A 22-year-old man from Ahmedabad has allegedly been cheated of ₹6 lakh on the promise of securing a Canadian work permit. The complainant has approached the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB), alleging that a visa consultant took the money as an advance after assuring him that the work permit would be arranged within three months. However, the permit was never issued and the money was allegedly not returned.
The complainant, who works as a service engineer with a solar energy company, was looking for an agent to help him obtain a Canadian work visa. According to his complaint, an acquaintance introduced him to a man who operated a visa consultancy office in the Sola area. The two met in January 2024, when the consultant allegedly assured the complainant that he could arrange a Canadian work permit.
The consultant reportedly quoted a total fee of ₹20 lakh for the process. He allegedly asked for ₹6 lakh as an advance and told the complainant that the remaining ₹14 lakh would be paid after he reached Canada. Trusting the assurance, the complainant paid ₹6 lakh in cash to the consultant on March 6, 2024.
After receiving the money, the consultant allegedly issued a receipt from his company’s receipt book. He also collected copies of the complainant’s passport and other documents required for the visa process. The consultant reportedly assured both the complainant and his father that the work permit would be arranged within approximately three months.
However, the promised deadline passed without any visa or work permit being issued. When the complainant and his father contacted the consultant, he allegedly sought additional time, claiming that the medical examination and visa processing were still underway. The family reportedly continued waiting on the assurance that the process would be completed soon.
As the delay continued, the complainant allegedly began demanding either the visa or a refund of the ₹6 lakh. Around September 2024, he visited the consultant’s office in Sola but found it closed. The consultant allegedly stopped responding to phone calls after that. Despite repeated requests from the complainant and his father for the return of the money, the ₹6 lakh was allegedly not refunded.
The complainant said he initially submitted an application to the Crime Branch regarding the matter and later filed a formal complaint. The police are now examining the allegations, payment details, receipt issued by the consultant and documents provided for the purported visa process.
Investigators are also likely to verify whether the consultant actually initiated any Canadian work permit application on behalf of the complainant. Another aspect of the inquiry is whether other people may have been approached in a similar manner and whether additional amounts were allegedly collected from prospective applicants seeking employment or work permits abroad.
Fraud involving overseas employment and visa promises has become a concern for people seeking jobs in countries such as Canada. Applicants are often advised to verify the credentials of immigration consultants, check whether the consultancy is legally authorised to provide the claimed services and insist on written agreements and proper payment records.
In this case, the allegations made by the complainant are yet to be established through investigation. The police are examining the available documents and other evidence before deciding on further action against the accused consultant.
