DON’T FALL PREY TO UNAUTHORIZED INDIAN CONSULTANTS!!
As per the latest data regarding immigration to Canada, there has been a huge increase in the number of Indians acquiring permanent residence in the country in recent years. More than 39,500 Indians were successful in obtaining permanent residence in Canada in 2018, says a report of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It represents a 51% increase compared to 2017.
The reasons for Indians increasingly choosing Canada as their favorite migration destination are many. For years, the USA and Canada have been the most preferred destinations for Indians. But recently, USA tightened its immigration rules, while Canada has left its doors wide open for immigrants. The number of applications received by the IRCC in 2018 for temporary visas for study, work and visits were 975,000. In 2017 alone, Canada granted the permanent residence visa to as much as 65,500 people, of which 40% were from India.
In the context of more and more Indians are coming to Canada for visit, study and work, the country has launched a new information campaign warning prospective immigrants against consulting immigration agents in India. The campaign aims to educate immigration applicants on the importance of using authorized lawyers or representatives and warn them against using unauthorized and fraudulent consultants.
Interestingly, this is the first paid media campaign being launched by the Immigration Department of Canada though they regularly issue warning against unauthorized consultants and unscrupulous agents through social media and other communication channels. The campaign is being conducted in English, French, Punjabi and Hindi languages, across various media including newspapers, radio, Facebook, and Google.
As the demand for Canada migration has increased, the incidents of prospective immigrants falling prey to fraud consultants have also become rampant. Often, these unsuspecting individuals spend their hard-earned money and sometimes their life savings to avail the services of these fraud consultants, only to be cheated.
Canada is concerned that such incidents are affecting the credibility of the country’s immigration system. Such frauds also keep families apart as members in India are unable to join their loved ones in Canada. Moreover, fraud consultants encourage applicants to make repeat paper applications with the same information that were included in the rejected applications. Obviously, these applications are rejected again, wasting valuable time and resources, thus making the immigration system of Canada less efficient. Canadian immigration officials attribute the high visa refusal rates to depending on fraud consultants and submitting repeat paper applications by including the same information in applications which were once rejected.
Canada immigration agents and consultants need to have a license from the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) in order to offer immigration advice and services in return for payment. ICCRC is a self-regulatory body bestowed by Ottawa. But irrespective of this condition, many unauthorized agents are offering immigration consultancy services demanding tens of thousands from innocent people in return for their bad advice and fraudulent service.
As part of another effort to rein in immigration consultants, Canada immigration minister Ahmed Hussen has also announced the launching of a new self-regulatory body to oversee the consultants. This is the third attempt by the Canadian government to clean up the immigration industry in the past 15 years. The regulatory body is being launched despite the recommendation by the immigration committee urging the federal Canadian government and provincial law societies to take over the policing of immigration consultants. According to Minister Hussen, the new body will be bestowed with more powers to investigate, search offices and subpoena information. Besides, fines and penalties against consultants engaged in unethical and criminal practices will also be increased.
The new campaign by the Canadian Immigration Ministry reaffirms the fact that it is always wise for the prospective Canadian immigrants to choose an immigration lawyer over an immigration consultant. Though immigration lawyers and consultants offer similar service, three important factors make them different. They are lawyers’ sound educational credentials and better regulatory institutions.
Compared to consultants, immigration lawyers have more legal experience. Besides, in order to become a lawyer, they must enroll in a law school and study for three years. They also need to attend the bar exam to become a legally registered immigration lawyer. Besides, many lawyers do an internship in a law firm during and after their studies. Most of the law programs require the students to have an undergraduate degree before attending the law school. In short, lawyers have several years of post-secondary education before becoming a professional.
Another advantage of availing the service of an immigration lawyer is that they would be able to attend immigration interviews with the applicant. If in case your application is subjected to judicial review, an immigration lawyer would be able to represent you in a Canadian court of law.
Thirdly, the Canadian Immigration data shows that visa applicants have a better success rate when applications are filed by a Canadian immigration lawyer. (The Star Dec. 9, 2018, https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2018/12/09/lawyer-versus-consultant-immigration-data-shows-visa-applicants-have-best-shot-with-former.html
Most importantly, availing the services of an unauthorized or untrained consultant may result in visa refusal and even a five years ban thanks to application filing, documentation or misrepresentation.
ImmiLaw Global operates on a unique model of collaboration among immigration lawyers practicing in five major immigration and overseas education destinations. We provide the best services to our clients in India through collaboration between foreign immigration lawyers and Indian lawyers. At ImmiLaw Global, you have access to the services of foreign immigration lawyers with high academic qualifications and years of experience in immigration. It means the chances are high for the success of your immigration application.
If you are planning to migrate to Canada, contact us to enjoy the services of the most efficient immigration lawyers throughout the entire process. Be careful not to be misled by the false immigration advice of fraudulent consultants. We are here to make your dream of building your future in Canada a reality!
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