A restaurant business in Moose Jaw becomes the first to face a conviction under Saskatchewan’s foreign worker protection laws, which have recently been strengthened with harsher penalties. Dyan Jeny Enterprises, trading as Guac Mexi Grill, has admitted to violating the regulations by charging a foreign worker for employment expenses between August 2023 and February 2024, as disclosed by the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training. The case falls under the previous legislation, the Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act, as the offenses occurred prior to July 1, 2024, before the enactment of the new Immigration Services Act.
The revised law aims to fortify the province’s mechanisms for ensuring compliance and enforcement, as highlighted in the official statement. Dyan Jeny Enterprises faced charges following a ministry probe into allegations that the company compelled a foreign worker to pay $12,000 to retain their job, which was crucial for the worker’s pursuit of permanent residency in Canada.
In response to the violations, a Moose Jaw provincial court has ordered the company to pay a $5,000 fine, a $2,000 victim fine surcharge, and $12,000 in restitution to the impacted employee. The updated Immigration Services Act, effective as of 2024, introduces penalties of up to $750,000 for individuals and $1.25 million for corporations, with potential imprisonment of up to two years upon conviction.
The Ministry emphasized that under the ISA, Saskatchewan now possesses enhanced powers to investigate immigration-related misconduct and hold non-compliant employers, recruiters, and consultants responsible. Workers who feel their rights have been infringed upon can confidentially contact the ministry’s compliance branch via email at pcb@gov.sk.ca or by calling 306-798-1350.