5. Learn about money you might be able to get if you leave your job
Question & Answer
I’m a temporary foreign worker. What are my rights?If you're laid off or have to leave your job because of abuse, you may be able to get help to pay for food and rent.
If you've applied for permanent resident status or you've got refugee status, you may able to get Ontario Works.
Employment Insurance
Temporary foreign workers can get Employment Insurance (EI) if they meet the rules for getting EI. For example, you cannot get EI if you were fired or quit your job because you don't like it.
But temporary foreign workers don't always get EI because they must be “available for work”. And someone with a closed work permit is only allowed to work for one employer. This means they cannot work for different employer unless they get another work permit.
There are ways you can get EI even if you have a closed work permit. If you're in this situation, you can get help appealing an EI decision from:
- a community legal clinic. You can find your local clinic by calling Legal Aid Ontario at 1-800-668-8258 or looking on their website.
- the Workers’ Action Centre. There are many ways to contact them, including by phone at 416-531-0778.
If you're too sick to work or have to quarantine because of an illness like COVID-19, you can apply for EI sickness benefits without having to leave your job.
If you’re hurt at work
If you're hurt while doing your job, you can apply for benefits from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). This is called . These benefits pay you up to 75% of what you normally make in a week.
Usually, you must be injured while working to get WSIB. But farm workers and harvesters can get workers' compensation if they're injured on their employer's property. This does not have to happen during work hours.
Here are some organizations that can help you for free:
- a community legal clinic. You can find your local clinic by calling Legal Aid Ontario at 1-800-668-8258 or looking on their website.
- the Workers’ Action Centre. There are many ways to contact them, including by phone at 416-531-0778.
