(CBSA / FILE)
A Winnipeg construction site manager has been sentenced to 20 months of house arrest and fined $50,000 after pleading guilty to employing unauthorized foreign nationals.
Gurwinder Singh Ahluwalia entered the guilty plea on April 2 under Section 124 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), which prohibits the unauthorized employment of foreign workers.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) began investigating in August 2023 following reports of unauthorized labour and worker mistreatment at a local construction site. Ahluwalia was identified as the site manager linked to the employment scheme.
Search warrants executed in May 2024 uncovered electronic devices and documents showing that Ahluwalia recruited foreign nationals to work in Canada without proper authorization. Some workers, even those with valid permits, were reportedly underpaid.
Charges were formally laid by the CBSA on November 26, 2024.
