How to Avoid Canada Immigration Fraud
What will it take to make the world’s fraudsters and scammers stop?
Even during the Covid-19 pandemic you’d think they’d take a break from the internet, wouldn’t you? But that’s not the case. From 2020 to 2021, online scammers and fraudsters will actually hurt people more than ever before.
It’s hard to believe, but it’s important for everyone to know what links you can and can’t click on today. It’s true if you don’t want to end up a victim of Canadian immigration fraud.
Being scammed out of money because you trusted someone who said they would help you move to Canada has turned into an online scam where other people can make money. If you are afraid to trust someone at this time, if you have heard of others who have been scammed, or if you yourself have received less than trustworthy information from Canadian immigration authorities, be aware.
If you have lost or think you will lose your money or personal information online, all is not lost. It is necessary to always be cautious online. This can be done by checking if you are working with a reliable immigration consultant, which can be done by checking if they are registered with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Board (ICCR).
Is Your Immigration Representative Authorized?
How to immigrate to Canada is a very popular topic, especially for people living in a country they want to leave as soon as possible. This is mainly because they are looking for a better life for themselves and their families. As Canada is ranked as the country that offers the best quality of life in the world, foreigners from all over the world are very eager to move to the place known as the “Great White North”.
But if you’re looking to get to Canada quickly, you’re more likely to fall for a scam. If something sounds too good to be true, about the short time it takes to get a visa, or if someone tells you you can buy a visa, it’s not true.
Of course, there are immigration programs that can get you a Canadian visa in as little as six months, but you also have to go through a step-by-step process beforehand. Moving permanently to another country to study or work is not something you can do on a whim. It’s a life-changing decision you’re willing to make, which is why you should also respect the time it takes to successfully complete your Canadian visa application.
To do this, the best thing you can do is to check that your immigration representative is authorised. Even if you feel it will take longer to obtain a visa, if you have to take extra steps that take time, it is much better to be safe and stick to the right steps than to lose hundreds to thousands of dollars and not want to immigrate at all.
An immigration representative is a professional who will apply for a visa on your behalf. This person must be authorised by a Canadian body such as:
- Citizenship or immigration consultant that is a member of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC)
- Lawyer or notary that is a member of the Canadian provincial or territorial law society
- Paralegal that is a member in good standing of the law society of upper Canada
Make sure the immigration representative is a member of the Immigration Council of Canada (ICCRC). Click here
How to Distinguish Between a Fake and Real Immigration Agency
If you are ever threatened about your immigration application to Canada, or if someone posing as an immigration officer, adviser or lawyer threatens you, you should know for sure that you are dealing with a fraudster.
You should never feel uncomfortable with the right immigration application process. If someone tells you that your application will be rejected without payment, that is also a scam. That is why it is important to check if the immigration representative is valid. This way, you can avoid losing money, personal information, documents and time.
To understand whether an immigration agency is genuine or fake, you need to look out for the following:
- If they tell you that if you pay, you will get a job or a visa, skip it – The immigration agency may only ask you to pay if you provide immigration services that will get you one step closer to getting a Canadian visa. No immigration office or even recruitment agency can get you a visa or a job in Canada.
- If you are told you are guaranteed a visa or your money back, forget it – no immigration company will guarantee you a Canadian visa. This is because all visas are issued by the Canadian government. If they don’t, it’s a false case. Don’t trust any agency or consultancy that claims to have a relationship with the Canadian government, claims that your visa has been approved, or that they can refund your money.
- Immigration consultancy/agency does not have a registration number, leave it out – You must verify the identity and registration of the immigration agent. If an immigration agency does not have a registration number, they cannot provide you with paid immigration services. So never pay them.
