How To Tell If An Immigration Consultant Is Fake?
The number of fake Canadian immigration consultancies is on the rise, taking advantage of foreigners hoping to start a new life abroad. Even amidst the pandemic and the financial strain put forward by COVID-19, these fraudsters remain relentless and opportunistic in their efforts to scam innocent applicants. Under the guise of a reputable immigration company, they target unsuspecting people and cheat them out of their hard-earned money.
At Pelican Migration Consultants, we have experienced how these criminals operate. While these scammers have found ways to steal money from potential immigrants, we are in the process of helping you take action and stay alert.
Below listed are four signs that an immigration agency is fake.
- They Guarantee You Job Offer From Canada
- They Don’t Have a CICC License
- They Guarantee a Successful Canadian Visa
- No Retainer Agreement or Contracts
#1 – They Guarantee You Job Offer From Canada
You will not be able to land a genuine job offer without going through an interview. In some cases, a fake immigration consultant will guarantee a job offer and ask for a fee for the service. This is considered illegal in most Canadian jurisdictions.
For an employer in Canada to hire a foreign worker, they need to submit Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) where they need to show that there is a genuine need for a foreign worker to fill the job and no Canadian worker or permanent resident is available to do the job. A positive LMIA is sometimes called a confirmation letter.
To apply for a work permit, a worker needs
- a job offer letter
- a contract
- a copy of the LMIA, and
- the LMIA number
Fraudsters are aware that a job offer can be a crucial element to a successful Canadian immigration application. Often a paid-for job offer never materializes. Moreover, if the authorities find out about it, the candidate’s case could get rejected.
#2 – They Don’t Have a CICC License
With a few exceptions, only Canadian consultants with valid licenses and credentials are authorized to offer Canadian immigration advice as a service. Every RCIC goes through strict training and testing before they can legally assist anyone with their visa application. They then receive a unique registration number which can be used to confirm credentials through the CICC website’s directory of licensed consultants.
Unlicensed immigration consultants often use titles that have different meanings but without official authorization.
#3 – They Guarantee a Successful Canadian Visa
It’s true that everyone has a visa to be successful. And sometimes fake Canadian representatives tell us what we want to hear, even though there is no guarantee of success whatsoever.
No one can guarantee the success of your immigration application. Various factors can impact the results of your application—from forgetting to submit a document to the rules of your program changing at the last minute.
So, if a consultant guarantees you success, be extremely careful about working with this person. These fake promises of success are a ruse to attract victims.
#4 – No Retainer Agreement or Contracts
A retainer agreement is a document that outlines the services a consultant will provide, along with the duration, payment structure, and what you can expect as a client. Make sure you don’t pay a consultant upfront if they cannot provide either a retainer agreement or contract.
Additionally, ensure you read every word of the retainer agreement or contract. Untrustworthy lawyers and consultants typically write super long agreements because they know you won’t read the whole thing. This gives them the chance to hide extra fees and other tricks deep inside the contract.
Why Use a Reputable Immigration Agency?
Navigating the Canadian immigration system can be overwhelming, especially with the added stress of worrying about whether the Canadian immigration agency you are dealing with is real or fake. At Pelican Migration Consultants, we often encourage our clients to check our legitimacy with the Canadian government alongside ensuring they are 100 percent comfortable with the services we offer.
With a tedious number of forms and documents to complete your Canadian visa application and the strict submission dates to adhere to, it is only normal that you start feeling nervous about starting the process. And this is where we come in.
At Pelican Migration Consultants, we take the stress and hassle out of immigrating to Canada. Our accredited RCICs (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) will readily evaluate your eligibility, review all documentation, and submit forms on your behalf. Leveraging an RCIC not only gives you the best possible chances of receiving an ITA but also makes the entire process simple and hassle-free. If you need any assistance from our Canada Immigration Consultants, you can place an enquiry with us at pelicanmigration.com.
With the Canadian Anti-Fraud immigration department growing stricter, you can now make an official report to the Canadian government online if you suspect you have been a victim of Canadian Visa fraud.
