Canadian Immigration Fraud: How to Protect Yourself
Niloufer "Niki" Ali
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant - One Heart Immigration Services Ltd. - Specializing in Canadian Immigration Services.
Cases of immigration fraud remain rampant in the system. Countless individuals continue falling victim to deceptive practices, with lack of experience and/or knowledge being exploited by unauthorised agents or ghost consultants as they are called in Canada. Recognizing the gravity of this problem, we would like to do our part to educate our followers about Canadian visa and immigration processes and equip them with tools to detect immigration fraud. In this series, we will explore the various aspects of immigration fraud and provide insights into safeguarding your immigration journey.
Canadian Immigration Fraud: How to Protect Yourself
Understanding Immigration Fraud:
Fraud is when deception is used to gain something and immigration fraud can take various forms. If you are using an unauthorised agent, for example, some examples of fraud can be when agents do not upload all the necessary documentation or key information when submitting your visa or immigration application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or using fake documentation or relationships to deceive immigration authorities when it comes to your eligibility for Canada. While you are not required to use a professional to assist you and you may file an application on your own, if you do choose to use a professional, be sure to use the assistance of an authorized professional in good standing such as an immigration lawyer or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. You may find authorised professionals on the Government of Canada website and/or the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants . These and other related pages have information on protecting yourself from fraud and a list of authorised representatives.
As a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, I speak to a lot of people every day, some of whom have become victims of fraud and are now seeking assistance. Therefore, I would like to share with you some types of fraud that I see out in the system in case it may be able to assist you in avoiding becoming a victim of fraud or engaging in fraud yourself:
Detecting Immigration Fraud:
One common tactic employed by fraudulent agents is sharing fraudulent communication documents with applicants. To protect yourself, always ensure that you receive and verify all necessary documentation for your immigration process. For example, if an agent gives you a confirmation letter that your application has been received by IRCC, a biometrics instruction letter or a passport request letter requesting your passport for submission to IRCC, please ensure that these letters are not fraudulent. If you submit a fake passport request letter to IRCC, for example, this may have serious consequences on your application and immigration case history. It can be difficult to verify if the communication you have received is false, but you may do online research to compare the communication with "real" examples or engage an authorised professional to assist you.
There have been some examples in the news recently of the types of fraudulent documents that agents may be sharing with you and/or submitting on your behalf. For example, a scam that came into the limelight on a relatively large scale recently has to do with agents who falsify letters of acceptance (admission) into Canadian schools in order to apply for a study visa on behalf of students. This can have serious consequences for you as your study permit application may get refused if you are caught or even worse may be a misrepresentation ban from Canada for 5 years. If the false LOA is not picked up by IRCC at the processing visa office and you are issued your visa and study permit introductory (approval) letter, you may get caught at the point of entry (POE) upon arrival in Canada and be subject to deportation. Other examples of false documentation may be submission of false bank statements to show you have more funds than you indeed have in the accounts that you are submitting or falsifying relationship documents to try to establish a relationship with a sponsor where none exists. These are only a few examples of the types of documents that are falsified by agents that can land people in a lot of trouble.
In many cases, unauthorised agents create your IRCC portal account (where you will be submitting your forms and documents) and do not share the username, password or security questions with you which would allow you to log in. Unless the agent submits a form that s/he is acting as your representative, IRCC will treat the application as if it has been submitted by you directly. This can be a huge risk as the agent may submit fraudulent documents on your behalf for which IRCC will hold you accountable or they may withhold information from you to extort more money, for example. Finally, an agent may submit the wrong or missing information on your behalf which can also lead to a 5 year misrepresentation ban. Please be sure that you always have control over your portal login details and what information and documents are submitted therein. This can help you avoid all kinds of serious issues in future.
The Government of Canada's Role:
The Government of Canada takes immigration fraud seriously and has established robust measures to protect applicants. They offer valuable resources to educate individuals on safeguarding themselves from fraud. On their website, you can find comprehensive information about immigration processes, including detailed steps and requirements.
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Unauthorized Immigration Consultants:
Seek assistance from authorized professionals when applying for immigration. The Government of Canada website is a reliable resource for finding authorized representatives who can genuinely help with your immigration application.
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