Ontario Government Targeting Immigration Consultant Fraud With Fines, Bans

Ontario Immigration Minister David Piccini attends Question Period at the Ontario Legislature in Toronto, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

The Ontario government is going after fraudulent immigration consultants with penalties that include fines and a lifelong ban for serious offences.

Immigration Minister David Piccini said newcomers to the province put their trust in immigration consultants, as he addressed a Nov. 20 news conference in Brampton.

“Many of these consultants are diligent and honest, but we know there are bad actors who exploit vulnerable newcomers, scamming them out of their life savings, lying to them with a fake job acceptance letter, coercing them into forging documents, jeopardizing their immigration status,” he said.

“Some immigrants are forced into horrendous and even more exploitative situations,” Piccini said.

“We’re taking a step to go after these scumbag imitation consultants who sell a false vision of Canada.”

The government will develop standards of practice for immigration representatives and penalize those who violate the standards.

Immigration consultants in the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) will have to have a written contract with applicants and provide proof of registration or licence so applicants know who they’re dealing with and can access their own file, Piccini said.

Penalties will include a minimum three year and maximum 10 year ban for engaging in or counselling newcomers to commit fraud, the government said in a Nov. 20 news release.

The legislation will provide for a lifetime program ban for those convicted of a serious offence, such as human trafficking, the release said.

“We’re making sure they feel the cold, hard consequences by imposing fines for counselling an applicant to commit fraud and lie on their application, regardless if the representative was paid for their service or not,” Piccini said.

“We will also name and shame these bad actors by publishing their names on our website so they can’t hide,” he said. Offenders will also be reported to the federal immigration department.

It’s a move that advocates say is needed to protect newcomers.

“At Newcomer Services Toronto, we have heard far too many stories from international students being scammed by fraudulent immigration representatives, leaving them financially and emotionally devastated,” executive director of Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto Sara Asalya told reporters at the news conference.

“It’s heartbreaking to hear about students losing their savings, being misled about their immigration status, or facing uncertainty about their ability to stay in a country after investing so much already on their education and future.”

Immigration consultants are governed by federal law and by College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) bylaws, regulations, and policies, the government said.

In its 2024 annual report, the CICC said it shut down about 2,246 websites and social media pages belonging to unauthorized consultants.