Recommendation 1: Create a network of stakeholders involved in the dissemination of legal information and provision of legal services

A network of stakeholders is necessary to coordinate multiple entry points into a system that facilitates access to legal information and services for migrant workers. The network would consist of multiple stakeholders working together to provide a seamless experience for migrant workers to access information at the prearrival, on-arrival, and employment stages of their migration. Stakeholders include both government and nongovernment actors, as follows:

Pre-arrival:

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, through its Canadian visa offices overseas, would distribute legal information materials to migrant workers prior to their arrival to Canada. These materials would be provided when the worker’s visa is sent to or picked up by the prospective worker, and would be made visibly available at Canadian embassies, consulates, and visa processing centres abroad.

On-arrival:

• The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) would distribute legal information materials to migrant workers at their point of entry to Canada at airports and border crossings. CBSA officials would provide these information materials to migrant workers when they receive their work permit.
• Legal advocates in the region would provide post-arrival information sessions to migrant workers.

During employment/ongoing:

• Trained call centre staff at key government agencies would provide information and referrals to legal advocates, the dedicated website and the dedicated hotline.
• Websites of key government agencies would refer migrant workers to the dedicated website and the dedicated hotline.
• Trained community service providers, including key settlement agencies, grassroots migrant worker organizations and faith-based organizations, would conduct outreach to migrant workers and provide legal information and referrals to legal services.
• Legal advocates would provide direct legal advocacy services, workshops and mobile clinics to remote areas. Legal advocates would also regularly update the dedicated website and answer the dedicated hotline.
• Lawyers would provide supervision to the legal advocates, and training to the legal advocates and community service providers.

Recommendation 3: Create a dedicated website

The data collected for this report highlighted the need for reliable and user-friendly online multilingual legal information. A dedicated website which provides legal information tailored to migrant workers in the low-wage streams, as well as a comprehensive directory of community service providers and legal advocates would function as a resource for migrant workers, community service providers, and government staff who receive information requests from migrant workers. The website would also direct migrant workers to the dedicated hotline.

Migrant workers would be directed to the dedicated website via several sources, including written legal information materials, on-the-ground community service providers, and websites of key government agencies, for example. Migrant workers in the focus groups shared that when they search for legal information online, they frequently go to government websites. As such, government websites play an important role in directing migrant workers to resources available to them.

Interview data further indicates the need to provide a website that consolidates information from various sources. […] A dedicated website can simplify the search for up-to-date online legal information, and facilitate greater access to legal information by making it available in different languages.

Recommendation 5: Create written public legal information materials on priority areas of legal need

Written public legal information materials in multiple languages would be an important resource for migrant workers at the pre-arrival and on-arrival stages of their migration to Canada. In addition to providing key information about their rights according to the priority areas of legal need, written materials would also direct migrant workers to where they may go for help in Canada. As such, the written materials would refer to the dedicated website, dedicated hotline, community service providers and legal advocates. As the written materials would be distributed by both Canadian visa offices abroad pre-arrival and CBSA officers on arrival, the likelihood that materials will reach migrant workers is increased substantially.

Written materials would also facilitate the provision of legal information during migrant workers’ employment in BC. Written materials can be used by community service providers as a reference for the provision of in-person legal information and referrals, and are particularly useful as a source of information for SAWP workers in remote areas without access to the Internet.

Recommendation 6: Provide post-arrival orientation sessions

Post-arrival orientation sessions conducted by legal advocates in the region that cover priority areas of legal need, a description of how and where migrant workers are to access pertinent legal information online, as well as information about how to access community and legal services, would ensure that migrant workers are armed with the information they need at the start of their employment, thereby increasing their ability to self-advocate and prevent legal problems from occurring later on.

In order to ensure that migrant workers attend, sessions would also be mandatory with a requirement on the part of employers to facilitate access, including providing transportation to and from the session. Sessions are delivered in the worker’s first language.