3 Tactics to Expedite the Entry of Foreign Workers

 At McInnes Cooper, our litigation lawyers are noticing an increase in individuals who had their post-graduate work permits (“PGWP”) refused because…

Updated April 2, 2026.Provincial minimum wage legislation across Canada, including in the Atlantic Canadian provinces, guarantees Canadian employees…

How to leverage the mobility provisions of free trade agreements to recruit and retain international talent to Canada. This employer-based…

Is your business meeting the legal requirements of Pay Equity and Transparency legislation? Intended to promote fair compensation practices and…

Employers faced new challenges in 2025 and will no doubt take those legal learnings with them into 2026. As new labour & employment trends emerge…

Immigration rules are constantly evolving. But one thing remains constant: employers must comply with Immigration requirements or they – and their…

As 2025 draws to a close, the time is right to look in the rearview mirror and reflect on the key labour and employment law learnings that will leave…

Employers in Canada struggling to fill vacancies are turning to the international labour market to recruit and hire temporary foreign workers under…

Sometime in late September or early October, 2025, the Government of Canada added an advisory to its U.S. travel advice page for 2SLGBTQ+ Canadian…

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) offers a unique opportunity – and imposes unique compliance obligations – on employers bringing foreign…

Remote work took off with the COVID-19 pandemic – but it’s left a lasting legacy. Many (but not all) employers and employees continue to find…

Canada is updating its citizenship laws with the introduction of Bill C-3: An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025). Bill C-3 aims to make Canadian…

On September 1, 2025, Nova Scotia’s Stronger Workplaces for Nova Scotia Act’s amendments to the Nova Scotia Occupational Health & Safety Act…

Whether you’re a Canadian or a foreign company looking to transfer skilled workers into Canadian operations, or to bring technicians into Canada to…

In today’s workplace, every employee likely has access to equipment that could be used to secretly record their workplace conversations – including…

While not generally mandatory, a current, clear and concise written employment contract is one of the best investments you can make to limit your…

Updated April 14, 2025. Provincial minimum wage rates continue to climb in Canada. Provincial minimum wage legislation across Canada, including in…

Canada is a big country with lots of options for immigrants. But have you considered coming to Atlantic Canada to seek Permanent Residency? Join…

Beginning in Fall 2024 and continuing into January 2025, the Canadian government implemented its plan to effect measures addressing the increasing…

Effective January 1, 2025, workers who suffer psychological injuries caused by workplace harassment arising from or in the course of employment will…

In today’s workplace, every employee likely has equipment to secretly record their workplace conversations – including those with their employer. The…

Updated March 4, 2025. If your business could be affected by the U.S. tariffs against Canada, you might be thinking about employee layoffs as a…

While 2024’s legal learnings will leave a lasting impression on employers, with the arrival of 2025 the time is right to look ahead – and get…

Achieving the goal of Permanent Residency is competitive. How can you improve your chances? Join McInnes Cooper Immigration Lawyers Meghan Felt and…

As 2024 draws to a close, the time is right to look in the rearview mirror and reflect on the key labour and employment law learnings that will leave…

Effective September 1, 2024, amendments to the Nova Scotia Workers’ Compensation Act allow workers to be compensated for gradual onset stress. Nova…

Permanent Residency is the ultimate goal for many immigrants to Canada, from temporary foreign workers to international students. How do you – or how…

The nature of the construction industry, especially when it comes to seasonal work and where the labour needs and costs must be estimated in advance…

The duty to accommodate is a legal duty human rights laws impose on employers – but it’s not written down or described in human rights legislation.…

When an employee seeks accommodation of a disability, either physical or mental, the duty to accommodate is nuanced by both the employer’s need for…

Canadian businesses need foreign workers to address labour and skills shortages. Yet the Canadian government is taking steps to reduce the number of…

Effective October 1, 2024, public and private Prince Edward Island employees will be entitled to up to three paid sick days per calendar year. Since…

Using written employment contracts is a good start – but it doesn’t mean they will be enforceable. Courts interpret employment contracts to protect…

Whether you’re entering the Canadian market by setting up a subsidiary or a branch office, you’ll need to staff your new operations up. And depending…

Provincial minimum wage rates continue to climb in Canada. Provincial minimum wage legislation across Canada, including in the Atlantic Canadian…

Many international companies set up shop in Canada through branch offices or subsidiaries. Many of these companies are looking to staff up their…

In its February 2024 decision in Dufault v. The Corporation of the Township of Ignace, the Ontario Superior Court voided yet another contractual…

It used to be that an employee dismissal resulted in a single wrongful dismissal claim (if anything) against the employer. These days, an employee…

L’immigration francophone est une priorité clé permanente d’Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada (IRCC). Le 16 janvier 2024, IRCC a annoncé sa…

While 2023’s legal learnings will leave a lasting impression on employers, with the arrival of 2024 the time is right to look ahead – and get ready…

Updated May 8, 2024. Canada’s labour and skills shortage continues – and so does the immigration solution. Canada’s ambitious immigration plan…

As 2023 draws to a close, the time is right to take a look in the rearview mirror and reflect on the key labour and employment law learnings that…

Updated February 11, 2025. On September 12, 2023, the New Brunswick Court of Kings Bench sentenced a front-line supervisor who “did nothing he was…

You’ve experienced a workplace accident that’s resulted in serious injury to, or worse the death of, an employee. Do you need legal counsel now – or…

Canada’s first Tech Talent Strategy aims to aggressively attract tech talent to “fuel innovation and drive emerging technologies forward”. Announced…

Effective June 23, 2023, Section 45(1.1) of the Competition Act makes it a criminal offence for all unaffiliated employers to enter into wage-fixing…

Many Canadian employers continue to be challenged not only with hiring the right number of people, but with finding candidates with the right skills…

Employees used to gather around the water cooler to share views on controversial issues, discuss co-workers and complain about their employer. But…

Employers in Canada are prohibited from discriminating against their employees on the basis of ‘family status,’ which is defined differently from…

While the December 2021 Bill C-223, An Act to Develop a National Framework for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income seems to have died in both Canada’s…

The benefits to employees, and often to employers, of remote work has made it a staple of today’s workplace. But the move to remote work models has…

Updated April 16, 2024.On February 15, 2023, an adjudicator ordered an employer to pay what could be the “largest employment compensation” ever…

Immigration continues to play a key role in addressing Canada’s labour and skills shortage. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)…

Updated May 8, 2024. On July 1, 2023, the Nova Scotia Medical Certificates for Employee Absence Act took effect. The Act regulates workplace sick…

NOTE: On December 19, 2023, the N.B. Court of Kings Bench upheld the adjudicator’s decision. On February 15, 2023, a New Brunswick adjudicator…

Updated Feburary 9, 2024. On January 1, 2023, the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act and accompanying…

2022 left important lasting implications for employers. With 2023 here, it’s time to look ahead to key issues that will affect employers in the…

Many Canadian employers continue to be challenged not only with hiring the right number of people, but with finding candidates with the right skills…

2022 is in the rearview mirror, but the past year left lasting implications for employers. Here’s a retrospective on five of the key 2022 labour and…

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) began as a pilot program in 2017, and became a permanent federal immigration program in 2022. While the AIP…

Updated September 5, 2024. The COVID-19 pandemic drove remote work to unprecedented heights. Employee calls for greater flexibility, and cost savings…

Climate migrants aren’t yet arriving on Canadian shores en masse – but the growing number of extreme weather events in Canada and around the world…

Updated August 10, 2023. Canada’s Express Entry system, introduced in 2015, has been a successful and well-received innovation. It’s unlikely the…

The current labour crunch is only strengthening the business case for building a workplace that’s welcoming to diverse employee pools – including…

Updated July 28, 2023. Effective June 1, 2022, Bill 119 amended the P.E.I. Employment Standards Act to add new pay transparency provisions. One of…

The COVID-19 pandemic is (arguably) gone but the pre-pandemic labour crunch – for both white and blue collar workers – is back. And there’s no…

We updated this publication on March 1, 2023. On January 1, 2022, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program became the permanent Atlantic Immigration…

The COVID-19 pandemic changed many aspects of the workplace for good – but pre-pandemic labour shortages isn’t one of them. While the pandemic put…

In February 2022, thousands of people led by a convoy of trucks (many displaying company logos) from across Canada congregated in Ottawa and other…

Updated June 17, 2024. On May 17, 2022, the P.E.I. Non-disclosure Agreements Act took effect, significantly restricting the use of non-disclosure…

Updated July 17, 2024. On October 22, 2021, the Supreme Court of Canada clarified that labour arbitrators have exclusive jurisdiction over issues…

Updated December 14, 2022. COVID-19 has been changing Canadian workplaces for 18 months. For some employees, the pandemic led to a shift to working…

Canadian entities regularly contract with foreign companies to provide services in Canada. To complete its obligations under the contract, the…

Updated February 9, 2024. It’s now widely accepted: it’s imperative that workplaces be both diverse and inclusive. Perhaps the most oft quoted (and…

As of January 1, 2021, federally regulated employers (such as banks, telephone and cable systems, most federal Crown corporations, interprovincial…

Many businesses with industrial and commercial equipment rely on foreign workers to provide emergency repair or installation services, both for…

Well-drafted, properly implemented written employment contracts are a key tool to avoiding or resolving disputes during and at the end of employment…

Termination clauses, particularly “without cause” ones, are among the most important clauses to include in any employment agreement. But the Ontario…

This publication has been updated as at July 9, 2021. For some time, every Prince Edward Island employer has been required to comply with…

On October 9, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada delivered its decision in Matthews v. Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd. on whether a former employee is…

External investigations can get expensive.  Most investigators charge an hourly rate, so saving on costs usually means assisting with making the…

It’s a moment that every Employer dreads: the door closes, the employee’s eyes fill with tears and out comes a story that you – Simply – Can’t –…

This publication has been updated as of May 5, 2021. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led many employees to continue working from home, by choice or…

On June 26, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada released Uber Technologies Inc. v. Heller, a much-awaited decision regarding the enforceability of an…

This publication has been updated as of May 10, 2022. The Prince Edward Island Office of Immigration requires designated employers to file a…

Handling medical information in the workplace can be a tricky issue for many employers. Knowing when to ask for a medical status update (“MSU”), what…

Employees are often described as an organization’s most valuable asset. But unlike other assets, employees’ personal services cannot simply be…

A majority of the Québec Court of Appeal has ruled that evidence obtained from an employer’s surveillance of an employee on sick leave is admissible…

“Do the unexpected. Take 20 minutes out of your day, do what young people all over the world are dying to do: vote.” Rick Mercer (hailing originally…

This publication has been updated as at July 9, 2021. Violence and harassment is an unfortunate reality of society – and of the workplace. Since…

Updated May 2, 2024. Canadian provinces are looking to immigration as a solution to labour market shortages, and the health sector is no…

Updated May 18, 2023. The Global Talent Stream is a central pillar of Canada’s Global Skills Strategy. Initially launched as a two-year pilot, the…

Updated September 19, 2024. Like it or not, Canadians live life online. More people – and more employees – are sharing more information, images and…

As an employer, it’s important to understand your obligations and duties with respect to occupational health and safety, as well as the rights of…

Under the terms of most benefit plans, employees are not entitled to long-term disability (LTD) coverage past the age of 65. However, in a recent…

Updated September 6, 2024. Growing a business takes people. In early days, many companies have just one “employee”: the owner or founder. At some…

There are changes coming to New Brunswick’s Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations on April 1, 2019. The new regulations require all…

We updated this publication on July 9, 2021. As of April 1, 2019, employers of New Brunswick employees must comply with new occupational health and…

We updated this publication on May 18, 2023. There’s no shortage of warnings of a worker shortage in Canada – and the consensus seems to be that it’s…

Eager to implement measures to prevent sexual harassment and other abusive behaviour toward employees and to project a positive, progressive image to…

On December 13, 2018, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that a third party can’t waive a person’s right to privacy or their rights under Canada’s…

Canada becomes the first G7 country to legalize cannabis On October 17, 2018, the Cannabis Act made Canada the second country in the world – and…

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal recently reversed an order for damages awarded under a Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) for an employee who had been…

The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an application for leave to appeal in Suncor Energy Inc v Unifor Local 707A, 2017 ABCA 313. This might sound…

Every parent knows that a lot can happen in 18 months. Many employers agree. The federal government’s extension of employment insurance parental…

The legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada is imminent. Employers are feeling the heat to prepare – even as they continue efforts to manage…

The “gig economy” and the 21st century workplace We’ve all heard that work has changed in Canada. One of the biggest shifts is that more Canadians…

Updated May 18, 2023. The Global Talent Stream is the central pillar of the Government of Canada’s Global Skills Strategy: an immigration program…

Preparing for changes to the Workers’ Compensation Act Employers in Nova Scotia and PEI take note: recent amendments to the Workers’ Compensation…

Updated July 4, 2024 It can be challenging for employers to fulfill their legal duty to accommodate an employee under human rights laws regardless of…

Updated January 12, 2023. There’s no shortage of media coverage about a doctor shortage in Canada and the resulting impact on Canada’s healthcare…

Equity compensation plans are a valuable and versatile tool for many corporations, from early-stage startups to established blue-chips. Corporations…

We updated this publication on March 11, 2020. The #metoo and #timesup movements drove workplace sexual harassment to the front and center…

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal recently considered the issue of medical cannabis in the context of workers’ compensation in Skinner v Nova Scotia…

Plusieurs employeurs utilisent les politiques écrites du lieu de travail comme outils de gestion de tous les jours. Parmi les exemples courants…

L’avenir de l’Accord de libre-échange nord-américain (l’ALÉNA), y compris les dispositions de l’Accord relativement à l’immigration permettant la…

Pour plusieurs d’entre nous, la saison des Fêtes est une période de l’année remplie de plaisir. Pour les employeurs, cependant, et en particulier…

La propriété intellectuelle d’une entreprise peut être un bien précieux – et même son bien le plus précieux. Alors il est important que l’entreprise…

Updated February 13, 2024 An increasing number of employees are struggling to meet the challenge of the competing demands of their employers and…

This publication has been updated as of October 14, 2020. On June 19, 2017, Bill C-16, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal…

Updated June 10, 2022.  L’ascension des principes ESG (environnement, social et gouvernance) a augmenté l’attention portée à la diversité et à…

Investigations are a vital – but difficult – part of workplace management. The value of a proper investigation can’t be overstated: it plays a…

Le 27 janvier 2017, les gouvernements des quatre provinces de l’Atlantique et le gouvernement fédéral ont annoncé les détails du Projet pilote…

Les processus d’embauche et de congédiement sont deux étapes revêtant la même importance dans la relation de travail – et chacun d’eux est un champ…

L’obligation légale des employeurs d’accommoder leurs employés semble le plus souvent se poser dans le contexte des employés handicapés. Mais cette…

The employment contract is an exchange of labour for wages and other benefits, so employers are entitled to expect regular ongoing attendance from…

Business owners wear many hats – including employer. Your employees may be your business’s greatest asset, but they could also be your greatest…

Whether someone is an employee or an independent contractor has long caused employers a degree of angst. And the recent emergence of a new “sharing…

On July 14, 2016, the Supreme Court of Canada decided that the “Unjust Dismissal” sections of the Canada Labour Code ensure that non-unionized…

Employers are entitled to mandate dress codes in the workplace, and even to discipline employees who refuse to comply. But a workplace dress code is…

Updated October 4, 2023. Workplace accidents regularly lead to charges under occupational health and safety (OHS) law. These charges can be against…

We updated this publication on May 17, 2023. Applying for and obtaining a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a critical step in hiring a…

On January 11, 2016, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice sentenced a front-line supervisor to imprisonment for 3½ years for four counts of criminal…

L’arrivée en retard des employés représente un problème important pour les employeurs – et la mauvaise température est l’une des trois plus…

Updated April 13, 2023. A well drafted and properly implemented written employment contract can be instrumental to both avoiding or resolving…

Updated July 19, 2024. Violence has become an unfortunate reality in current society, and the workplace is not immune. With more people spending…

The employment contract, at its core, is an exchange of work for compensation. So at a very basic level, employers are entitled to expect regular…

Updated October 4, 2023. Most people know a company itself has occupational health and safety (OHS) obligations and risks corporate liability if it…

Updated June 24, 2021. Women make up close to half of the employed workforce: in 2019, Canadian women 15 years and older represented 47.4% of the…

Les intrigues amoureuses au bureau font partie de la réalité pour les employeurs. Cependant, elles peuvent avoir une incidence sur le milieu de…

In December 2014, the Newfoundland & Labrador Supreme Court ordered an employer to pay its former employee $30,000 in moral damages to compensate…

On December 11, 2014 the Supreme Court of Canada continued its trend to recognize privacy rights – and develop the law to protect them – this time in…

Updated December 11, 2020. Employers host numerous events throughout the year – summer and holiday office parties, retreats, client and customer…

On November 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Canda decided police require specific authorization in a search warrant to search the data in a computer…

Le 14 juin 2013, la Cour suprême du Canada, après avoir entendu la cause Syndicat canadien des communications, de l’énergie et du papier, section…

On October 19, 2012 the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decided a teacher criminally charged with possession of child pornography and unauthorized use…

As any Canadian knows, July 1st – Canada Day – is the first long weekend of the summer; or is it?  What about when July 1 falls on a Sunday?  The…

Social media blurs line between work time and “off duty” time. Employers can, however, discipline employees who go over the line. We have 10 tips to…