An Indian man who allegedly paid a fixer $15,000 in a desperate attempt to extend his Canadian work permit has been told he cannot recover the money because the arrangement amounted to an “illegal contract”, according to a ruling from Alberta’s Court of Justice.
Justice Susanne Stushnoff found that Ritik Sibbal, who came to Canada in 2019 to study business, knowingly entered an unlawful deal with Grande Prairie resident Rajiv Chourhary Nathyal.
National Post reports that Sibbal had claimed Nathyal agreed to obtain a letter of endorsement from the City of Grande Prairie — a document he believed would allow him to continue working after his post-graduate work permit expired and eventually help him secure permanent residency.
It is further reported that Sibbal told the court that Nathyal promised to return the $15,000 if the letter was not issued. The application was refused, but Sibbal never received his money back.
The court heard that after graduation Sibbal moved to Grande Prairie in 2023 hoping the city’s Rural Renewal Stream would strengthen his pathway to stay in Canada.
As Sibbal’s permit neared expiry in August 2024, he became increasingly anxious and was referred to Nathyal, who demanded $35,000 for the endorsement but accepted $15,000 upfront in cash. Nothing was put in writing, and the judge noted that both men knew the arrangement was unlawful.
It is further reported that Nathyal allegedly intended to falsely claim he would employ Sibbal to help secure the endorsement, but the city rejected the request.
When the plan collapsed, Sibbal said Nathyal suggested pursuing a “fake refugee case”, advice he rejected after speaking with his parents. He repeatedly tried to recover his money, but Nathyal delayed and eventually stopped responding. Their last contact was on 12 September 2024.
Although the judge found the contract had been breached, she refused to enforce it because it violated Canadian immigration laws. “Sibbal did not come before this court with clean hands,” Justice Stushnoff wrote, stressing that illegal contracts cannot be upheld and that courts must protect the integrity of the immigration system. She said fraudulent documents, false job offers and unauthorised fees undermine Canada’s immigration framework and cannot form the basis for legal remedies.
Grande Prairie had already paused its Rural Renewal Stream in February 2025 due to federal and provincial changes that reduced immigration allocation spaces.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
