Canadian immigration imposes tougher restrictions on agents
February 19 2010 by Liam Clifford
In an effort to crack down on unscrupulous Canada immigration agents, the government in Quebec is closing a loophole in the law.
From June, the regulations
controlling immigration agents in the province are to be changed. Under the new
restrictions, only notaries, consultants and lawyers certified by the Canadian
Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) will be able to offer services to help
people looking to obtain a Canadian visa.
The move comes six ears after
similar restrictions were brought in by the federal government, which did not
affect consultants in Quebec. The crack-down follows several cases where
consultants were found to be charging large sums to people in exchange for
providing them with false documentation.
In a further move to stop the
fraudulent agents, every newcomer moving to Canada's Quebec province will be
asked to give over the name of any agent they used to obtain their Canada
visa.
The CEO of the CSIC, John Ryan, said the new regulations will make
sure phony agents are "held accountable to strict rules of professional
conduct."
Currently only 156 Canadian immigration agents operating in the
province are members of the CSIC, despite the fact that there are many more
offering their services.
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