Here are a few Tips to prevent immigration frauds and stop becoming victim to immigration scams:
Tip # 1:
If you want to hire someone to counsel/assist you in your visa/immigration applications, always make sure that the person, who charges you money/fee
for immigration advice or services, is authorized to represent you before Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada/Canada Border Services Agency.
Please check who is authorized, for a fee, to give advice to you and represent you before Canadian Immigration Authorities (IRCC, CBSA) regarding your
Tip # 2:
If anyone is providing paid immigration services including counselling, filling of your immigration forms, always ask such individual to complete/sign
IMM 5476 form and enclose the same with your visa applications. If that person is reluctant to sign/submit the form or giving any illogical reasons for
his/her reluctance, here comes a strong clue for you that such person may be a crooked/fraudulent agent, and beware of him or her before you become
a victim of fraud.
Tip # 3:
Never sign any completed immigration documents/forms before carefully reading and properly understanding the information filled in them. The
fraudulent immigration agents/service providers try to misrepresent your important information in your visa applications while keeping themselves
behind the veil. They calculatedly attempt to induce an error in processing of your visa application and falsely influence the outcome of it. At the end of
the day, you will sure be at risk whether the immigration officer’s decision on your application is positive or negative. A permanent record of providing
fake information is created for you on your immigration case files in IRCC's database.
Tip # 4:
Canada Immigration Authorities ( IRCC/CBSA) won’t deal with representatives who charge a fee but are not authorized. If IRCC knows that you
use an unauthorized, paid representative in your application, they may return your application or refuse it. This is the reasons why unauthorized
representatives, who charge a fee for immigration services, always hide their identity while submitting clients' visa applications.
Tip # 5:
It is illegal and a punishable crime to charge any money/fee, directly or indirectly, for providing supporting documents, such as Labour Market
Impact Assessments, job offer letters from Canadian employers, etc. If any crooked immigration agent/advisor/representative is asking for providing
such supporting documents, it is a strong hint that you are going to be exposed to fraudulent activities.
Every year, thousands of innocent people, who aspire to come to Canada, become victim to
immigration scams/ frauds. They lose their hard-earned money and important documents. Due to the
fraudulent activities of unauthorised, crooked immigration advisors, the innocent visa applicants also
get their credibility tarnished in the record of Canada immigration authorities. The agents,
ghost/unauthorised immigration practitioners remain behind the curtain and ultimately, the
applicants have to face the penalties of immigration department. Their applications are denied and
they are sometimes barred from entering Canada. Sometimes, the applicants also, knowingly or
unknowingly, become a party to immigration fraud activities.
Here are a few examples of the immigration frauds/scams:
· Preparing and submitting of false documents including passport, identity documents, employment/financial documents, educational papers,
police certificates, visa or immigration documents etc.
· Taking unreasonable money and promising to secure visa or illegal entry into Canada;
· Fake advertisement/ immigration websites giving false guarantees of getting work permits, job offers, visas, permanent status in Canada;
· False claims to be affiliated with the Canadian government or immigration officers in Canada;
· Showing fake passports with visa for inducing potential applicants to avail of their immigration services as they have a high rate of success;