Fraud Advisory Warning

Don’t be fooled by the scam artists! We want you to make an informed decision, and while we can’t tell you every trick they will use, here is a good checklist to begin with so that you don’t become one of their victims.

There is NO COST for the forms and guides related to any immigration application such as a Temporary Resident Visa, Work Permit, Study Permit or Permanent Resident Visa. Forms are available for free download at the official website of Citizenship & Immigration Canada (CIC) http://www.cic.gc.ca

There is no such thing as SPECIAL or PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT with CIC. There is, however, qualified representation by a lawyer or a licensed consultant who understands the rules, will complete all documentation properly and submit same in a timely fashion.

There are NO GUARANTEES. No one can guarantee an applicant with 100% certainty that they will receive any type of Visa or Permit in Canada.

Never follow the ILLEGAL ADVICE of an agent or consultant that tells you it is okay to circumvent the rules or government regulations.

Never agree to the FALSIFICATION of documents. Anyone caught in this type of activity will be deemed inadmissible to Canada for a period of no less than two years.

No lawyer, agent, consultant or any other immigration “authority” is ever specifically recommended over others or given special acknowledgements by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) or any provincial government department.

The only representatives authorized to prepare Canadian immigration applications for a fee are lawyers licensed by a law society in Canada or immigration consultants licensed by the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants. You may contact the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (www.csic-scci.ca) or the provincial Law Society (a list of provincial law societies can be found at www.fisc.ca; each Canadian province regulates lawyers in their respective province) to verify that the person is licensed.

The Province of Manitoba is taking action to protect foreign workers and Manitoba employers. Amendments to the Employment Services Act will put a halt to recruiters who are not lawyers or licensed immigration consultants. The legislation will even more clearly prohibit fees being charged to workers. The Employment Standards Branch of Manitoba Labour and Immigration will administer the legislation and may be contacted for further information. (www.gov.mb.ca/labour/standards/)