Cracking Down On Fake Immigration Consultants

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney introduced today in the House of Commons a legislation to crack down on crooked immigration consultants who exploit prospective immigrants. It's called Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act.

The Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act would strengthen the rules governing those who charge a fee for immigration advice, close immigration system loopholes currently exploited by crooked consultants, and improve the way in which immigration consultants are regulated.

“While most immigration consultants working in Canada are legitimate and ethical, it is clear that immigration fraud remains a widespread threat to the integrity of Canada’s immigration system,” said Minister Kenney. “The Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act will better protect prospective immigrants from crooked consultants and help safeguard our immigration system against fraud and abuse.” [Source]

If passed, the law will give the Minister the authority to designate a body to govern immigration consultants and establish measures to enhance the government’s oversight of this body. Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants is the body currently governing immigration consultants. Since the Minister himself recognizes the lack of public confidence in the regulation of immigration consultants, it is expected that a change in the governing body may be implemented.

In the Philippines, there are only few immigration consulting firms prior to the Ministerial Instructions introduced on November 2008. That is because immigration process takes about 5 years and thus, applying for immigration to Canada is not that popular. But after the changes, wherein the processing was only about 6-12 months, several immigration consulting firms suddenly sprouted like mushrooms. Most of which are crooked consultants described in the Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act.

Beware of these crooked immigration consulting firms. Deal only with legitimate consulting firms like Canadian Immigration Consultancy. We have been in the industry for 2 decades now and have already sent thousands of Filipino workers to Canada.

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A Single's Journey, The Canadian Visa Application

Consider the case of my one client for example.

It is not by any accident that she finished her Bachelors Degree in Accountancy, became a Certified Public Accountant, became certified by CIAT - Canada as a Certified Accounting Technician, was able to find employment in companies like Unilever Philippines, Inc. and Deutsche Bank Group, and get a Permanent Residents Visa for Canada at age 26.

How this client got her Permanent Residents Visa, is due to the following:


- Wanting to Immigrate in Canada, she went to us to find out about her options
- Knowing that her Education and Work Experience made her eligible to apply for the Federal Skilled Workers program, she made a decision to apply.

- Acknowledging the challenges that she had to overcome she set out a concrete plan - to start with her Permanent Residents Visa application while the Immigration Regulation was still in her favor; determine the obstacles that lay ahead of her goal and find ways to overcome them.

That is why on...

April 6, 2009 we filed the application to the Centralized Intake Office in Sydney, Nova Scotia Canada

As a result we received the Positive Assessment - May 15, 2009 which also prompted us to ready the necessary documentations for the Full application Package that we will eventually submit at the Canadian Embassy within the 120 days allowance that was given to us.

The plan was simple, since single, we had to make good use of the 120 days allowance that was given to us, because we have to be certain that it gets the 67 points passmark to get the PR Visa for Canada, under Citizenship and Immigration Canada's Selection Grid.

The key to most single applicants who does not have double degrees in college and first degree relatives in Canada, is to get the full 16 points for the English Proficiency in the Language Criteria of the points system.

Which meant that if the client could get the full points, he will get his PR Visa for Canada.

To achieve this, she would have to get the following scores, per area, for her International English Language Testing System (IELTS):

Reading - 6.5
Writting - 6.5
Listening - 7.5
Speaking - 6.5

That is why right after filing the clients application to the CIO, we encouraged her to take the English examination (IELTS) to prove her Language Proficiency right away.

So that she would still have the time to retake it, if ever she would not get the prescribed results to make her application successful.

As it turns out, our plan proved to be effective, because she did not get the points she needed the first time she took the exam.

So she re-took the examination, but was unsuccessful yet again.

Sad and confused, she called me up and asked what she had to do, she already wanted to give up at this point of her application.

That was why I encouraged her to retake the IELTS exam for the third time, you see I knew Jacqueline could get the points she needed.

I did not believe that she did not have what it took to get the full 16 points for the English Proficiency criteria, for the following reasons:

1. She was able to finish her College degree
2. Was able to pass her CPA exam
3. Worked in Companies who used English as the medium of communication, regularly.
4. Had clients, colleagues and superiors who has no choice but to use English to communicate their needs and requirements.

I knew for certain, that with enough practice, the right conditions and correct mindset she, will get the scores that she needs.

With a little push, she agreed to retake the IELTS for the third time.

While waiting for her English Examination results we submitted her Full Visa Package - August 15, 2009 to the Canadian Embassy in Manila.

On December 8, 2009, we submitted, the clients IELTS Results:

Listening - 7.5
Reading - 6.5
Writing - 6.5
Speaking - 7.5

As it turns out, my faith in my clients abilities were right, after all...

On January 26, 2010 she got her Medical Notice

On April 6, 2010, at CIC office we gave her, her Permanent Residents Visa for Canada.

Her application experience may not have been easy, but with a good plan, determination and persistence she got what she wanted.

At present, my client, now belongs to a minority, an Elite group of people who knows a simple yet important truth.

Only you can make your dreams come true.

And because she worked hard for her Permanent Residents Visa for Canada, getting it may have been a hundred times more fulfilling for her.

She had a choice, to give up at the first sign of difficulty, but if you know her like I do, you too would say that she is meant to get the Visa.

That considering her credentials, education and work experience, she not only deserves getting a Permanent Residents Visa, it is part of her inherent rights.

If you want to be like that client, you too should already start preparing your plans to achieve your goals.

If you want to be successful in your application you have to act TODAY!

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Looking for A Job In Canada?

After recieving your Immigrant Visa for Canada. The expiry of that visa is actually 6 months, meaning you need to be in Canada before the 6 month term expires. One common dilemma of clients having their visa's granted, is how to find job in Canada. Actually there are many options for you to find a job in Canada even you are still here in the Philippines. I found this very interesting website that caters different jobs with respect to provinces and cities in Canada.

As the website says "Jobrapido enables you to search through over 200.000 jobs posted on job boards, recruitment agencies, career and company websites." If you are looking, securing or finding a job in Canada, this website could help you.

www.job-rapido.ca

So start job hunting now! Maybe your Canadian Dream will start here!

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Canadian Embassy Manila Processing Time Delay?

Recently, a number of our clients has been wondering why they do not receive notice from the Canadian Visa Office-Manila even after the 45 days processing time indicated on their acknowledgment letter. This of course makes most of them worried about their application.

Are you in similar situation?

You shouldn't worry if there's a delay, it has nothing to do with your documents. Give it 2 weeks alloweance before you make a follow up. There seems to be delay in processing due to volume of applications the visa office is reviewing.

The new acknowledgement letter we received recently indicates a different processing time.

Processing Time:

Applications for permanent residence in Canada in the category in which you have applied are finalized in an average of 6 to 12 months in our office. If you have not received any instructions from this office within 90 days from the date of this letter, please contact us directly and inform us of this.

That used to be 45 days.

The same thing is true with those who have submitted their original passports, waiting for their visa. It used to be returned with 2-3 weeks. But now, it takes longer.

“We will make our best efforts to have your passport(s) returned to you with your visa(s) within 90 days from their receipt at the Embassy. You should not make any plans to travel to Canada until you are in possession of your passports and the required visas.”

Processing period remains to be 6-12 months from the time the Visa Office received your application with supporting documents, after assessment from Centralized Intake Office.

So there. That explains why there is a delay. Avoid unncessary stress. It's not you, it's the embassy. ;-)

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