African migrants targeted as visa scams surge amid tougher immigration rules in Canada

Visa scams are on the rise in many developed countries, as tougher immigration rules lead vulnerable migrants to seek advice from fraudulent visa advisors. 

Visa scams have skyrocketed in Canada in recent years. In the first six months of 2024, Canada refused over 52,000 temporary residence applications due to misrepresentation which includes suspicions of fraud, according to a report by the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA). This compares with just 46,000 applications refused in all of 2023.

The growing number of frauds is making an impact in Africa as well: a government visa scheme to recruit Francophone workers to Canada has become the latest target of so-called ‘ghost consultants’.

 The Francophone visa scheme is corrupted.

Canada first launched the Francophone Mobility Scheme in 2019, intending to ensure the survival of the country’s minority language by increasing the number of French-speaking immigrants.

Following the program's expansion in 2023, officials anticipate that nearly 80,000 French-speaking residents from Africa will migrate to Canada by 2027, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Criminals are taking advantage of the new gateway. With the promise of guaranteed visas in record time, scammers lure victims in with online ads under the pretence of being specialised immigration consultants.

Some victims report being charged upwards of $15,000 before the perpetrator disappeared into thin air, according to RFI.

 Marie wanted a better life for her family.

One victim, using the pseudonym, Marie talked to RFI about her experience. Marie is from a French-speaking African country and wanted to move to Canada for a better life for herself and her family.

In 2024, Marie met a 'ghost consultant' on Facebook, who gave her false guarantees of job security and a residence permit in Canada within six months if she paid,

“He kept insisting on how quickly I needed to send the money. He assured me that the Canadian government was looking for profiles like mine and that the faster I sent the money, the sooner I’d sign the documents and get my permanent residency", she said.

Once the money was transferred, the scammer blocked Marie on all apps, leaving her deep in financial debt and without a visa. 

 A global issue.

Canada is far from the only developed country that has seen a rise in immigration-related scams.

In the UK, a post-Brexit visa scheme to fill vacancies in social care was exploited by fraudulent care companies, who later had their licences to sponsor migrant workers revoked amid concerns about abuse, according to the Guardian newspaper.

In the US, authorities have also seen a spike in visa scams as the number of immigration fraud complaints more than doubled from 2023 to 2024, according to data from the Federal Trade Commission shared with The Washington Post.

 Scammers prey on migrant desperation.

Stricter immigration laws have incentivised fraud, according to Darren Penner, Canadian immigration lawyer at Boughton Law, as victims turn to scammers believing it is the only way forward to get a residency permit. 

Desperation is an essential ingredient in visa fraud, as scammers exploit the desire of vulnerable migrants to start a better life abroad. 

In French-speaking West Africa, economic considerations including “finding work”, “economic hardship”, “poverty” and “better business prospects” are the most important reasons for considering emigration according to a survey by Afrobarometer. 

 Government response to visa scams.

Governments have started to crack down on immigration fraud. Last year, Canada introduced tougher penalties for scammers including fines of up to $1.5 million, for dishonest immigration consultants who help their clients with fraudulent applications. 

Last year, the G7 which includes the UK and the U.S launched its first-ever Global Fraud Summit which resulted in a 4-point framework for combating fraud. Under the pledge, countries commit to enhance law enforcement cooperation, improve victim support and bolster intelligence sharing.