After dismantling a fraudulent Saskatchewan immigration scheme, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has laid charges against Gurpreet Singh for his alleged involvement in exploiting work permit exemptions afforded to certain temporary foreign workers.
The CBSA alleges that Singh, 34, impersonated registered charities by falsifying job offer letters and then selling them, for profit, to individuals seeking to gain entry to or remain in Canada. He is charged on the following counts, sworn on December 23, 2019:
misrepresenting material facts in an immigration matter, pursuant to section 127(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act;
counselling others to misrepresent material facts in an immigration matter, pursuant to section 126 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act;
committing forgery by knowingly making false employment letters that were used to support immigration applications, pursuant to section 366(1) of the Criminal Code; and,
dealing forged employment letters as if they were genuine, pursuant to section 368(1) of the Criminal Code.
These offences were allegedly committed between June 1, 2016, and November 2, 2018. The CBSA launched its investigation in September 2018 after identifying a fraudulent job offer letter presented at a port of entry. In total, the CBSA’s Criminal Investigations Section uncovered 34 immigration applications that were linked to fraudulent job offer letters.
The accused is scheduled to make his first appearance in Saskatoon Provincial Court on January 23 at 2 p.m. Central Standard Time.
“Individuals who make a business out of circumventing immigration laws pose a serious threat to program integrity. By investigating and prosecuting alleged offenders, the CBSA works to preserve the fairness of Canada’s immigration system,” said Brad Wozny, Acting Regional Director General, Prairie Region, CBSA.
Quick Facts:
This is the third time since 2016 that the CBSA in Saskatchewan has laid charges in an immigration fraud-related case.
The CBSA encourages members of the public to report suspicious immigration activities to its toll-free, confidential Border Watch Line by calling 1‑888‑502‑9060.
Paragraph 186 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations outlines the specific circumstances and conditions under which a foreign national may work in Canada without a work permit as a temporary resident.