National on-line survey launched as part of the campaign to help prevent scams and dishonest behaviour by immigration representatives

May 05, 2009

Ottawa, May 5, 2009 — Victims of immigration scams or unethical/dishonest behaviour by immigration representatives are invited to participate in an on-line survey to provide input into the Government of Canada’s efforts to prevent fraud and other wrongdoing.

The survey, available on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website for the next two weeks, is part of a campaign to inform immigrants about how to protect themselves against false claims from dishonest immigration consultants or unethical representatives. The information collected will be used to improve warning messages to potential immigrants.

“I’ve heard a lot of unsettling stories of how people have been taken in by dishonest immigration consultants or unethical representatives, such as labour, student or live-in care-giver recruiters,” said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.
 
“Make no mistake – the Government enforces Canadian law when immigration fraud is proven. But we’d prefer to prevent the wrongdoing in the first place to protect the integrity of Canada’s immigration system and protect people from harm,” said Minister Kenney, who recently hosted a town hall meeting with ethnic community members in Toronto. A similar town hall meeting will also be held in Vancouver.

Individuals who would like to participate in the survey should go to www.cic.gc.ca. The questionnaire, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, will be available on the CIC website until May 17.

The information collected from the meetings and the survey will give the department a national picture of the nature and scope of the problem and inform efforts to prevent fraud. The survey is voluntary, confidential and does not ask for personal information, such as names or addresses, from people who participate. It is not designed as a tool to enforce Canadian law, or to deal with individual cases, so individuals who believe they have been a victim of fraud or wrongdoing should contact the police or appropriate authority. Please visit our ‘How to file a complaint’ webpage at www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/representative/complaints.asp for more information about appropriate authorities.

Potential immigrants should beware of unethical behaviour by immigration representatives. Do not be the victim of a scam. If the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. To find out more about how to protect yourself against immigration-related fraud, please visit the CIC website.