Forms and resources

Solution Explorer

By answering a series of questions, this tool will guide you to information about your specific work situation and provide options to help deal with issues at work.

Solution Explorer

Working in B.C. poster

The Working in British Columbia poster contains information about the Employment Standards Act and Regulation. It should be on display at all workplaces.

The Foreign Workers info sheet contains information about the rights of foreign workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act and Regulation. Employers and recruiters need to share this information with foreign workers they hire or recruit.

Foreign workers infosheet (PDF, 80KB)

Education seminars

Education seminars are held monthly in order to answer questions and provide education regarding the rules and responsibilities of employers, employment agencies, talent agencies, and farm labour contractors under the Employment Standards Act.

Guide to the Employment Standards Act & Regulation

Get a section-by-section explanation of the Employment Standards Act and Regulation. This guide is also known as the Interpretation Guidelines Manual (IGM).

Forms

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Employ young people under 16 years old

Find out if you need a child employment permit

Employers must apply for a permit to employ children under 16 unless special conditions apply.

Click the button below to discover whether a permit is needed in a specific situation and access the online application form.

Find out if you need a permit

If a permit is required, the child's parent or guardian will also need to complete a parent or guardian declaration form (PDF, 174.2KB).

If school will be in session while the child is expected to work, the child's school also needs to complete a school recommendation form (PDF, 132.2KB).

If you don't require a permit

A parent or guardian decides if it's in the best interests of their child to have a job. If a child employment permit is not required, they must provide written consent (PDF, 130.7KB) for their child to work. The employer must keep a record of the written consent.

This written consent is kept by the employer. Do not send it to Employment Standards.

Submit an employment standards complaint

File a complaint online

You can fill out and submit a complaint online in about 15 minutes.

Make a complaint

Other ways to submit a complaint

You can submit a complaint using the printable Complaint Form (PDF, 383.7KB).

Apply for a variance

Variances allow work situations that follow the purposes of B.C. employment standards but don't strictly meet the standards. You can fill out and submit a variance application online.

Submit an application online

Other ways to apply for a variance

You can submit an application using the printable Application for Variance (PDF, 278.3KB).

Learn more about the steps employers must take to hire temporary foreign workers, then apply for a certificate of registration online.

Register a domestic worker online

You can register a domestic worker online in about 15 minutes.

Other ways to register

You can register a domestic worker using the printable Domestic Worker Registration Form (PDF, 213.5KB).

Apply for or renew an employment agency licence

Apply for or renew an employment agency licence online

Employment agencies must be licensed to operate in British Columbia. An employment agency is an organization or person who charges a fee to recruit, or offers to recruit, employees for employers. A licence is not required if an employment agency only recruits employees for one employer.

Submit an application online