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The term "migrant worker" refers to a person engaged in a paid activity in a state of which he or she is not a national. In Canada the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) contains a provision for migrant workers, who are allowed to work in Canada with an appropriate visa. These authorized workers are usually termed "temporary foreign workers." The requirements for obtaining a visa are spelled out in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is administered jointly by CItizen and Immigration Canada (CIC) and Human Resources and SOcial Development Canada (HRSDC). A secondary category of migrant worker is also indirectly referenced in IRPA, namely undocumented workers employed in Canada without authorization. The status and rights accorded to these two categories of worker differ significantly. This paper will focus primarily on authorized temporary foreign workers.