Reforming Canada’s Immigration Consulting Industry: A Call for Immediate Action
Too many immigration consultants are exploiting those seeking a future in Canada. Justin Trudeau’s government can take decisive steps to address the issue. By Barbara Jo Caruso and Vance Langford Co-Presidents, Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association
In recent days, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and Immigration Minister Marc Miller have all expressed concern about unscrupulous immigration consultants who are worsening the significant challenges facing Canada’s immigration system.
These unethical consultants charge exorbitant fees while depriving victims of their dream to live and work in Canada. Beyond financial and emotional harm, victims may face five-year bans from entering the country.
Exploitation Through Fake Job Offers
A particularly troubling trend is the sale of fraudulent job offers through Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs).
Get deceived by the fake LMIs and also freebie residents thinking that they would remain in Canada at these times; advertising in Kijiji and social media shows LMIAs, which is also unethical and illegal, pose false advertisements to unsuspecting people-pay.
Not all immigration consultants would go this route, but the incident is so great that many more calls for reforms immediately.
Strengthening Oversight Concerning the Immigration Consultants
The college was established to regulate licensed consultants by the College of Citizenship and Immigration Consultants in 2021 after two failed earlier attempts.
The college was granted authority to safeguard the integrity of Canada’s immigration system, yet more needs to be done.
Minister Marc Miller can implement several measures:
Audit Licensed Consultants: Ensure the college has the resources to thoroughly audit members and enforce compliance.
Appoint Honesty: Require summons or client consultancy assistance for upholding the standards of honorable practice and government notification violation practices.
Target Ghost Consultants: Task force to crack down on ‘ghost consultants’ who run unlicensed operations preying on clients through excessive fees, inadequate applications, and outright fraud.
Improving empowerment of the victims while enhancing the regulations
Most victims of fraudulent consultants hardly have recourse. This can be addressed by:
Introducing one whistleblower reporting system through which a victim can assiduously become an active witness, akin to the criminal law practice “whistleblowing.”
A requirement that all visa applicants submit affirmations that they did not use unauthorized representatives.
Legal Reform: Partnering with Immigration Lawyers
One of the most important reforms is, in fact, to make it compulsory for immigration consultants to work under licensed immigration lawyers. Lawyers are governed by very strict standards and have penalties, including disbarment, for any form of misconduct. Thus, adding this partnership would foster better and more reliable advice received by applicants.
Regulation against Opportunity
Most immigration consultants are not corrupt; it is only fair to let some capable and honorable ones continue doing their work under stricter regulations.
However, stronger measures are essential to restore public confidence in Canada’s immigration system and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.
By limiting the influence of bad consultants and ensuring ethical practices, government leaders can strengthen Canada’s immigration system and uphold the trust of both citizens and prospective immigrants.
- Published By Team Nation Press News
