Immigration consultant fast-tracked Canadian citizenship
An immigration consultant has been charged with fraud in a massive immigration investigation led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The case involves 1,100 applicants and their dependents, 76 of which obtained Canadian citizenship through fraudulent means.
Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney said that allegedly the consultant, “fraudulently helped individuals create the appearance they were residing in Canada in order to keep their permanent resident status, and ultimately attempt to acquire citizenship.”
The consultant, who was based in Nova Scotia, faces 53 charges and could receive a fine of $100,000 for each count.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police began investigating the consultant in 2007 after it became apparent that some of his clients may not have been living in Canada at all. All of the applications are currently being reviewed to see if they are legitimate or not, depending on whether the applicants were actually living in Canada.
If you hire an immigration consultant who appears to be using fraudulent means or can guarantee you a shortcut to Canadian citizenship through fake permanent residency, you too may be under review once they get caught by the immigration authorities. This can seriously derail your immigration intentions in Canada.
Intake
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
