Get help or information on Canada

RELIGION AND LANGUAGE

Canada is not a very religious country in general. Canadians adhere to a wide variety of beliefs and faiths, with the majority following Christianity, Islam, Buddhism then followed by those who do not believe in any deity or religion at all. Christianity is easily the majority religion in Canada as almost 70% of the population are Christian with majority of the Christians being Catholics. English is the most spoken language everywhere in Canada except Quebec and Nunavut.

BASIC CANADIAN SLANG PHRASES:

Eh? –Pronounced “ay.” This word is used in everyday Canadian vernacular to indicate that you don’t understand something, can’t believe something is true or want the person you’re speaking with to respond. It’s similar to the phrases “huh,” “right?” and “what?” commonly used in the USA.

Loonie (and toonie)- A Loonie, the Canadian one-dollar coin, gets its name from the picture of the Canadian bird, the loon, that appears on one side of the coin. A toonie, the name for the two-dollar coin, gained a similar nickname to match the sound of the loonie – not to be confused with the American cartoon Looney Tunes.

Timmies– Timmies refers to the fast-food coffee chain, Tim Hortons, named after co-founder, the late, great hockey player Tim Horton. If you don’t know and love Timmies, you’re not a true Canadian. And don’t forget the Timbits or donut holes – the perfect match for the popular double-double.

The 6ix- The 6ix refers to the six former cities that now make up Toronto. The nickname was made famous by Toronto-born musician Drake, who uses it on his mixtape If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late

Two-four- This term is commonly used to refer to a case of 24 beers. Don’t be surprised when a friend asks you to pick one up on the way over.

Toque- Pronounced “too-uk” or “tuke” in a Canadian accent. Derived from Arabic, it found its way into medieval French in the 15th century. This word refers to a cap with a small brim or no brim (a beanie). It’s usually worn when it’s cold – so pretty much year-round.

Mickey- A mickey is a hip-flask-size bottle of liquor. You can only find these at the LCBO. It fits perfectly in your purse, pocket or hand.

Pop- Refers to soda, the delicious carbonated beverage that mom rarely lets you have.

Canuck- A slang term for Canadians. You may have heard this in the world of sports, as we cheer our national team while dressed in a stereotypical Canadian costume (think Mountie or moose) or as part of team names such as the Vancouver Canucks – although Torontonians only know the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Zed- The Canadian pronunciation for the letter Z. “Zee” is acceptable as well, but if you want to sound like a Canadian, go for zed. You’ll fit right in.

Klick– This term refers to kilometers, the unit of length in the metric system equal to 1,000m.

Keener- This word refers to someone who tries hard to please others or is overly enthusiastic. Similar to “nerd,” “brown-noser” and “geek.”

Give’er- This slang term means to give it all you’ve got when all else fails. It’s used when referring to work, drinking, sports and any other activity that requires you to buckle down and get it done.

Kerfuffle- This word describes a commotion or fuss, usually caused by a disagreement or difference in opinion (most commonly found during or after sports games).

Stag/Stagette- The Canadian version of the pre-wedding bachelor and bachelorette parties. It’s a night (or weekend) of fun with your pals of the same gender before your upcoming nuptials.

Runners- This word describes running shoes. It can also refer to street shoes. Handy for when your friend says “pitter patter” (let’s go).

Beauty- An expression used to refer to something that was done well or an exceptionally great person.

Snowbirds- This word describes Canadians who head south during winter to escape the cold. Destinations always include sandy beaches and tropical waters.

Queue/line up– Refers to a line of people waiting for something, whether at the movie theatre, the bathroom or a Leafs game. Queue and lineup are used interchangeably.

Whale’s tail- Another word for beaver tails, the famous Canadian treat made from fried pastry dough (which is sometimes smothered in toppings such as Nutella) – also called elephant ears.

Chesterfield- A couch or sofa. A term usually used by the older crowd (hey, grandma)

DRESSING

Canada is a modern country; hence people are free to wear whatever they choose to. However, people visiting the country are advised to carry heavy clothes such as jackets for winter season and light clothes for the summer.

CURRENCY

The Canadian dollar (symbol: $; code: CAD; French: dollar canadien) is the currency of Canada. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or sometimes CA$, Can$ or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. The equivalent of a Canadian dollar to a Kenyan shilling is 1$=83.31 Kshs

LEGAL SYSTEM

Canada’s government is both a constitutional monarchy and a federal parliamentary democracy. Canada has a national government (called the federal government) as well as distinct provincial governments for each of Canada’s ten provinces, namely:

• British Columbia.
• New Brunswick.
• Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Nova Scotia.
• Prince Edward Island.

Canada also has three northern territories, each with its own territorial government (the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon), but these fall under the federal government’s jurisdiction.

LABOUR LAWS IN CANADA

As a temporary foreign worker, you are protected by Canada’s labour laws.

Your employer:

1. must pay you for your work
2. must make sure that your workplace is safe
3. Cannot take your passport or work permit away from you.

Each province and territory has an employment or labour standards office that deals with labour and employment laws which can advise and talk to you about fair pay, hours of work, rest periods, working conditions and provide other services. For some jobs, you have to sign an employment contract.

If you have a contract, it should include the:

1. Details of your job
2. Conditions of your employment
3. The highest number of hours you will work in a week
4. How much you will be paid for your work

The laws on hours of work and overtime (extra time or time worked after regular hours) depend on the province or territory you are working in.

Contract: Your contract should also have details about any money coming out of your pay for programs like Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance. Always keep a copy of your contract for your records. You and your employer must always follow the contract. If you disagree about work details in the future, having a copy may help you.

Termination: If you are dismissed from work, your employer needs to give you written notice before your last day of work or pay you for that time instead. This is called termination pay.

Your employer does not have to warn you when you are being let go for a “just cause.” For example, you can be let go for serious misconduct or missing work without good reason.

If you have a contract for a specific period or a specific job, your employer does not have to give you notice when your contract ends. The rules about notice of termination are also set by each province and territory.

If your employer does not follow the law when they dismiss you, you can complain to the local employment or labour standards office. If you are covered by a union contract, you may have to make a formal complaint through the union instead.

Housing: Your employer does not have to give you a place to live unless you are a temporary farm worker in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program. If you are given room and board, your employer may take part of the cost from your pay. In most provinces, the amount they can charge for meals and board is limited. All pay deductions must be noted in your contract.

Health and safety: All workers in Canada have the right to a safe and healthy workplace. There are laws to protect workers from danger. Provincial, territorial and federal governments each have their own laws and ways of looking into health and safety matters.

Refusing dangerous work: You have the right to refuse work if you believe the work is dangerous.

You must be paid until:

1. the danger is removed,
2. you feel the problem no longer exists, or
3. a government official tells you that it is safe to do the work.

You can’t be punished for refusing dangerous work.

Work injuries: Most provinces and territories provide workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation plans give you help (medical or wage benefits) if you are hurt on the job or if your job causes you to get sick. Your employer is not allowed to take any money from your pay for these plans. If you have an accident at work, talk to your supervisor right away and see a doctor if you need medical help.

In some provinces and territories, employers don’t need to offer you workers’ compensation benefits. If so, this must be clearly written in your employment contract.

Farm workers’ rights: Some farm workers in Canada have special rights under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.

Reporting abuse: If you think you’re being abused or at risk of being abused, you may be able to apply for an open work permit for vulnerable workers to help you leave an abusive work situation

WORK WEEK AND HOURS

The standard hours of work for an employee in a federally regulated industry are: eight hours in a day (any period of 24 consecutive hours) 40 hours in a week (the period between midnight on Saturday and midnight on the Saturday that immediately follows)

TRANSPORTATION

There are five principal modes of transportation in Canada: water, rail, motor carrier, air and pipeline. The bus is the most common form of urban transportation in Canada. Some cities have other modes of public transit. In most cases, you can easily transfer from one mode of transportation to another. To use public transportation, you must buy a ticket or a transit pass.

PROBATION AND RECRUITMENT FEES

Any probationary period in an employment contract that is longer than three months will trigger statutory notice of termination or pay in lieu. Therefore, an employer can stipulate an employee will have a six-month probationary period, and he will be assessed on a suitability standard during that period.

The recruitment charge is usually a percentage of the annual salary of the recruited candidate. This charge ranges between 15% and 25%. The harder the recruitment process the higher the charge range.

INSURANCE AND AIR TICKET

Canada offers a health plan for Migrant workers where they choose their plan themselves. The employer should provide for those who do not qualify for the provincial or territorial health care plan with private health insurance until they are covered. The employer is not allowed to deduct any money from a worker’s pay for private health insurance except if one is hired under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.

When travelling to work in Canada, one is expected to pay for his or her air ticket, unless told otherwise by the employer, who may end up deducting from a migrant workers salary in order to reimburse the expenses used.

PASSPORT

Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. No additional period of validity beyond this is required.

ANNUAL LEAVE

The basic entitlement is 2 weeks of vacation for every completed “year of employment”. After 5 consecutive years of employment with the same employer, the entitlement increases to 3 weeks of vacation. After 10 completed years, employees are entitled to 4 weeks of vacation.

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

A migrant worker must sign an employment contract with your employer for his or her protection and both must respect the conditions in their agreement. The only exception is if one is hired as a high-wage temporary foreign worker. In this case, one is not required to have a contract, although it is still recommended to have one.

DUTIES OF THE WORKER

One should make sure they adhere to Kenyan Immigration laws and the Canadian laws and should also be aware of their rights as a foreign worker in Canada.

ENTRY REQUIREMENT:

To protect Canadians from the outbreak of COVID-19, the Prime Minister announced travel restrictions that limit travel to Canada. Until further notice, most foreign nationals cannot travel to Canada, even if they have a valid visitor visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA). Foreign nationals can only travel to Canada only if they’re eligible.

If you’re travelling by air, you need to follow all airline requirements and pass a health check conducted by airlines before you’re allowed to board your flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air.

When you arrive in Canada, they will assess your health before you leave the port of entry. You must have a plan to quarantine for 14 days when you arrive in Canada. This is mandatory, even if you have no symptoms. If you do not have a plan, you should not travel to Canada. Only people who provide essential services, for example, truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods, are exempt from the quarantine requirements

To be eligible, you must meet one of the following requirements:

1. You must be travelling directly from the US for a non-discretionary purpose.
2. You must be exempt from the travel restrictions and be travelling for a non-discretionary purpose.

Before you travel to Canada, make sure you know the rules and what you need to do before and after you arrive. On arrival, you must use ArriveCAN before checking in at the airport or crossing the border to submit your:

1. travel and contact information
2. quarantine plan
3. COVID-19 symptoms self-assessment

Remember to carry your ArriveCAN receipt (electronic or paper) with you to show the border services officer upon arrival.

DOCUMENT AND REGISTRATION:

A Canadian work permit is the permission to take a job within Canada if you are from a foreign country. You usually need a work permit to work in Canada. In some cases, you can work without a permit or job offer in Canada. Canada is still accepting work permit applications.

The following foreign workers are now allowed to cross the border into Canada by land or air:

1. Temporary workers who hold a valid work permit or who are approved for a work permit but have not yet been issued the work permit
2. IEC participants who have not yet activated their work permits must have a valid job offer in order to enter. (International Electrotechnical Commission is an organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.).
3. IEC participants who have already activated their work permits and were outside the country temporarily do not require a valid job offer in order to re-enter