Canada visa fraud: How an immigration firm duped Delhi woman of Rs 14 lakh

The Delhi police on Monday arrested the managing director of a private immigration consultancy on charges of defrauding a client of Rs 14.5 lakh under the pretext of securing a Canadian visa.

 

A 29-year-old woman from Rohini, Delhi, filed an FIR alleging that she had engaged the firm in July 2023 to facilitate her move to Canada. Despite paying Rs 24 lakh for their services, she claimed her visa application stalled, with no updates provided by the company.

 

According to the FIR, the woman discovered that her application contained falsified information, including fake educational credentials and an invalid Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) number. She also alleged the firm forged Canadian government documents and issued a fraudulent job offer letter.

 

“When confronted, the accused issued cheques as a guarantee, but one cheque worth Rs 2.5 lakh was dishonoured due to a stop-payment order,” police said.

 

“An FIR was registered against the managing director under various sections, including fraud. We have arrested the accused and further investigation is underway,” said a senior police officer.

 

This incident is not isolated. In November 2024, Delhi police arrested three individuals for allegedly providing fake employment visas by impersonating representatives of legitimate organisations. In September, the police uncovered a fake visa racket worth over Rs 300 crore, which had produced 5,000 counterfeit visas over five years.

 

What should aspiring migrants be careful about?

 

The Delhi police have urged people to use proper channels for visa applications.

 

“We urge people to exercise caution and seek proper channels when applying for visas. Scams like these exploit people’s desperation, leading to devastating consequences for families,” said DCP Usha Rangnani.

 

The Ministry of External Affairs advises citizens to verify the credentials of recruitment agents before paying fees or submitting documents. “Persons seeking jobs abroad are requested to use the safe and legal services of registered Recruiting Agents (RA) only. All registered RAs are issued a license number, prominently displayed in their office premises and advertisements, including newspapers and social media,” the ministry stated.

 

Meanwhile, illegal immigration has become a growing concern, especially among Indian nationals. According to US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP), Indian nationals accounted for 22% of all encounters at the northern US-Canada border in the 2023 financial year, with 43,764 individuals attempting to cross illegally.

 

To address such issues, Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, announced changes to the immigration system in December 2024. Among the updates is the removal of additional points in the Express Entry programme for job offers supported by an LMIA.

 

An LMIA is a report issued by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) confirming that a Canadian employer is allowed to hire a foreign worker due to a lack of available Canadian citizens or permanent residents for the position. Previously, candidates with LMIA-backed job offers received additional points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which assesses candidates under the Express Entry programme.

 

Immigration expert Ajay Sharma explained that the misuse of fake LMIAs to inflate CRS scores was a significant problem. “Earlier, candidates with CRS scores of 470, 480, or 500, where the cut-off could be as high as 540 or 560, were purchasing fake LMIA job offers for sums ranging from $30,000 to $50,000. This boosted their scores and improved their chances of receiving an invitation to apply,” he said.

 

The removal of additional LMIA points, he added, would discourage fraudulent activities and create a fairer process for all applicants.