The live-in caregiver issue is currently under federal jurisdiction from a number of standpoints. Gains have been made with regard to labour standards in the past 20 years. As a result, live-in caregivers are covered by the law. Technically, they are protected by Quebec's Act respecting labour standards, but the program, as it currently stands, absolutely has not helped them because they cannot exercise that right.
Let's take the case of a live-in caregiver who lives in the employer's home and who thus does not have a house. Let's imagine that she is dismissed by her employer or that she leaves her employment because the situation is unacceptable. In your opinion, would she go and file a complaint or look for a new employer?
The time is 24 to 36 months. You don't find an employer from one day to the next. You don't find an employer by knocking on just anyone's door. She'll go to a recruitment agency, which won't necessarily respect her rights. Could she receive employment insurance benefits? Not necessarily. Well, everything is explained in the document. I won't address the matter of the employment insurance technicalities, but that's under federal jurisdiction.
She has a work permit naming an employer. Would she be available to work? That's not clear. She doesn't have any money, no place to live; she is outside. She has to sleep somewhere and pay. Will she go to work? No, because it's illegal, with a work permit naming an employer. She therefore has to find an employer as soon as possible. A number of months go by before she obtains a work permit.
I ask you the question: does she have any rights? I doubt it.