Ontario will quickly introduce laws that goals to guard newcomers towards fraud and exploitation as they navigate the immigration system, the province introduced on Wednesday.
Unhealthy actors working as immigration representatives are defrauding and scamming newcomers whereas aiding them with their Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) software, Immigration Minister David Piccini mentioned.
He mentioned newcomers typically flip to representatives to assist them navigate Canada’s immigration system.
“We all know there are dangerous actors who exploit weak newcomers, scamming them out of their life financial savings, mendacity to them with a pretend job acceptance letter, coercing them into forging paperwork [and] jeopardizing their immigration standing,” he mentioned at a provincial announcement on Wednesday.
Some immigrants are “packed like sardines right into a basement unit” and others are sexually exploited, he mentioned.
If handed, the laws will create new requirements that immigration representatives should meet.
They are going to be required to have a written contract with OINP candidates, present candidates with proof of their registration or licence to symbolize immigrants and guarantee candidates can entry their very own OINP file, Piccini mentioned.
If representatives do not meet these requirements, they may face fines and multi-year bans, based on a provincial information launch on Wednesday.
Individuals convicted of a critical offence, reminiscent of human trafficking or withholding passports, may face a lifetime ban, the discharge mentioned.
The province may even publish offenders’ names on-line “to allow them to’t cover” and report them to the federal division of immigration, Piccini mentioned.
The minister repeatedly referred to dangerous actors as “scumbags” throughout Wednesday’s announcement.
He mentioned he goals to introduce the laws subsequent week.
Sara Asalya, the manager director of Newcomer Ladies’s Companies Toronto, mentioned her sector is stretched skinny and over capability. The federal authorities ought to present extra funds to settlement and employment providers, she mentioned. (Paul Smith/CBC)
Whereas the federal authorities makes choices on everlasting residency and issuing visas, provinces can speed up the method for immigrants who’ve essentially the most in-demand abilities, Piccini mentioned.
By the OINP, Ontario focuses on skillsets in well being care, expertise and ability trades, he mentioned.
“It’s a prime goal for fraudulent immigration reps to rip-off newcomers in trade for a sooner path to everlasting residency,” he mentioned. “It is an phantasm of a dream that by no means exists.”
Sara Asalya, the manager director of Newcomer Ladies’s Companies Toronto, mentioned she’s heard far too many tales from worldwide college students specifically being scammed by fraudulent immigration representatives.
“It’s heartbreaking to listen to about college students dropping their financial savings, being misled about their immigration standing or going through uncertainty about their capability to remain in a rustic after investing a lot already of their training and future,” she mentioned at Wednesday’s announcement.
The proposed laws will defend OINP candidates from exploitation, preserving the integrity and success of the immigration program, she mentioned.
The proposed requirement for immigration representatives to show they’re licensed is a “optimistic step to guard potential immigrants,” mentioned Stef Lach, spokesperson for the School of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, which points these licences.
Federal funding wanted, advocate says
Throughout Wednesday’s announcement, Graham McGregor, Conservative MPP for Brampton North, mentioned the federal authorities has been negligent in managing the immigration system and is failing to offer newcomers with the instruments they should succeed.
“Many are left weak to delays, shifting insurance policies and an absence of transparency that has created an surroundings the place newcomers are weak to exploitation,” McGregor mentioned.
Cities reminiscent of Brampton and Toronto, in addition to settlement providers, are overstretched supporting newcomers on account of an absence of federal funding, Piccini mentioned.
CBC Toronto has reached out to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for remark.
Asalya additionally mentioned her sector is stretched skinny and over capability.
She referred to as on the federal authorities to offer extra funds to settlement and employment assist providers.
“We need to be sure that we now have the instruments and assets to correctly assist [newcomers] and guarantee their full financial integration into the labour market and society,” she mentioned.
The federal authorities also needs to undertake packages just like the OINP which might be tailor-made to handle regional market wants, she mentioned.
