Canadian Immigration Discussion Forum

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Campaign launched by Canadian Government to prevent fraud and deceitful behavior by immigration consultants

Canada has invited the sufferers of fake and bogus immigration consultants or immoral/deceitful behavior by immigration consultants to take part in an online survey to give input into the Government of Canada’s efforts to put a stop to fraud and other wrongdoing.

The survey, available on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website for the next one week, is part of a campaign to inform immigrants on the subject of how to protect themselves against false claims from fake immigration consultants or wrong representatives. The information collected by such participants will be used to improve warning messages to potential immigrants.

Those who would like to participate in this online survey should go to www.cic.gc.ca. The survey, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, will be obtainable on the CIC website until May 17, 2009.

The information collected from the survey will give the department a nationwide picture of the nature and span of the problem and inform efforts to put a stop to fraud. The survey is voluntary, private and does not ask for personal information, for instance names or addresses, from people who take part. It is not designed as a tool to implement Canadian law, or to deal with individual cases, so individuals who consider they have been a victim of fraud or unlawful activity should contact the police or appropriate authority. Please visit ‘How to file a complaint’ webpage at www.cic.gc.ca/english/
information/representative/complaints.asp for more information about proper authorities.

Prospective immigrants should be careful of unethical behavior by immigration representatives. Do not be the victim of a fraud.

Source: www.cic.gc.ca

Fake Consultants of Canada Immigration

CIC warns that DON’T BE THE VICTIM OF A SCAM OR FRAUD. If the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

According to CIC (Citizenship and Immigration Canada)

• You do not need to take the assistance an immigration representative to apply for a Canada visa or for Canadian citizenship.
• Immigration representatives and consultants do not have special connections with Canadian government officials and cannot assure you a visa.
• Only authoritative officers at Canadian embassies, high commissions and consulates can decide whether or not to issue a visa.
• Don’t be enticed into using false documents as this will result in the rejection of your application.
• Be cautious of internet scams, frauds and false websites. The official website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is www.cic.gc.ca
• You will find free of charge application forms and guides for any type of visa on CIC’s website.
• Processing fees are the similar at all Canadian visa offices around the world. Fees in local currency are based on authorized exchange rates and correspond with the sum in Canadian dollars.
• Canadian visa offices will, by no means, ask you to deposit money into an individual’s personal bank accounts or to transfer cash through a specific private money transfer company.
• If you have questions, make contact with CIC or the visa office responsible for your area.
• To read more, including information on who can lawfully represent you if you decide to hire an immigration representative, check out CIC’s web pages on Immigration Representatives.

Source: www.cic.gc.ca

Social Customs of Canada

Canada's climate, people, land, and lifestyle are varied. In spite of these differences, Canada is a country based on the values of diversity, equality, and respect for all persons in society. Men, women, children, and senior citizens are all equally respected under the law in Canada. These values make the country a safe society in which to live.
Canadian Ways of living

Many social practices preside over behavior in Canada. These are not laws, but they are deep-rooted traditions that Canadians be expecting to one another. Here are some examples of Canadian ways of living:

1. Queuing or Lining up:
· People generally form a line when waiting.
· The individual who arrives first takes the first position in the line.
· Other arrivals gather together in a line behind this person in the order they arrive.
· Others may be annoyed if you move ahead of somebody who was there before you.

2. Not smoking in private homes:
· You should always ask consent if you want to smoke in someone's home.
· Do not be surprised if they request you to smoke outside.

3. Being on time:
· You should always turn up for appointments at the scheduled time, or a little early.
· You could lose your employment or be suspended from school if you are frequently late.
· For social events, people expect that you will reach your destination within half an hour of the scheduled time.
· You are not likely to wait more than 10 to 15 minutes for somebody with whom you have a business meeting.

4. Bargaining:
· Bargaining or haggling is not frequent in Canada. When you purchase in stores, the visible price on the item is the cost for that item.
· There are a small number of places where Canadians do bargain. Such as, almost everyone bargains for a healthier price when buying a house or a car or other costly items such as furniture.
· People who buy or sell things in private, may also bargain.

Source: goingtocanada.gc.ca