Shillong, October 25: Avtar Singh Sohi, 42, has been fined $20,000 for his involvement in a scheme that charged newcomers significant amounts for work permits in Manitoba, Canada.
As per IANS, Avtar Singh Sohi pleaded guilty to misrepresentation under the Canada Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
The Provincial Court of Manitoba revealed that Avtar provided false pay stubs to a woman, falsely claiming she worked as a nanny for him from March 2019 to July 2021, while she was actually employed elsewhere. He also provided her with various signed documents that she used for her permanent residency application.
The woman, an Indian national, arrived in Canada on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) but was informed that there was no job available for her, despite her family having paid $40,000 for the LMIA.
Federal crown attorney Matt Sinclair stated, “His behavior undermines the trust in our immigration system and must be condemned and deterred.”
CBSA investigators discovered that Avtar and his wife aided Hartar Singh Sohi, an immigration consultant, in misrepresenting information on immigration applications. The Sohis allegedly used their construction company to invest the funds received by Hartar in purchasing and renovating homes, attempting to obscure the source of the money.
Avtar Singh Sohi, who has been living in Canada since 2006, faced a penalty of $20,000 for his involvement in the scam. An arrest warrant has been issued for Hartar, who is believed to have fled to India.
