Immigration Advising Scams

Beware of Immigration Advising Scams!

Originally Disseminated: 2022-06-17

This is the time of year when many new international students are submitting their applications for study permits. We are aware that there are a number of people posing as immigration advisors/representatives that are not authorized to provide these services. International students are getting scammed out of their money and are having their applications refused or returned.

The Immigration Canada Website states: We won’t deal with representatives who charge a fee but are not authorized. If you use an unauthorized representative, in Canada or abroad, we may return your application or refuse it.

Here are our best tips to help you avoid getting scammed:

  • Conduct basic research. Review the requirements for licenced representatives or advisors on the Immigration Canada website or book an appointment with a member of the University of Toronto International Student Immigration Advising Team.
  • Only authorized representatives can charge you a fee or receive any other type of payment. The steps to verify that your representative is authorized can be found here.
  • If the representative or service is requesting payment with cash, wire transfer, Moneygram, Bitcoin, or MoneyPak, it is likely a scam as these forms of payment are impossible to track.

For more information about how to find an authorized immigration representative please visit the Immigration Canada Website.

To consult with a member of the University of Toronto International Student Immigration Advising team visit: