A Moose Jaw employer is facing a sizable fine after being convicted of charging a foreign worker a fee for their job. Dyan Jeny Enterprises, which operates as Guac Mexi Grill in Moose Jaw, pleaded guilty to one count of charging a foreign worker a fee or expense for employment under The Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act, 2013 or FWRISA. As a result, the company faced a $5,000 fine, a $2,000 victim surcharge and was ordered to pay $12,000 to the victim. The offences were committed between Aug. 2023 and Feb. 2024. The investigation began into allegations that a foreign worker was required to pay $12,000 to keep his job, with their continued employment being a condition of their pathway to permanent residence. In a news release Thursday, the province highlighted its updated foreign worker protection legislation, The Immigration Services Act, 2024. The recent conviction is subject to FWRISA and not the updated act, given the offences occurred prior to July 1, 2024. The new act now carries penalties of up to $750,000 for individuals and $1.25 million for corporations – in addition to potential imprisonment of up to two years, according to the province.
