What the court ordered
Saskatchewan announced on August 13, 2026 that Dhyan Jeny Enterprises, operating as Guac Mexi Grill in Moose Jaw, pleaded guilty in Provincial Court in Moose Jaw. The employer was convicted of charging a foreign worker a fee or expense for employment, contrary to section 23(5) of The Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act, 2013. The offences took place between August 2023 and February 2024.
The court imposed a $5,000 fine and a $2,000 victim fine surcharge, and ordered $12,000 in restitution to the affected worker. The province said the charges came from an investigation into an allegation that a foreign worker was required to pay $12,000 to keep a job, with continued employment being a condition of the worker’s pathway to permanent residence. The investigation followed a complaint to the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training. This is the first conviction under the province’s former foreign worker protection legislation.
Why this matters to foreign workers
- Charging a foreign worker a fee or expense for employment was an offence under the 2013 Act, and the case shows the province will prosecute it.
- Continued employment tied to a pathway to permanent residence is not a reason a worker can be made to pay.
- You do not need permission from an employer, recruiter or consultant to contact the Program Compliance Branch.
- The province says all information provided is kept confidential. The branch can be reached at 833-613-0485 with questions about the Immigration Services Act, 2024, concerns about your rights or information about a possible violation.
The current law carries heavier penalties
The case was prosecuted under the 2013 Act because the offences happened before July 1, 2024. The Immigration Services Act, 2024 repealed and replaced that Act and strengthened the province’s compliance and enforcement framework. Saskatchewan states it gives the province enhanced authority to investigate immigration-related misconduct and to hold non-compliant employers, recruiters and consultants accountable.
Under the current Act, penalties on conviction can reach $750,000 for an individual and $1.25 million for a corporation, with possible imprisonment of up to two years.
What workers should keep
- Copies of job offers, employment contracts, pay statements and immigration support documents.
- Messages, receipts, bank records or transfer records connected to any request for payment.
- The names and contact details of the employer, recruiter or representative involved.
- A dated record of threats, pressure, changes to promised duties or wages, and any request to return money to the employer.
What this decision does and does not change
The announcement does not create a new immigration stream or change federal work permit eligibility. It is a provincial enforcement result.
A complaint about an employer is separate from an immigration application. Anyone concerned about their status, work authorization or permanent residence plan should get advice based on their own documents and deadlines. Urgent safety or criminal concerns should go to the appropriate authorities.