Canada’s immigration system is built on fairness, transparency, and the lawful employment of foreign workers. But recent headlines prove just how quickly things can go wrong for businesses that hire workers without proper authorization.
If you’re an employer in Ontario, you need to know exactly what’s at stake — and how to protect your company from massive fines, criminal charges, and reputational damage. Here’s what the CBSA and OPP crackdown means for your business, what unauthorized employment really looks like in Ontario, and how to stay on the right side of the law.
The Oshawa Case: A Wake-Up Call for Ontario Businesses
In February 2025, three landscape companies operating in Oshawa — CDA Landscape Services, TDA Landscape Services, and SDA Services — pleaded guilty to multiple counts of hiring foreign nationals without authorization. CDA alone was fined $400,000 for 20 counts of unauthorized employment.
The investigation, which began in 2019 after a single impaired driving arrest, uncovered more than 700 unauthorized workers operating across the Greater Toronto Area. Some workers were even removed from Canada due to inadmissibility.
This is not an isolated incident. It shows how quickly one oversight can turn into a major immigration investigation, steep fines, and a public scandal.
Under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), foreign nationals need the proper work permits or status to be legally employed. If an employer hires a worker who does not have the right to work in Canada — or keeps them employed after their authorization expires — that’s unauthorized employment.
Whether you “knowingly” hired an unauthorized worker or simply failed to verify their status doesn’t matter when CBSA or local authorities come knocking. Fines and potential criminal charges can apply either way.
The Real Costs: Fines, Reputational Damage, and Criminal Liability
Ontario employers who break immigration law can face:
- Massive fines, often tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars
- Criminal charges for repeat or serious violations
- Loss of contracts and trust from customers
- Disrupted operations when unauthorized workers are removed
The CDA case is proof: the cost of hiring unauthorized foreign workers can devastate your business.
How CBSA and OPP Enforce the Rules
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) actively investigates companies suspected of hiring unauthorized workers. The agency partners with local police forces like the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to uncover complex operations.
In 2024 alone, the CBSA opened 184 criminal investigations into suspected immigration violations and removed over 16,470 individuals who breached immigration rules. The agency’s goal is to increase removals to 20,000 annually — meaning more worksite inspections, more investigations, and higher risk for non-compliant employers.
Why Fair Hiring Practices Matter
Unlawful hiring doesn’t just break the law — it hurts everyone. Unauthorized employment can:
- Create unfair working conditions for foreign nationals
- Undercut wages and fair hiring for local workers
- Undermine the integrity of Canada’s immigration system
- Put compliant employers at a disadvantage
When employers bend the rules, they damage trust and the industry as a whole.
What Ontario Employers Must Do To Stay Compliant
Here’s what every Ontario employer should be doing right now:
- Verify that every worker has a valid work permit or is authorized to work in Canada.
- Keep clear, up-to-date records for each employee.
- Train your HR staff to recognize red flags and check documentation.
- Never cut corners — if something looks suspicious, verify it before hiring.
- If you’re using temporary or seasonal staff, work with a staffing agency that takes compliance seriously.
How A Reputable Staffing Partner Makes All the Difference
When you’re juggling deadlines and seasonal labour demands, it’s easy to let your guard down. But unauthorized employment is never worth the risk. A trusted staffing agency should handle vetting, documentation, and employment eligibility before sending workers to your site.
MGR Workforce helps Ontario employers source temporary and permanent staff that are fully authorized to work in Canada — from construction sites and landscaping crews to warehousing, skilled trades, and general labour.
Check out our Ontario workforce solutions:
Why MGR Workforce Is The Ontario Partner You Can Trust
We’ve been staffing businesses across Ontario since 1999. We understand that your company’s reputation is on the line with every hire. That’s why we:
✔️ Screen and vet every worker
✔️ Verify proper work authorization and documentation
✔️ Provide on-demand staffing for projects of all sizes
✔️ Deliver workers ready to perform — legally, safely, and reliably
When you work with MGR Workforce, you’re partnering with a team that puts compliance first. No corner-cutting. No surprises. Just the skilled, dependable workers you need to get the job done right.
Stay Compliant. Hire Right. Request Workers Today.
Your best defence against unauthorized hiring penalties is working with a partner who puts compliance first. MGR Workforce is that partner for Ontario employers who want it done right.
Request Workers today for your project or business. Fill out the form below to request a call from our Ontario team — we’ll help you get the workers you need, legally and reliably.
