How To Identify A Fake Canada Job Offer Letter?

Canada is one of the most preferred destinations among immigrants across the world. It is the dream of thousands of immigrants to one day live and work in Canada. However, not everyone knows how to achieve this dream. As such, many prospective immigrants fall prey to many immigration frauds rampant these days.

One of the most common scams in Canada immigration is job offer fraud. Many people lose their hard-earned money in fake job offer scams. It is important to be diligent when someone offers you a job offer in Canada. Here is how you can identify a fake job offer:

Fake job offers in the News

A person from Saskatchewan was recently arrested for fraudulently impersonating several charities of Canada. The man named Gurpreet Singh extended job offers to several prospective immigrants on behalf of these charitable organizations. Many such immigrants believed that these were genuine job offer letters.

Another major immigration scam was conducted by WonHonTa Consulting Inc. This Toronto-based agency targeted Chinese citizens looking to migrate to Canada. The agency falsely offered jobs in Saskatchewan and the Atlantic region in exchange for money. Some immigrants were charged up to $170,000 by this agency.

How does it happen?

There are many people hopeful of immigrating to Canada one day. The Internet is flooded with news about how Canada is in need of foreign workers. Such news is true; however, these people do not know how to apply for the vacant positions in Canada. That is when such fraudsters trap these gullible immigrants in their scams.

Canadian immigration does not ask for a job offer. However, your chances of immigration increase if you have a valid job offer in hand. Your Canada PR Visa process is made easier if you have an eligible job offer in hand. Your job offer can hike your CRS scores by 50 to 200 points depending on the NOC code. You may use a CRS Points calculator to check your CRS scores. Many aspiring immigrants, thus, look out for job opportunities in Canada. Not only does a job offer help you successfully immigrate to Canada but also decreases the anxiety of having to find a job once you land in Canada. In an ideal world, all immigrants would love to come to Canada with a job offer in hand.

While such immigrants are looking for a job, they one day receive an email from one such fraud agency. The email not only promises a job but also guarantees a visa to Canada. Sometimes when things seem too good to be true, they generally are.

The promise of a job may sound tempting but it is important to verify the authenticity of your job offer. You may be tempted to take the shortcut, but it may cost you dearly in the future.

What does an immigration scam look like?

The most common job offer scam is the one where you are asked to pay a sum of money in exchange for a job.

In Canada, it is the employers who pay the recruiters or agency to hire workers for them. You must never pay a recruiter for a job offer in Canada. Fraud agencies and recruiters are after your money or your personal information. Do not give them your personal details like banking information or social insurance number. Even if they tell you that the money is for the Work Permit, do not believe them. Canadian Work Permits do not work that way.

Fraud agencies may charge anywhere between $2000 to $200,000 for a job offer in Canada.

How can you spot a fake job offer?

First and foremost, remember it is illegal to ask for payment for a job offer in Canada. If you receive a job offer from Canada, the offer letter must be on the official letterhead of the company. The official letterhead must contain the contact details of the company.

Here are some of the red flags that you must look out for:

• Spelling mistakes or grammatical errors on the job offer letter.
• You receive an email regarding the job offer from free email addresses like gmail.com or yahoo.com.
• The recruiter does not seem too concerned about your skills or qualifications.
• If your job offer is advertised as self-employed or work-from-home, it most probably is fake.
• You are asked to undergo mandatory training for which you need to pay. You may also be asked to pay for materials that will allow you to do your job.
• The job is commission-based or your salary depends on unrealistic sales targets.

How can you avoid such scams?

Here are some tips to avoid such scams:

Do your research

If you have received a job offer letter from Canada, take out some time to thoroughly research the company. All genuine companies will have an online presence.

Beware of false promises

If your employer is promising you easy entry to Canada, or super-fast processing or an incredibly high salary, proceed with caution. Remember, only the immigration authorities of Canada can grant you a visa. No one else can guarantee a visa for you.

Never pay for a job

If you are asked to pay for a job offer, it is definitely a scam.

Check the source

A big red flag is getting an offer letter from a company that you never applied to.

How does a genuine offer letter look like?

Though an offer letter will not be as formal as a contract, it must include specific information regarding the job in question.

A genuine job offer is:

• Given in writing.
• Comes directly from the Canadian employer. If your job offer letter comes from a Canadian Consulate or embassy, it most probably is fake.
• Provide specific details about the job like rate of pay, number of hours, deductions, and the terms and conditions of the employment.
• In most cases, your job offer letter will also be accompanied by an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) and an offer of employment number.

What to do if you are a victim of fraud?

Even though you may be cautious in dealing with such scams, there may be times when you or someone known to you may become a victim of fraud. If you do fall into any such trap, the first thing that you should do is notify the Canada Border Services Agency. Provide as much information and evidence as you can so that they can apprehend the culprits.