Canada
Opens Door to Foreign Security Guards at Olympics
A new Security Services Act that was approved by the British Columbia
legislature in 2007 will have a great impact on the security industry
if its regulations are passed.
The current law only allows Canadian citizens to work as licensed security
workers in the province; however, the new measure permits people 'normally
resident in Canada' to become guards, including foreign workers with visas.
The government is in favour of bringing in foreign security guards because
there are not enough British Columbia security guards for security screening
at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. According to the Integrated Security Unit,
there must be enough guards to work 900,000 hours between January and
March of that year.
Beginning in September of this year, when the regulations are expected
to be passed, rookie security guards can work for as many as 90 days 'under
supervision' while they undergo training. All workers must still submit
to a criminal-record check prior to beginning work.
