According to the WeChat public account of the Chinese Embassy in Canada, there has been an increase in Chinese citizens traveling to Canada for work in recent times, and cases involving labor disputes are occurring frequently. Therefore, the embassy specifically reminds workers to enhance their awareness of prevention and releases detailed guidelines to help overseas workers effectively avoid risks.
Recently, a labor dispute case has attracted widespread attention—a Chinese woman named Liu Jiangtao successfully fought for her rights in Ontario, which is quite rare in this region. She worked at a mushroom farm in Hamilton from November 2023 to April 2024, and was fired due to reports of workplace harassment. In November 2025, the Ontario Labour Relations Board ruled that the actions of the farm violated the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
In May this year, Liu Jiangtao attended a compensation hearing, demanding that the farm compensate him for at least 110 weeks of lost wages and related damages. This case highlights the many difficulties that foreign workers face when pursuing their rights due to language barriers and unfamiliarity with local laws.
In another case, Zikun Xu worked at a security company in London, Ontario from January to February 2026, for nearly 148 hours, receiving only a salary of 180 Canadian dollars. The company owed approximately 1,948 Canadian dollars, and delayed payment on the grounds of delayed customer payments. Later, the company unilaterally claimed that they had received his oral resignation. Additionally, a couple from Saskatchewan was accused in January 2026 of charging illegal employment fees, falsely describing job opportunities, and making illegal threats of deportation against foreign workers in 2024.
In its latest notice, the embassy reminds migrant workers coming to Canada to be cautious of the following tactics: Do not easily believe advertisements claiming "high-paying jobs", "paid jobs", "guaranteed visas", or "arranged immigration". If you are organized to work in Canada through domestic companies, make sure to verify whether the companies are listed in the Ministry of Commerce’s "Directory of Foreign Labor Cooperation Companies". Carefully check information about Canadian employers and intermediaries. If you need to hire immigration consultants, lawyers, or notaries who charge fees, you should verify their qualifications through channels authorized by the Canadian government.
The embassy also noted that workers coming to Canada must have a valid work permit. Only those holding a visit visa or e-visa do not have the qualifications to work. Those with employer-specific work permits should strictly comply with the restrictions and must not work illegally or change employers without permission. They should actively learn and comply with local Canadian laws and regulations, and be cautious of legal risks when carrying out work and engaging in cross-border cooperation. Before coming to Canada, they should sign a written employment contract that specifies important matters such as position, location, salary, working hours, overtime, holidays, accommodation, insurance, and handling of accidents. The contract, salary records, and working hours records should be kept properly. Labor standards and tax and insurance requirements vary from province to province in Canada, so it is necessary to understand and comply with these laws in advance.
The embassy added that there are significant differences in climate, rent, transportation, and medical conditions. Some jobs have high labor intensity. Before coming to Canada, it is important to understand the actual income and living costs, and to receive necessary training before and after starting work. Important documents such as passports and work permits should be kept by oneself, with both paper and electronic copies kept. If one’s passport is forcibly seized or personal freedom is restricted, it is essential to report to the police immediately and contact the Chinese consulate or embassy in Canada.
Finally, the embassy states that in case of situations such as unpaid wages, illegal deductions, discrimination and harassment, or violent threats, evidence should be preserved under the premise of ensuring safety. Complaints should be filed promptly with local labor and occupational safety authorities. The Embassy can also call the temporary foreign worker reporting hotline of the Canadian Service Bureau. In case of false recruitment or online fraud, reports can be made to the local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center. If major safety hazards are discovered during work, they should be reported internally in a timely manner, and legal rights should be safeguarded. The embassy in Canada will provide consular assistance within its scope of duties, but will not handle labor disputes or intervene in Canadian judicial and administrative procedures.
Recently, there has been an increase in Chinese citizens coming to Canada to work, and there are many disputes related to the labor services of Chinese citizens. The Chinese Embassy in Canada reminds those who come to Canada for work to pay attention to the following matters.
1. Carefully select employment channels
Please do not easily believe advertisements such as "high-paying jobs", "paying for jobs", "guaranteed employment contracts", or "handling immigration matters". If you decide to work through domestic companies, make sure to verify whether the company is listed in the Ministry of Commerce's "List of Foreign Labor Cooperation Companies". Carefully check the information about Canadian employers and intermediaries. If you need to hire immigration consultants, lawyers, or notaries, use channels authorized by the Canadian government to verify their qualifications.
China Ministry of Commerce 《Foreign Labor Cooperation Enterprises Roster》
https://hzs.mofcom.gov.cn/zxcx/index.html
Canadian list of non-compliant employers:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/employers-non-compliant.html
Canadian government authorized representatives for inquiries:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigration-citizenship-representative/choose/authorized.html
II. Obtain work permits in accordance with the law and learn to comply with local laws and regulations.
Except for a few exceptions, foreign citizens working in Canada must have a valid work permit. Merely holding a visit visa or e-travel authorization does not qualify them as having the necessary qualifications to work in Canada. Those who hold a specific work permit issued by their employer should strictly adhere to the restrictions and must not work illegally or change employers without permission. It is important to actively learn and comply with local laws and regulations, and to be aware of potential legal risks when engaging in work or cross-border collaborations.
III. Sign contracts and understand labor rights and obligations
Before coming to work, a written labor contract should be signed, specifying important matters such as position, location, salary, working hours, overtime, holidays, accommodation and meals, insurance, and handling of accidents. The contract, salary records, and working hour records must be properly kept. Labor standards and tax and insurance requirements vary from province to province, so it is necessary to understand and comply with these regulations in advance.
IV. Fully assess working and living conditions
Due to significant differences in climate, rent, transportation, and medical conditions across different regions, some positions involve high labor intensity. Before coming to Canada, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of actual income and living costs, and to receive necessary training before and after starting work.
V. Properly keep documents and personal information
Important documents such as passports and work permits should be kept by the individual themselves, with both paper and electronic copies retained. If a passport is forcibly seized or personal freedom is restricted, it is necessary to report to the police immediately and contact the Chinese consulate or embassy in the country of residence.
VI. Legally and rationally safeguard rights and interests
If you encounter issues such as unpaid wages, unauthorized deductions, discrimination and harassment, or violent threats, you should preserve evidence while ensuring your personal safety. You can report these issues to the local labor and occupational safety authorities in a timely manner. You may also call the Canadian Service Bureau's temporary foreign worker reporting hotline at 1-866-602-9448.
In case of violence, illegal detention, or other emergencies, please call 911 immediately to report the incident. If you encounter false recruitment or online fraud, you can report it to the local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center.
If you discover major safety hazards at work, please report them internally in a timely manner and safeguard your own rights and interests in accordance with the law.
According to the "Regulations on Consular Protection and Assistance of the People’s Republic of China" and the "Guide to Chinese Consular Protection and Assistance," consulates in Canada can provide consular assistance within their scope of duties, but they cannot handle labor disputes or intervene in judicial or administrative procedures.
Foreign Ministry Global Consular Protection and Assistance Emergency Hotline (24 Hours)
+86-10-12308 or
+86-10-65612308
Embassy of Canada
1-613-5621616，consulate.can@gmail.com
(Regions covered: Ottawa Region, Newfoundland and Labrador Province, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island Province, and Nunavut Region);
Consulate General in Toronto:
1-416-5942308，toronto_lb@csm.mfa.gov.cn
(Boundaries: Ontario Province, Manitoba Province);
Embassy of [Country] in Vancouver
1-604-3369926，
hws3380@gmail.com
Region: British Columbia and Yukon Region;
Consulate General of Canada in Calgary:
1-403-5376907，calgary_lb@csm.mfa.gov.cn
(Regions involved: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories);
Montreal Consulate General:
1-514-9338891，consulate_mtl@mfa.gov.cn
(Regions: Quebec Province, New Brunswick Province).
