In the News: Immigration Fraud

Today in the news:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Charges+laid+immigration+scam+involving+suspicious/7160669/story.html

Now, if you follow me on Twitter (@MBlogger2) you will know that I am answering questions on Yahoo Answers and trying to share the knowledge I’ve gained from research for this blog with a wider audience. One question that I see fairly frequently on that site is about marriage. Usually it’s two young people who want to be together and feel that marriage is their only option for citizenship and therefore their continued relationship.

Now, of course you should only get married WHEN and IF you actually want to because you love someone. However, that’s an ideal and often doesn’t happen in the “real world”. I’m not just talking about immigration fraud marriages, but a lot of marriages happen because people feel they SHOULD or they HAVE to, not because they WANT to… but that aside…

I’m just going to put this out there, but you probably shouldn’t marry someone with immigration as your primary goal. I’m not really sure why people who are not vulnerable or financially needy (like the ones the individual in the article above took advantage of) would think it was a good idea to commit something which could potentially get them charged with fraud. Heck, you can be charged with fraud and have your spouse’s visa denied even if your love is “real and genuine”. All the government needs to do is doubt you, and it seems that they are inclined to do so.

I don’t know what inspires so many teens on the internet to believe marriage is the answer to spending more time with their cross-border sweetheart, but the article above should show them that there is intense government scrutiny of sponsorship and marriage. (Maybe its Romeo and Juliet, or author Elizabeth Gilbert?)

Here’s the official information from www.cic.gc.ca:

“There are some people who think marriage to a Canadian citizen will be their ticket to Canada.

It is a crime for foreign nationals to marry Canadian citizens or permanent residents only to gain entry into Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is working to prevent these fraudulent marriages.

In many cases, sponsors and foreign applicants arrange a “marriage of convenience”: a marriage or common-law relationship where the sole purpose is for the sponsored spouse to immigrate to Canada.

CIC officers are specially trained to recognize genuine immigration applications, and they know how to detect marriages of convenience. They use several methods to uncover marriage fraud, including document checks, site visits and interviews with sponsors and applicants. Canadian citizens or permanent residents found to be part of a marriage of convenience for immigration purposes may be charged with a crime.”

More info on immigration fraud here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/protection/fraud/index.asp

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/protection/fraud/marriage.asp

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/protection/antifraud.asp

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/fraud.asp

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2012/2012-03-09.asp

http://visalawcanada.blogspot.ca/2012/08/large-scale-marriage-scam-alleged-39.html

In the News: FSW Program and Spousal Sponsorship

Your news update of the day:

-          Still a very big issue in the news this week are the unveiled changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Apparently, Jason Kenney & Co. think that twenty-somethings in other countries have it together enough to decide to permanently immigrate somewhere (possibly) halfway across the world for work, leaving behind all their childhood familiar places, friends, and experiences. (The new points system is aimed at getting more 20 and 30-somethings. Over 35-ers who may bring wisdom and experience to their workplace it seems, are not as valued by the government.) I don’t know about you but if you asked the average 20-30 year old Canadian to commit to immigrating to another country for work, I doubt many of them would. And if they did, would they have the job skills in place to succeed abroad? Would they have the wisdom and experience? Read more here: http://canadavisalaw.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/new-federal-skilled-worker-rules-published/

-          Also trending in Alberta news lately: Online romances, marriage and spousal sponsorship. Real love or Immigration fraud? Are there ulterior motives at play in online cross-border romance? If yes, then aren’t there also ulterior motives at play in Canadians-only relationships too? Read more here: http://visalawcanada.blogspot.ca/2012/08/online-romances-raise-questions-motives.html and here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2012/08/22/edmonton-miltimore-immigration-wife-philippines.html

In the News: August 17, 2012

Today is turning out to be a big day in the news for ethnic, cultural, and immigration stories. Here are some of the stories I read this morning that I think are worth taking a look at!

On Focus Groups, Ethnicity Debates, and Banknotes: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Bank+Canada+bans+image+Asianlooking+woman+from+banknotes/7105230/story.html

On Line-ups and Canadian Passivity: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/Staples+queue+jumping+This+Canada/7102390/story.html

On the Possibility That a Member of the Russian Punk Group, Pussy Riot, and Charged with Hooliganism is a Canadian Permanent Resident: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/08/17/pussy-riot-case-takes-canadian-twist/

http://visalawcanada.blogspot.ca/2012/08/pussy-riot-canadian-residency-connection.html

On Whether or Not Quebec’s Election is Showing Signs of Racism and Xenophobia: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/08/16/tasha-kheiriddin-in-quebec-xenophobia-is-alive-and-well/

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/08/15/chris-selley-intolerance-is-intolerance-even-in-quebec/

Edmonton Heritage Festival Review

I went to the Edmonton Heritage Festival this weekend. Here are some observations on the festival:

-Before going I was speaking about the festival very excitedly to some friends, family and coworkers. I was surprised to hear from them that they have never been to this beloved Edmonton Festival even if they have lived in the city for decades. So for any of you Edmontonians out there who have yet to go, I highly encourage you to check it out next year. There really is something for everyone there from entertainment to food and crafts.

-It was hot out! Whew! At nearly 30 degrees Celsius and high humidity, you would be hard-pressed to believe that this is a city that sits at minus -20 Celsius for a good portion of the winter. Also, my sympathies to those dancers in traditional clothing from cold nations. I can’t imagine dancing in a full Norwegian outfit in that heat, but they did an amazing job nonetheless!

-The festival can be a bit overwhelming, but in an entirely good way. All of the smells (from various tantalizing cuisines), sounds and colorful clothing collided into something that left our group feeling a bit dazed, as usual. However, I think there is something to be said for this overwhelming sensation. I think the barrage of sights, sounds, and smells from all of the heritages present represents in a very visceral manner how Canadian culture is a composite of many others. From all the smells wafting together is born that unique Canadian perfume. It captures the way that our cities smell as you move through them, passing fish and chips stands, open air markets, bakeries, tea houses, coffee shops, curry joints, meats roasting on spits etc. From all of the sights and colors of clothing and people you get the colors of Canada in all of its seasons; the bright hues of summer, the rich tones of autumn, the crisp white and blue of winter, and the soft pastels of spring. And from the many sounds of music and the plethora of languages spoken, you will hear the coming together of the true Canadian voice which is so much stronger united than the sum of its parts.

-The food, of course, was delicious! I wish I could have eaten it all! I tried in no particular order: Kenyan chicken skewers, fresh young coconut juice, green onion cakes, Bangladesh’s mango on a stick, Egypt’s falafel, Irish potato cakes, German bratwurst on a bun, Welsh cakes, Bosnia-Herzegovina’s burek, and England’s sausage rolls and Cornish pasties with HP sauce. (PS if anyone from the Dutch Pavilion is reading this, I would LOVE it if you offered stroppwafels at your tent next year. Please?)

 

 

 

Also, check out the story of many new Canadians and their day in the sun at the Citizenship Ceremony at the festival:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Canadians+sworn+Heritage+Festival/7048655/story.html

Losing Your Place in the Immigration Queue

I read this news story a couple of weeks back:
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/line+Potential+immigrants+have+lost+their+place+queue+tell+their+stories/6937506/story.html

So, the big question in my mind was if the individuals interviewed in this article were representative of what's really going on, you know?

Do you know anyone who's been waiting for years to come to Canada? Do you know anyone who was moved to the back of this "line" and has to now start the whole process over again? Has this happened to you?

Please share any information and stories in the comments.

PS You can follow me on twitter @MBlogger2 or email me at comingtocanadablog@gmail.com