Chandigarh. “Canada to deport 700 students as visa documents found to be fake.” Being an RCIC, its extremely disturbing to see the unfortunate fate of these innocent students who have been duped by a ghost consultant. This is the result of the clear flaws in the policies and regulations in regards to immigration practices and issuing of licenses to incompetent representatives.

Had the government been vigilant and reviewed the malpractices by keeping a check on policies addressing unauthorised practices, the future of these innocent students could be saved and were not left in lurch.

Its imperative to understand that future of lacs of students is compromised every year by allowing the unauthorised practices by issuing innumerable licenses to any incompetent consultant by just charging a meagre fee on the name of license.

IRCC had interpreted Bill C-35 as prohibiting many stakeholders from providing immigration advice unless they are licensed. As per Canadian government, International student advisors who provide immigration advice to students can only do so if they are Regulated International Immigration Student Advisors which is clearly not being followed by Indian government.

Our appeal to Indian government is stop this menace further by cancelling the licenses of unauthorised consultants who are not RCIC and Canadian lawyers according to Canadian law to carry on the practice and are competent enough to guide the students for their future.

It is true that enforcement against ghost consultants at this stage is difficult but not impossible. Only publishing the registration numbers will not be enough, we require stringent processes in place to filter the registered consultants as per Canadian Law so the students don’t have to face the heat when anything goes wrong.

Due to the fact that ghost consultants are practising illegally and have no access to authorised portal, they avoid authorities by using client's names, rather than their own names on applications and refrain from Use of Representative form. Oftentimes, ghost consultants may also refrain from giving written or electronic receipts or contracts that establish proof of their services which makes them stay on the safer side when case gets exposed.
We also feel that Colleges are equally responsible when they choose a wrong consultant by not checking the credentials of the consultant and sign the contracts with unauthorised agents just to fetch the applications.

There should be strict check on Canadian colleges also and they should be instructed to cancel their contracts with unauthorised agents and applications should be allowed only through Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs).
Mr Sandeep Singh, MD, Brampton Immigration Consultancy being Canadian authorized consultant urge the community to use legal ways to migrate.