An Indian man in Canada on a study permit is asking a judge for a discharge so he can avoid being deported , after being convicted of theft and fraud.
Jins Joseph, who has attended school in Corner Brook, N.L. for nearly four years, was working as a butcher at a Dominion store when he defrauded the store of $2,700 by putting deep discounts on meat for himself, his friends and fellow employees.
He was convicted of eight counts of fraud under $5,000 and one count of theft under $5,000 on July 24.
Joseph’s lawyer, Adam Crocker, told provincial court Judge Wayne Gorman on Thursday that the conviction could affect his client’s immigration status. His study permit expires on Sept. 30, and he must leave Canada by then, but is waiting for the outcome of the case to apply for an extension.
Gorman reserved sentencing decision until Aug. 20.
Joseph said to the judge that immigration lawyers told him the chances of being successful are almost zero with a criminal conviction.
“They said if that’s the case, you’re going to have to leave the country or you’re going to get deported from the country,” said Joseph.
He said that would result in him being banned from the country for five-plus years. Joseph has a partner here and said he promised to give her a future and be a husband to her, and he doesn’t want to break that promise.
He said he spent about $100,000 so far on his education.
“If I have to leave the country, I’m going to have to restart my entire degree all over again, and that’s going to take away six and a half years of my time trying to prepare for what I’ve gone through to get to here,” he said.
“I still believe that it’s just ill intentions of people that I’ve worked for, their personal trouble they’ve had with me, they’re trying to get me deported from the country.”
Joseph came to Canada from India in December 2022 and began his studies in the Bachelor of Business Administration program at MUN’s Grenfell campus in January 2023.
Joseph worked part-time at Dominion while attending school.
While at work, he was caught on surveillance cameras multiple times changing stickers on meat so it was labelled as cheaper cuts. The incidents occurred between March and May 2025. The recordings were played during his trial and show Joseph and others purchasing meat that the Crown alleged was obtained by fraud and theft.
Joseph testified that the store had cut his hours in order to “force him out” because he had threatened to complain to the Labour Relations board.
He said he had proof the store was selling unsaleable meat to local restaurants and takeouts for a significantly reduced price.
He also testified of seeing cancers and tumours in the meat and that he was told to remove them and still put the meat out for sale. He said he had videos of infected meat.
As for the practice of discounting the prices, Joseph he conceded that he knew it was against store policy but testified that he had permission to take meat that would have gone in the garbage to help his roommates and neighbours.
He said there was a store-wide practice for employees of purchasing or taking home free meat that was unsaleable, and that it was encouraged and known by management. Employees had to ask a manager or senior employee for permission, and Joseph said that he always did so.
He also said none of the store’s policies were followed by the employees or management, and he provided meat discounts to everyone, including the store manager and every managerial employee.
“All I’ve done was get products with permission to feed people that are hungry, that’d otherwise go hungry without my help,” he told the court. “I was trying to feed people that never had no job or any other opportunities to get any kind of employment.”
Crown attorney Janet Coleman suggested an appropriate sentence would be a conditional sentence order of five months to six months less a day, to be followed by 12 months on probation. She noted that immigration consequences were relevant in sentencing consideration in other cases.
Crocker suggested an absolute or conditional discharge would be appropriate in the case.
He said a conviction “would likely derail” his degree, future employment prospects, eligibility for post-grad work opportunities and his continued residence in Canada.
The judge said immigration status is subject to a hearing, and a criminal conviction is one of the factors that would be considered. “So, it is not an automatic sequence, conviction equals removal from the country,” he added.
Crocker also noted that Joseph has found new employment which he hopes to continue with after he graduates.
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