Protect yourself from unscrupulous consultants

In a bid to help prospective immigrants reduce their current dependence on paid - and possibly unscrupulous - overseas visa consultants, Canada last week unveiled an online Wizard that would walk them step-by-step through the application procedure, thus demystifying the process.

Prospective immigrants and visitors to Canada now have a new interactive web tool at their fingertips to help them determine if they are eligible to come to Canada. Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney last week announced the launch of the Come to Canada Wizard. "We understand that our application processes can be complex, but this new tool is a major service improvement," said Kenney. "The Wizard will make it easier for potential immigrants and visitors to navigate the application process.

"The Wizard should also reduce applicants' reliance on immigration consultants and hopefully will make the Department more efficient by decreasing calls to our Call Centre," he added.

The Wizard simplifies the application process by matching applicants with the federal immigration option that best suits their specific circumstances. The Wizard does this by asking applicants a series of questions and, based on the answers, it provides the best options for them.

The Wizard leads applicants to a results page that breaks down the application steps and provides instructions and forms.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE WIZARD