Surrey, B.C., immigration consultancy firm still operating after owner’s licence revoked
A larger-than-life-size photo of Raghbir Singh Bharowal is prominently displayed on the windows of his immigration consultancy firm in Surrey, B.C. The advertisement boasts his services as a Visa and Immigration Consultant to hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Despite this, Bharowal’s licence to practice immigration consulting in Canada was permanently revoked by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) last year for serious misconduct, resulting in fines totaling $110,000, including restitution payments to past clients.
Eoin Logan, an immigration negligence lawyer, described Bharowal’s misconduct as threatening clients with deportation, reporting them to the police, being dishonest, and overcharging fees. Such severe penalties are rare among Canada’s 13,000 registered immigration consultants. The CICC has taken legal action against Bharowal for non-compliance with the disciplinary decision, but he continues to operate his consultancy firm under the name Bharowal Immigration Solution.
Critics like Logan point out a significant regulatory gap that allows unlicensed individuals to own and operate immigration consultancy firms. While Bharowal no longer holds a licence, he can still own the firm and advertise its services, creating a loophole in the system. Despite the college’s efforts to issue cease and desist letters and potentially file contempt of court orders, unlicensed practitioners like Bharowal can continue to operate without facing significant consequences.
Bharowal’s licence revocation stemmed from allegations of misconduct, including charging exorbitant fees, coercing clients to remain silent about poor working conditions, and withholding passports until full payment was made. The disciplinary committee found enough evidence to justify permanently revoking Bharowal’s licence and imposing substantial fines. However, he denies most of the allegations against him and still presents himself as a licensed immigration consultant on his LinkedIn profile.
The lack of regulations preventing unlicensed individuals from owning immigration consultancy firms highlights a critical gap in the system. While other professions, like law, have strict regulations prohibiting non-lawyers from owning or being majority shareholders in firms, immigration consulting lacks similar safeguards. As a result, vulnerable newcomers seeking immigration assistance may be at risk of exploitation and mistreatment.
In response to these issues, Ottawa is working on developing new regulations for the CICC that would penalize unlicensed practitioners from owning and operating firms. The proposed regulations aim to strengthen enforcement, protect applicants from exploitation, and maintain the integrity of Canada’s immigration system. Organizations like MOSAIC newcomer services in Vancouver are calling for more audits of consultancy firms to prevent fraudulent practices and ensure the protection of vulnerable newcomers.
The case of Raghbir Singh Bharowal sheds light on the urgent need for regulatory reforms in the immigration consultancy sector to safeguard the interests of clients and maintain ethical standards within the industry.
