Three Canadian immigration firms, and convenience store chain Mac’s, are facing a class action lawsuit from hundreds of foreign workers allegedly recruited for jobs that did not exist. 

CBC.ca, Radio Canada’s online news site, reports that from December 2009, the workers were recruited in Dubai to work at Mac’s stores in British Columbia, Alberta, the North West Territories and Saskatchewan under the temporary foreign worker programme.

But a claim lodged with the Supreme Court of British Columbia in December says when they arrived in Canada, they found more than 425 jobs they had been contracted for did not exist. It is not clear how many migrants are involved in the suit.

The migrants are also suing three British Columbia-based immigration firms involved – Overseas Immigration Services, Overseas Career and Consulting Services and Trident Immigration Services. 

These firms allegedly charged each worker an illegal $8k (£3.9k) recruitment fee.

Because of their visa status, which only allows them to work in the roles they hold contracts for, many of the plaintiffs are homeless or have had to move to other countries. 

CBC’s report says Mac’s declined to comment, while attempts to contact the immigration firms went unanswered.

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