A Canadian man has been fined $70,000 and sentenced to probation after admitting to illegally employing dozens of foreign nationals in a cross-province labour scheme uncovered by federal authorities.
Following a joint investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario resident Kevin Kielty pleaded guilty in the Alberta Court of Justice on 2 March 2026 to two counts of unauthorised employment of foreign nationals.
Kielty was handed a sentence of two years’ probation, ordered to complete 50 hours of community service, and fined $70,000.
The investigation began in June 2022 after referrals from the Ontario Provincial Police and Barrie Police Service flagged suspected immigration-related offences. Authorities uncovered a coordinated scheme in which foreign nationals were transported from Ontario to Alberta for illegal work in the hospitality sector.
Investigators found that an employment agency, One Team, owned by Kielty, had facilitated the movement and placement of workers in major tourist destinations, including Banff National Park and the Jasper region. A total of 90 foreign nationals from Mexico were identified as working without proper authorisation across four resort hotels.
Kielty was formally charged in May 2024 under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, including offences related to employing foreign nationals without authorisation and counselling them to work illegally in Canada.
This marks Kielty’s second conviction for similar offences. In November 2023, he pleaded guilty to four related charges in Ontario and was sentenced to 18 months of house arrest.
Canadian officials said the case highlights the importance of inter-agency cooperation in tackling immigration fraud and protecting vulnerable workers from exploitation.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the conviction demonstrated how collaboration between law enforcement agencies was safeguarding the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.
CBSA Regional Director General Janalee Bell-Boychuk said authorities would continue to investigate and prosecute individuals who exploit immigration pathways, while RCMP Assistant Commissioner Lisa Moreland emphasised the role of coordinated intelligence-sharing in disrupting such operations.
Authorities are urging members of the public to report suspected immigration-related offences as investigations into similar activities continue.
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