Actyl Group Clarifies Inaccuracies in Recent CBC News Report on Temporary Foreign Workers

EDMONTON, Alberta - April 20, 2014 - PRLog -- Actyl Group, an international workforce solutions firm, would like to clarify some facts related to the services it provides its clients after a recent CBC News report that contained several inaccuracies.

The report, published April 17 as part of the CBC News “Go Public” series, detailed claims made by some temporary foreign workers who alleged mistreatment on the part of an Edmonton employer. In addition to reporting these workers’ claims, the article and accompanying video made several statements that misrepresented Actyl’s work in finding and recruiting skilled workers for its clients, which include various Canadian businesses and organizations.

To start, the firm wishes to clarify that its team does not make promises to temporary foreign worker candidates that it cannot keep, and does not charge any service fees to job candidates. Although some workers are required to pay work visa, medical and other fees directly to the Canadian or source country government agencies, these fees are not paid to Actyl.

“At Actyl Group, we are always completely honest and transparent with all of the workers we recruit,” said Dr. Linda West, president of Actyl Group. “This includes keeping these workers informed of certain visa and other fees they may need to pay to government agencies. When recruiting internationally, our goal is to find workers for open positions throughout the country, while helping them understand immigration and other requirements they may need to address before entering and working in Canada.”

In addition, the CBC News report claims that Actyl representatives told workers that they would make large sums of money working overtime, but that overtime hours have not been available from the employer featured in the article. In reality, Actyl never makes such promises, and while many of the employers it works with do offer substantial overtime, the firm does not guarantee these opportunities to job candidates. During its recruitment informational sessions, which typically involve more than a dozen candidates, the firm’s representatives do not speak about specific employers terms of employment.

“While it’s true that many employers offer significant overtime pay to workers, others may not provide the same opportunities,” said West. “Our recruiters are very honest about the potential for these opportunities, but certainly do not guarantee them. The opportunity for overtime depends on the specific employer, and we are very upfront about that.”

It’s also important to note that the terms and conditions of food counter attendant employment are mandated by government regulations to help protect foreign workers, and employers must operate within strict guidelines. None of the employers with which Actyl Group works have been found to have violated these regulations.

Finally, Actyl would like to differentiate the main issue highlighted in the report — the alleged unfair housing practices of one employer — from the services the firm actually provides. Actyl is not involved in any way with setting up housing or transportation services for temporary foreign workers or their employers.

“We appreciate the CBC’s commitment to investigative reporting, as long as it is done fairly and in a way that presents all sides of the story,” said West. “We are calling on CBC News to simply provide more context and more complete information to its viewers and readers on this complex issue, and to ensure that it does not misrepresent the work done by companies like Actyl Group. The fact remains that our firm is highly reputable and remains dedicated to helping employers across Canada address the labour gap, while opening up outstanding employment opportunities for temporary foreign workers.”

About Actyl Group:

Actyl Group is a leader in international workforce solutions, providing customized services based on employers’ needs. The company leverages decades of industry experience and expertise, helping businesses and organizations find the Canadian and international workers they need to grow in a sustainable way. To learn more about the company, please visit http://www.actyl.com.