New Brunswick is stepping up to protect foreign workers from exploitation. The provincial government introduced proposed legislation to ban recruitment fees and require mandatory licensing for recruiters. These changes aim to align the province with protections already in place across other Canadian jurisdictions.

According to a report from Your Saint John, the proposed amendments to the Employment Standards Act give the province more power to oversee employers who hire foreign workers. The government will also establish administrative monetary penalties for violations.

What the New Rules Mean for Employers and Recruiters

The legislation allows the director of the employment standards branch to approve, refuse, suspend, revoke or place conditions on an employer on the foreign worker registry. Recruiters must also disclose any partners and agents involved in the recruitment process.

Labour Minister Alyson Townsend highlighted the importance of these changes.

“Foreign workers play such as an important role in New Brunswick’s economy,” Townsend said. “By strengthening protections for all workers, we are making New Brunswick a more attractive and safe place to live and work.”

Townsend noted the government has a duty to ensure foreign workers have a safe workplace and face no financial abuse.

The government plans to phase in the changes. The ban on recruitment fees takes effect immediately upon royal assent. Mandatory recruiter licensing begins April 1, 2028. The full rollout concludes by March 31, 2029.

Advocates Push for Stronger Enforcement

The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change supports the proposed changes. The organization spent nearly two years advocating for stronger recruiter oversight and worker protections in New Brunswick.

While the group welcomes the licensing system and the ban on fees, they argue the legislation needs more teeth.

“Licensing recruiters, screening employers and banning recruitment fees are key steps,” said Niger Saravia of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change. “Now this legislation must be strengthened so workers can actually get their money back, employers and recruiters are held jointly liable for abuses here and abroad, and the government proactively enforces the law without waiting for migrant workers to risk everything to speak up.”

A 2025 survey of 108 current and former migrant workers conducted by the organization found 65 percent paid recruiters. Of those who reported specific amounts, 47 percent paid between $2,000 and $3,000. Most payments happened outside Canada and many workers never received receipts.

The Real Cost for Migrant Workers

Many migrant workers borrow money or take on heavy debt to secure employment in Canada. Some arrive only to discover the jobs or hours they were promised do not exist.

One worker named Areli shared her experience of paying for a job that was unavailable upon arrival.

“I paid more than $2,300 for a job in New Brunswick, and when I arrived, the job simply didn’t exist,” Areli said. “The recruiter lied to us. Now I have more debt in Mexico than I did before I came. Who is going to pay us back for what we have already spent? This law is good, but the government must ensure workers get their compensation.”

The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change points out the bill lacks a dedicated mechanism for recovering recruitment fees already paid. The organization wants mandatory financial security requirements for recruiters, stronger enforcement measures, a longer complaint period and compensation for workers who experienced broken job promises.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do the new rules take effect?

The ban on recruitment fees takes effect as soon as the bill receives royal assent. Mandatory recruiter licensing begins April 1, 2028. The government will phase in all changes by March 31, 2029.

What happens to recruiters who break the rules?

The proposed legislation establishes administrative monetary penalties for violations. The director of the employment standards branch can also suspend, revoke or place conditions on an employer on the registry.

Can workers get their money back if they already paid fees?

Currently, the proposed bill does not include a dedicated mechanism for recovering recruitment fees already paid. Advocates are pushing the government to add compensation measures for workers who previously paid these fees.