We strongly recommend that you first increase your knowledge about common immigration fraud methods. However, the most important and effective way to prevent immigration fraud is to entrust your immigration process from the very beginning to a licensed and reputable Canadian immigration lawyer.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), only the following two groups are legally authorized to provide immigration advice to applicants:

• Immigration consultants who are members of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC)

• Licensed lawyers who are members of a provincial or territorial law society, or members of the Chambre des notaires du Québec in the province of Québec

If your immigration lawyer or consultant does not belong to one of these authorized groups, you should avoid working with them.
Well-established and reputable companies that have been active in Canadian immigration for many years and employ licensed Canadian lawyers would never risk their long-standing credibility by providing clients with fake Canadian visas.

Additional Steps to Help You Avoid Immigration Fraud

• Always verify the credentials and licensing status of your immigration lawyer or consultant.

• Do not be influenced by attractive but unrealistic promises such as “guaranteed Canadian visas,” “fast-track visas,” or other misleading advertisements.

• Research the company’s background, client reviews, and the credentials of the lawyer associated with the firm.

• Handle the visa pickup process yourself whenever possible, or entrust it only to reputable and well-established companies.

• Visit the immigration firm’s office in person at least once and speak directly with the company’s management.