Chandigarh Visa Scam Exposed; Thousands Risk Deportation from Canada

A Chandigarh-based immigration scam has defrauded 45 individuals out of $78K through fraudulent visa services. The scam was exposed when a Rajasthan resident Ganeshmal who fell victim to a consultancy named Global Consultant after paying $1,600 per person for work visas to Azerbaijan, only to discover upon arrival at Delhi airport that the tickets were fake. The consultancy, which had promised visas through a Facebook advertisement, defrauded over 40 people. After the scam came to light, the main accused shut down the office and started a new consultancy Dream Land Immigration but was soon arrested along with five others. Visa fraud cases like this are becoming more prevalent in India, with Delhi Police arresting 108 fraudulent agents in the last six months, a sharp rise from 51 during the same period last year (SDW Vol 2 Issue 29, Story 6). Chandigarh has seen similar scams before, including the 2011 Healthyway Immigration case and a 2018 visa fraud racket. Further complicating things, following changes in Canadian immigration policies, tens of thousands of international students may be forced to return to their home countries as their Post Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) expire in 2024 and 2025. Labor advocacy groups, such as the Naujawan Support Network, have been pushing for visa extensions and more transparency in the permanent residency process, while law experts argue that the govt. is reneging on its promise of a path to residency. Meanwhile, a report by ed-tech company ApplyBoard shows that the number of study permits processed for Canada is expected to drop by 39% in 2024 compared to 2023.