A Moose Jaw company has been ordered to repay $12,000 to a foreign worker following Saskatchewan’s first conviction under provincial legislation regulating foreign worker recruitment and immigration services.

Saskatchewan has secured its first conviction under the province’s foreign worker protection legislation after a company admitted to charging a foreign national thousands of dollars for employment.

Dhyan Jeny Enterprises Ltd. pleaded guilty in Moose Jaw Provincial Court on August 11, 2026, to charging a foreign worker for a job. The practice is prohibited under Saskatchewan’s Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act.

A provincial investigation found that the worker had been required to pay $12,000 to obtain employment. The court ordered the company to return the full amount to the worker and imposed a $5,000 fine and a $2,000 victim fine surcharge.

The case represents an important enforcement milestone, but immigration professionals warn that it may reflect a much broader problem facing foreign workers and prospective immigrants.

Workers can be especially vulnerable

Foreign workers may depend heavily on their employers for income, immigration status and the opportunity to remain in Canada. That dependence can make it difficult for them to report mistreatment or challenge unlawful demands.

Some workers may also be unfamiliar with Canadian employment and immigration laws. Unscrupulous employers and intermediaries can take advantage of that knowledge gap by demanding money for jobs, withholding documents, underpaying workers or making false promises about permanent residence.

Saskatchewan Immigration and Career Training Deputy Minister Greg Tuer told Global News that foreign workers can find themselves in an especially difficult position when dealing with employers who withhold wages or documents or require payment for employment.

While most employers follow the rules, Tuer said the province has expanded its compliance and investigative capacity. Legislative changes introduced in 2024 broadened the government’s enforcement powers and allowed it to investigate more suspected violations.

The province has reportedly cancelled the registration certificates of more than 10 businesses this year, preventing them from employing foreign workers through provincially regulated programs.

Other employers and recruiters face scrutiny

The Moose Jaw conviction comes as Saskatchewan authorities pursue other cases involving alleged exploitation within the immigration and employment systems.

An employer operating a Husky Travel Centre in Swift Current is facing charges related to allegedly imposing employment fees on two foreign nationals and exploiting a worker’s lack of knowledge of provincial protections. Those allegations have not yet been proven in court.

In another case, Saskatoon resident Balvir Singh pleaded guilty to advising foreign nationals to misrepresent employment information in immigration applications while charging as much as $40,000 for immigration sponsorship.

Separate criminal proceedings involving the exploitation of a foreign national seeking employment have also drawn attention to the point at which immigration and labour abuses can become human trafficking.

Immigration lawyer Oluwadamilola Asuni told Global News that charging people for jobs undermines confidence in Canada’s immigration system and gives an unfair advantage to those who can afford to pay. He cautioned that the extent of the problem is likely greater than the limited number of convictions might suggest.

What newcomers should know

Foreign workers and prospective immigrants should not be required to pay an employer to obtain a job. A legitimate job offer should not be sold to an applicant or made conditional on an unofficial payment.

People seeking employment connected to an immigration application should take several precautions:

• Confirm that an immigration consultant is licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants or that a lawyer is authorized by the appropriate provincial law society.
• Request written contracts, receipts and clear explanations of every fee.
• Be cautious of anyone guaranteeing employment, permanent residence or a successful immigration application.
• Never sign blank forms or provide false employment information.
• Keep copies of job offers, contracts, payment records, text messages and emails.
• Report suspected exploitation to the appropriate provincial or federal authority.

Settlement organizations can also help newcomers understand their employment rights and connect them with reliable legal or immigration information.

Saskatchewan has approximately 6,000 businesses registered to employ foreign workers. With the province increasing its investigative capacity, officials expect additional charges as more complaints and suspected violations are examined.

The first conviction sends a clear message: employment opportunities cannot legally be sold to vulnerable workers. Whether that message produces lasting change will depend on continued enforcement, accessible reporting mechanisms and ensuring that newcomers understand their rights before exploitation occurs.