On June 2, 2014, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) investigators in Kingston charged the Jina Korean and Japanese Healthy Food (Jina Sushi) restaurant and Mija Park, 47, of Kingston, Ontario, with five counts of employing foreign nationals not authorized to work in Canada. Park was also charged for being an overstay on a visitor’s permit and for not being authorized to work in Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)
Park is the manager of the Jina Korean and Japanese Healthy Food (Jina Sushi) restaurant located in the City of Kingston. On April 23, 2014, CBSA Inland Enforcement Officers arrested Park and five other individuals at the Jina Korean and Japanese Healthy Food (Jina Sushi) restaurant on the suspicion that they were working without authorization in Canada.
The Immigration and Refugee Board issued exclusion orders for the restaurant workers on April 25 and June 2.
Park was charged and released from custody on terms and conditions and is scheduled to appear in court in Kingston on July 3, 2014.
Quick Facts
- The IRPA requires all foreign workers to have authorization to engage in employment in Canada.
- Foreign nationals found to be working in Canada without proper authorization are in violation of the IRPA and may be issued a removal order and could be prosecuted.
- The CBSA lays charges when there is sufficient evidence to support convictions for deliberate or wilful violations of the IRPA. The penalties for employers who fail to abide by the law range from summary to indictable convictions with a maximum penalty of a $50,000 fine and two years' imprisonment.
Quote
“The CBSA's mandate includes holding the employers of undocumented workers accountable in order to ensure the integrity of the immigration system, preserve favourable labour market conditions for Canadians, and protect Canadian businesses and workers from illegal operations.”
Jeff Davidson, Director of Enforcement and Intelligence Operations Division, Northern Ontario Region
– 30 –
Caroline Desjarlais
Canada Border Services Agency
Northern Ontario Region
613-991-1591
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