Are you planning to settle down in Canada? Here are the red flags to avoid, according to a Canadian immigration lawyer.
- Persons processing applications to Canada are regulated by the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC), an agency that oversees licensed immigration and citizenship consulting, among others.
Atty. Julie Beeton suggests you ask the person processing your application for their ICCRC number. “Often there is only one person in a company that is a registered Canadian immigration consultant and the person processing your application is not regulated,” Beeton explained.
- Ask for your CRS score – or how you stand with the Comprehensive Ranking System. “If your consultant is not providing you with this – find another company,” Beeton said, explaining that while this score is the best indication whether you are eligible for Canadian immigration, many companies do not share it with their clients. The Canadian government also offers it for free, she also said.
3. Watch out for companies who “guarantee” your application will be successful. “These companies often ask for a large fee and when your application fails, only returns a small portion of your fees,” Beeton said, adding that they have clients who found out their application was never actually submitted by these companies. “The only guarantee you have at being successful is having a Canadian immigration score that is high enough to be selected,” Beeton stressed.
4. If your consultant is asking you to be untruthful on your application, not allowing you to review your application before it is submitted or not clearly answering all your questions, find someone else to work with. “Providing incorrect information on your application can lead to it being rejected or you receiving an immigration ban of up to 5 years,” the lawyer said.
5. If a company is asking you to pay for a job in Canada, usually this is a red flag. Canadian companies interested in recruiting do not charge people they are trying to recruit, according to Beeton. The Canadian government sponsors recruitment sessions.
Beeton said fraudulent companies focus on anyone who is not familiar with the Canadian immigration system and does not know who to trust for Canadian immigration advice.
According to the lawyer, there are currently 660,000 Filipinos in Canada. In 2015, Filipinos were the second highest number of citizens immigrating to Canada and had more citizens immigrating to Canada than China, she said. Approximately 3,600 Filipinos immigrated through the Express Entry System to Canada in 2015, she added.
Most Filipinos want to move to Canada to change their lives for not only themselves but their families. Canada is a welcoming multicultural society that offers free healthcare and education. They can ensure their children have an excellent education and they also retire there, said Beeton.
