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Unscrupulous immigration consultants at the U.S. border are preying on asylum seekers heading to Canada by selling them bogus application forms for use in making refugee claims, officials say.

Refugee groups in both countries warn claimants they are not required to purchase or bring application forms when they show up at border crossings to file a claim.

All documents are provided free by immigration officers and bear a Government of Canada logo, officers said.

“You do not need to buy any forms to claim refugee status in Canada,” warned the Canadian Council for Refugees in a posting on their website.

“Some organizations and ‘immigration consultants’ have produced their own forms and are charging people money to buy these forms or to fill them out.”

Officials said the forms can sell for $200 and more, a considerable amount of money for a refugee.

The “homemade” forms are useless and will not help with Canadian immigration authorities, the group said.

Some “immigration consultants” and “pastors” claim they have special arrangements to work with different (refugee) groups and may try to charge money for services, the website said.

“This is completely dishonest,” the group said. “Some may even try to charge you money to obtain the groups’ services.”

Claimants are also told they cannot “exchange” U.S. documents for a Canadian “permit” and should check to find out if they’ll be allowed in Canada or they can be returned to the U.S. and possibly detained.

Patrizia Giolti, of the Canada Border Services Agency, said her officials are looking into the reports.
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Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced the implementation of the redesigned permanent resident card, which will be in circulation beginning today.

“Thanks to state-of-the-art security features, this redesigned permanent resident card will help prevent the fraudulent use of Canada’s immigration documents and protect the integrity of our immigration system,” said Minister Kenney. “The new card contains security features that comply with international standards for travel documents. Technology is continuously evolving and it is important that our standards keep up.”

The new card contains micro-lettering and fine line patterns that are resistant to copying, similar to banknotes. Also, the card holder’s photograph and personal details are recorded on a bar code in an encrypted format that may only be read by authorized officials.

New permanent residents will automatically receive the new card as part of the immigration process. Current permanent residents will receive a new card only when their existing card expires. In the meantime, their existing card is still valid.

As always, permanent residents should check the expiry date of their existing card and apply for a new card, if necessary, well in advance of international travel. This wallet-sized plastic card is required for all permanent residents of Canada seeking to re-enter Canada on a commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train or bus).

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www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/…/ pub/bsf5023-eng.html

Successful applicants for Canadian permanent residence have in most cases demonstrated high proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages. Nevertheless, it is very important for all Canadian permanent residents who arrive in Canada to master the English or French language in order to have the best opportunities at securing good employment. On August 7, 2008, the federal government announced the grant of millions of dollars to agencies in Toronto providing settlement services to newcomers, much of which will be used to further language training, communication assessment services, bridge-to-work opportunities, and mentoring and internship placements for internationally trained individuals. It is important for new Canadian immigrants to use the community resources available so that they will have the best possible opportunities at securing employment in Canada.

Immigrating to Canada? Visit www.akcanada.com for more information or a free assessment.