Canada PR Visa: Consumer Forum Orders Compensation To Kerala Student 'Cheated' By Immigration Consultancy

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission at Ernakulam recently ordered an immigration consulting agency to compensate a student for cheating the latter in the name of obtaining permanent residency (PR) visa to Canada. 

The Bench comprising the President D.B. Binu and Members V. Ramachandran and Sreevidhia T.N., held the Managing Director and General Manager of Amster Immigration Overseas Pvt. Ltd. liable to refund the 75,000 deposit made by the complainant as well as compensation of Rs. 10,000/- to the complainant. 

The complainant averred that she had paid an amount of Rs.75,000/- for processing her Canada PR Programme through Amster Immigration. The complainant alleged that the consultancy fabricated eligibility score in the assessment report for achieving sales target of the company. The complainant alleged that the Company had given fake assessment report, fake IELTS score, and fabricated other documents. She added that she had also taken an IELTS exam for which she had paid 1.49 Lakhs. The complainant submitted that she visited the IRCC Canada Government website which provided the processing policy, which in turn revealed to her that the she had been cheated by the company. 

She thus sought refund of the amount paid by her as well as compensation. 

The Commission noted there is no proof from the side of the company regarding non-fabrication of the documents. It accordingly directed Amster to pay Rs.75,000/- to the complainant, along with a compensation of Rs. 10,000/- and Rs.3000/- as the cost of proceedings. 

It however said that the company cannot be saddled with amount paid by complainant to undertake IELTS, as the company was neither involved or responsible.