CSIC warns of unauthorized immigration agents in Canada
by Guneet S - February 5, 2010
Canada, February 5: Taking a serious view to the increasing number of illegal agents in Canada, the government has ordered probe into the issue.
The RCMP(Royal Canadian Mounted Police) officials are investigating to find out unlicensed consultants involved in the process after a report published in the ‘Globe and Mail’ stated that Canada has several immigration agents involved in allowing immigrants into the country through by using illegal ways.
Also, these consultants are not licensed to work as immigration agents in Canada. But, these ghost agents continue to carry their unethical activities thus making a fool of the Canadian immigration rules.
Hence, the activities of such agents have come to the notice of the CSIC (Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants- a regulatory body for immigration advisers in Canada) who have asked the Canadian government to put a stop on such illegal practices.
While the immigration consultants of Canada have a reputation to protect those coming to the country following their Canada immigration, the unscrupulous ‘ghost agents’ exploit the most vulnerable who have moved into Canada and even charge exorbitant amounts ranging between $5,000 to $15,000 from each candidate for immigration advice.
Recently, an immigration consultant was found to have been involved in smuggling of an immigrant from Morocco while another agent from Vancouver was found to be dealing in fake documents. Both were convicted by Canada police. The RCMP is carrying out probe to find more such unlicensed consultants carrying out such acts.
The number of such acts in Canada is growing despite the promise by Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to put a curb on unlicensed immigration consultants in Canada. Kenney had asserted to do so and had said that his strategy is not limited within the country but involved going even beyond the Canadian borders by involving governments of various countries to help stop this at the earlier.
In a bid to spread awareness among the people seeking Canadian immigration, the CSIC has started a national campaign asking immigrants not to hire consultants for Canadian visa process. And if they need any help in doing so, then they should hire the services of any immigration lawyer or a licensed consultant to save themselves from unscrupulous agents. The campaign is in 17 languages.
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