The documents concern a plan to employ 200 Chinese miners at HD Mining’s Murray River coal project and reportedly cite Mandarin as a language requirement.

Citing a document issued by the Canadian Department of Employment and Skills Development, Vancouver’s Globe and Mail reported: “Lack of requirement for English for [foreign workers] in underground mining occupations raises some concerns regarding the employer’s ability to attract/train and transition to Canadian workers.

“The employer has stated that English-language training will be provided, that interpreters and English-speaking foremen will facilitate on-the-job training and transfer of skills to Canada. Still it is reasonable to question how successful the employer will be in attracting, training or retaining Canadians, while the language of mine operation is predominantly Mandarin.”

The newspaper also tracked HD Mining’s response that inclusion of Mandarin on the foreign worker application was only to indicate the language spoken by workers already recruited.

About 17 Chinese miners had reportedly already arrived at Murray River, with another 60 due later this month.

The plan has reportedly prompted the federal human resources minister to call for a review of the foreign worker program, an investigation by the provincial government and a protracted court case with outraged Canadian unions.

Last month two unions won the right to challenge HD Mining’s application of the temporary foreign worker program, a decision immediately appealed by the miner.

The company argues it needs the workers, while the unions insist there are enough local workers available.

“When we were unable to recruit any qualified Canadians we applied for and received permission from [Human Resources and Skills Development Canada] to hire temporary foreign workers,” the Canadian Press quoted from an HD Mining statement.

Unions, however, have said that the mere mention of Mandarin in job advertisements indicated that the company was never interested in hiring Canadians.

“Contrary to some allegations that the advertisements required Mandarin speakers, none the advertisements said Mandarin was required,” the HD Mining said.

“Most made no mention of Mandarin at all.”