A foreign student was able to force a Canadian employer to pay the promised money
Chat Hut, a chain Indian restaurant, owed a girl more than $18,000 CAD.
Back in December 2021, 22-year-old student Satinder Kaur Grewal filed a complaint with the Ontario Ministry of Labour. The complaint alleged labour law violations by the fast-food restaurant Chat Hut, where she worked part-time, like many Canadian students. She was paid in cash, forced to work late, and then refused to be paid for the six months she worked.
Officials investigated and ruled that the restaurant owed a debt. Initially it was over $18,000 CAD for six months and overtime, but after an investigation it turned out that the girl only owed $16,495 CAD. She would have been satisfied with that amount — but the restaurant management refused to contact her.
In the end the girl was not helped by the labour inspection, at least not quickly. But a mass protest organized by the Naujawan Support Network, a support group for international students in Canada, helped. This organization fights for the rights of international students and other young workers facing abuse and exploitation. After spreading the word on social media and rallying outside the restaurant, the former employer agreed to settle and gave the girl her money.
To find out what other jobs Canadian employers offer for students, see a separate article on our website.
