An Indian migrant worker in Canada says he has faced sleepless nights after paying an immigration lawyer more than $24,000 for a job and permanent residency that never came. Dattaray Avhad, who came from Mumbai, told CBC News that he paid lawyer Amardeep Singh with hopes of starting a new life with his wife and children in Newfoundland and Labrador. More than a year later, he is working as a cab driver and has no clear path to permanent residency.
Avhad said Singh promised him a kitchen job and a quick immigration process through his law firm, which advertised “immigration to Canada within 6-12 months” on social media. Singh’s company, Atlantic Immigration, also handles recruitment through its affiliate, Atlantic Jobs, a combination immigration experts have called unethical and exploitative.
After paying Singh, Avhad got a job at Shenanigans Bar & Grill in Conception Bay South. His employment contract, reviewed by CBC, promised $16 an hour, but his pay stub showed $15.60. Just a month later, Avhad said Singh called and told him his employer no longer wanted him. Singh allegedly demanded another $10,000 to find him a new job.
Avhad said he felt trapped. “It was like my sleepless nights because it was something no one can imagine,” he told CBC. After his termination, Avhad also claimed his landlord — who was the same person as his employer — forced him out of his apartment and took his belongings.
When CBC contacted Singh, he declined to comment, citing client confidentiality, but confirmed that the case is under review by the Law Society of Ontario. The restaurant owner, Luc Viau, accused Avhad of misrepresenting his skills, saying, “He couldn’t tell the difference between white and brown bread.”
Avhad said he used loans from India to pay Singh and is still struggling to recover the money. Now, with his work permit expired, he has applied for an extension on humanitarian grounds. Meghan Felt, an immigration lawyer in St. John’s, said Singh’s conduct raises “red flags,” explaining that no lawyer should promise permanent residency upfront or demand full payment early.
What does this case mean for migrant workers in Canada?
According to experts, Avhad’s experience exposes major gaps in Canada’s immigration system. Syed Hussan, Executive Director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, said Avhad was “exploited and abused.” He called on both the Newfoundland and Ontario governments to help Avhad recover his money and for the federal government to grant him permanent residency.
Hussan said, “He’s a whistleblower, but instead of gaining protections, he’s at risk of deportation.” He also stressed that charging money for job offers is illegal in Ontario, even though Newfoundland’s Labour Standards Act does not explicitly ban the practice. The provincial government has urged anyone facing similar situations to report them to the Labour Standards Division for investigation.
Avhad’s story highlights how vulnerable migrant workers can be when their immigration and employment are handled by the same company. Experts say better laws and stronger oversight are needed to protect workers from similar scams in the future.