Yukon Nominee Program workers complain of mistreatment, discrimination

Editor's note: On June 20, 2023, a photo that is no longer in the public interest was removed from this story. For the same reason, the name of one of the people in this story has been abbreviated.

Two men who came to Yukon under the territory's Nominee Program say they were mistreated while working at a Whitehorse restaurant. 

Byung Wook Jun and G. Hong are from South Korea. They were both hired to work at the Airport Chalet, a popular restaurant on the Alaska Highway. The two men allege they were discriminated against and forced to work harder than their Canadian co-workers, before being fired without cause.

"I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I'm gay," says Jun, who has filed a human rights complaint, citing discrimination based on sexual orientation. It's currently being investigated by the Yukon Human Rights Commission. 

"The complaint was that I flaunted myself with customers," says Jun, who worked as a server. "I was never given any details."

2 months with no day off

Hong worked as a chef at the Airport Chalet. He says he and Jun worked hundreds of hours of overtime, but were paid a regular hourly rate, in cash.

"For two months I had no day off, and always did the overtime shift," says Hong. "I couldn't complain, because I was under the Nominee Program and I was getting support from them." 

The Yukon Nominee Program is designed to help fill local labour shortages. Under the program, employers nominate qualified foreign nationals to work and live in Canada.

According to the Yukon Federation of Labour, it's a system ripe for abuse.

"You have a program that gives the employer the power to actually have immigration under their fold," says YFL president Vikki Quocksister. "You're creating a workplace full of fear."

Hong's work permit expired and he has already returned to South Korea. Jun's permanent residency status has been approved.

The owner of the Airport Chalet restaurant refused to comment on this story.