A restaurant company in Moose Jaw has become the first to be found guilty under Saskatchewan’s foreign worker protection laws, which have been strengthened with stricter penalties. Dyan Jeny Enterprises, operating as Guac Mexi Grill, admitted in Moose Jaw provincial court to unlawfully charging a foreign worker for employment expenses between August 2023 and February 2024, as announced by the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training. These violations were prosecuted under the former Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act, predating the enactment of the Immigration Services Act.
The updated legislation has bolstered the province’s mechanisms for ensuring compliance and enforcement, as highlighted in the official statement. The charges against Dyan Jeny Enterprises arose from an inquiry by the ministry following claims that the company compelled a foreign worker to pay $12,000 to secure their job, crucial for their Canadian permanent residency application.
As a consequence, the company was instructed by the court to pay a $5,000 fine, a $2,000 victim surcharge, and $12,000 in restitution to the impacted employee. The Immigration Services Act, in effect since 2024, imposes fines of up to $750,000 for individuals and $1.25 million for corporations, along with the possibility of a two-year jail term upon conviction.
The ministry declared, “Under the ISA, Saskatchewan has expanded powers to probe immigration-related misconduct and hold non-compliant employers, recruiters, and consultants answerable.” Workers who suspect their rights have been violated can discreetly reach out to the ministry’s compliance unit via email at pcb@gov.sk.ca or by phone at 306-798-1350.