Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indian immigration agent sentenced for visa fraud scam

Brijesh Mishra was arrested after a Canadian Border Services Agency investigation tied him to dozens of fraudulent acceptance letters for Canadian colleges and universities

Indian immigration agent sentenced for visa fraud scam

AN Indian immigration agent at the centre of a scam to cheat students from the country by issuing fake college admission to procure Canadian visas has been sentenced to three years in jail after he pleaded guilty before a court in Vancouver to immigration offences, according to a media report.

Brijesh Mishra, 37, was arrested after a Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) investigation tied him to dozens of fraudulent acceptance letters for Canadian colleges and universities that were provided to prospective international students from India between 2016 and 2020.


Dressed in a red jumpsuit, Mishra on Wednesday (29) stood inside a Vancouver courtroom and apologised for a slew of Canadian immigration offences.

Mishra pleaded guilty to three charges related to Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, including misrepresentation and communicating false information, CBC News reported.

"I'm sorry," he told the courtroom. "I cannot change the past, but I can make sure I do not do it again in the future."

Mishra was arrested in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. He entered Canada on a tourist visa, which had expired at the time of his arrest.

Crown and defence lawyers issued a joint sentencing submission asking for three years in prison, to which the judge agreed was sufficient.

Mishra's time in custody since his 2023 arrest counts as time served, meaning he will serve an additional 19 months.

"I would say he did show genuine remorse," CBC News quoted Gagan Nahal, Mishra's defence lawyer, as saying.

"The pleas that were entered today were clearly a demonstration of his remorse because he did have a right to run a trial in this." Nahal said 12 victims came forward during the CBSA's investigation.

After serving his sentence in Canada, Mishra is expected to be deported to India where he faces further criminal charges, including a human smuggling offence. The maximum penalty for that offence is death.

No victims or their family members were present in the courtroom. Federal Crown Prosecutor Molly Greene declined to comment on the case.

In an agreed statement of facts between the crown and the defence, Greene outlined a common pattern based on victim testimony.

Greene said prospective students typically came from a modest background in Punjab with the desire to study abroad in Canada and were referred to Mishra by family or friends.

Mishra would advise them to apply to multiple schools to ensure they were accepted. Prospective students would provide him with passport information, transcripts and English language test results. They did not apply to any schools themselves.

Greene said prospective students would then be informed that they were accepted into a school, and would collect a letter of acceptance from Mishra's office.

He took fees in exchange for services, including application fees, tuition costs, immigration fees and consulting fees. Families would usually pay in cash without receipts.

Upon arrival in Canada, prospective students would try to enrol in classes at the school only to find out they weren't admitted.

When they would contact Mishra, his responses would vary. In some cases, assisting enrolment in another institution, in other cases avoiding the victims and their families altogether.

Greene said witnesses would make the best of a bad situation by applying to alternate schools and waiting for upcoming semesters to begin.

Mishra and his lawyers said his family remains in India and has been harassed by the family members of his alleged victims.

The CBSA said a task force is still locating all possible victims of Mishra and other fraudsters, but will work to keep them in Canada.

"Our focus will continue to be on helping individuals assessed as genuine students as part of the task force so they can complete their studies in Canada," it said in a statement released last year.

(PTI)

More For You

Minouche Shafik

Shafik served as deputy governor for markets and banking at the Bank of England between August 2014 and February 2017.

Reuters

Starmer appoints Minouche Shafik as chief economic adviser in reshuffle

Highlights:

  • Minouche Shafik named chief economic adviser to Keir Starmer.
  • Darren Jones moves into Downing Street role; James Murray replaces him.
  • Wider reshuffle includes changes in Starmer’s private office and communications.
  • Appointment comes ahead of a budget expected to include further tax rises.

Prime minister Keir Starmer has named Minouche Shafik, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, as his chief economic adviser. The appointment comes as he looks to strengthen his team ahead of what is expected to be a difficult end to the year.

Keep ReadingShow less
modi putin

Before their formal meeting, Putin offered Modi a ride in his Aurus limousine.

X/@narendramodi

Six key takeaways from the SCO summit

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi met Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China.

Modi pressed for ending the Ukraine conflict at the earliest, reaffirmed India’s long-standing ties with Russia, and discussed trade and border issues with Xi.

Keep ReadingShow less
Afghanistan earthquake

Afghan volunteers and Taliban security personnel carry an earthquake victim evacuated by a military helicopter from the Nurgal district of Kunar province onn September 1, 2025.

Getty Images

Afghanistan earthquake kills more than 800, thousands injured

A MAJOR rescue operation was underway in Afghanistan on Monday after a powerful earthquake and several aftershocks destroyed homes in a remote mountainous region, killing more than 800 people, according to Taliban authorities.

The quake struck just before midnight and was felt as far as Kabul and in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ganpati festival

The Ganpati festival celebrates Ganesha as the god of new beginnings, and the god of wisdom and intelligence. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Hindu community centre in London damaged in fire after Ganapati Visarjan event

A HINDU community centre in east London caught fire on Saturday evening, causing major damage to the building. The London Fire Brigade brought the fire under control and confirmed that no injuries were reported.

The incident took place at the Shree Sorathia Prajapati Community Centre on Cleveland Road in Ilford, which had been decorated for a Ganapati Visarjan event attended by members of the Hindu community.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi ,Xi & Putin

Narendra Modi talks with Vladimir Putin and Xi jinping ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in Tianjin on September 1, 2025.

Getty Images

SCO declaration slams Pahalgam attack, calls for united action on terror

Highlights:

  • SCO condemns terror attack in Pahalgam and echoes India’s stance on “double standards”.
  • Leaders call for justice for perpetrators of attacks in Pahalgam and Balochistan.
  • Declaration criticises Israeli military strikes in Gaza causing civilian casualties.
  • SCO stresses UN’s central role in global counter-terrorism strategy.

THE SHANGHAI Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Monday condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam and agreed with India’s position that “double standards” in tackling terrorism are not acceptable.

Keep ReadingShow less