Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Notice for employers hiring temporary foreign workers to work as exotic dancers in Canada 

Please be advised that starting January 11, 2010, two clauses of the employment contract - HTML version  for exotic dancers are changing. These amendments are being implemented in order to better define the rights and obligations of employers regarding dancers’ transportation costs as well as to improve on these performers’ health care insurance coverage upon their arrival in Canada until provincial coverage starts.

Transportation Costs

There are three different scenarios under which transportation costs must be paid by the employer for foreign dancers:

1. The temporary foreign worker is currently outside of Canada: In this case, you, as the employer, are always responsible for paying the round trip transportation costs to bring a foreign exotic dancer to Canada and to the location of work. You must also pay for the worker's return to his/her country of permanent residence. These costs cannot be passed on to the temporary foreign worker (i.e., worker pays for transportation costs and is reimbursed at a later date). Under no circumstances are transportation costs recoverable from a temporary foreign worker working as an exotic dancer in Canada.

2. The temporary foreign worker is currently in Canada: Under this scenario, you must pay the costs of transporting the employee from his/her current Canadian address to the employer’s location of work in Canada and one-way transportation back to the employee’s country of permanent residence. To hire a temporary foreign worker who is already working in Canada as an exotic dancer, you must apply for a Labour Market Opinion and receive a letter from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada/Service Canada confirming that your offer of employment is approved. The foreign worker must apply for a new work permit at Citizenship and Immigration.

3. When a foreign dancer leaves his/her position and goes to work for a new employer, as the original employer, you are no longer responsible for paying the transportation costs provided the new employer has received a positive or neutral Labour Market Opinion from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada/Service Canada. The new employer must pay the transportation costs to bring the worker to the new location of work as well as pay the return transportation to the country of permanent residence.

Notice for a Group of Employers: The process for a group of employers employing an exotic dancer in Canada has not changed. For further information, please refer to Section D.13 of the Employer Information Bulletin.

Health Care Costs

You, as the employer must provide health care insurance at no cost to the foreign worker upon his/her arrival in Canada until he/she is eligible to provincial health care. If the foreign worker is not eligible for provincial health care, you must pay for health insurance coverage for the duration of the foreign worker’s employment contract.

For more information

For more information about Transportation Costs and Health Care Costs, consult the Questions and Answers.