A fraudulent immigration consultant charged under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

A man was summoned to appear in the Montréal courthouse after being charged on December 5, 2019 with acting as an immigration consultant without being authorized, and encouraging individuals to misrepresent material facts on the immigration applications they submitted to Canadian officials.

François Teasdale is facing two charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Based on a Canada Border Services Agency investigation, he is alleged to have provided immigration advice for compensation, when he was not authorized to do so, between August 19, 2015 and November 16, 2017. During the same period, he is also alleged to have knowingly counselled, induced or abetted individuals to make misrepresentations to the Immigration and Refugee Board’s Refugee Protection Division.

In Canada, Lawyers who are members of a law society of a province, notaries who are members of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and paralegals (Ontario only) who are members of the Law Society of Upper Canada are authorized to provide immigration counselling. Any other person providing immigration advice, counselling, assistance or representation is subject to the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council and must be certified by the Council in order to perform their duties.