWP AGRICULTURAL STREAM $30 / week per worker (this is the maximum amount allowed by the federal program)
LOW SALARY Costs less than 30% of the TFW’s pre-tax income. Housing costs include rent (or mortgage payment) and the cost of electricity, fuel, water supply and other local services.
Caregiver
If you are a caregiver and you live in your employer‘s main residence, your employer cannot charge you for rent or meals. He must provide you with a private and furnished room that:
- Has a door with a lock and a safety latch on the inside, and a window;
- Meets municipal and provincial/ territorial safety standards
- You must keep the accommodations provided by the employer or its agent in the same safe, sanitary and functional conditions as when you received it.
Your home must include:
- A heating system;
- Proper lighting;
- Proper ventilation;
- Basic appliance and household items: refrigerator, microwave, stove and oven, washer and dryer (or transportation to a local laundromat once a week and must pay $16 per week towards expenses for SAWP workers only), utensils;
- A bathroom with shower, sink and toilet within the building;
- Drinking water;
- Hot and cold water;
- Basic furniture (table, chair, sofa, shelves);
- A private room or a room shared with other workers (bed with mattress, storage, bedding, towels);
- Telephone service;
- Internet can be requested to owner.
- For your safety and comfort, inform the owner of any breakage or defect.
- An employer does not have the right to make a surprise visit, except if it is an emergency. He must inform you.
Fire prevention
- Always keep an eye on hot items such as irons and stoves while they are being used.
- When cooking, keep the pot lid nearby and use a timer to calculate the cooking time for food.
- Never place combustible objects on top of the stove or in the oven.
- At all times, avoid using an extension cord to plug in space heaters.
- Make sure that electrical appliance wires are not broken.
- Keep exits and stairways clear at all times. Keep personal items such as glasses, hearing aids, phones and keys near your bed in case you need to quickly evacuate at night.
- Do not remove smoke detectors.
