Canada’s immigration authorities have issued a fresh warning against marriage fraud, cautioning Canadian citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals about the legal consequences of entering into relationships primarily to obtain immigration status.
IRCC warns against ‘relationships of convenience’
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says a “relationship of convenience” can include a marriage, common-law partnership or conjugal relationship entered into mainly to help a foreign national immigrate to Canada, rather than being based on a genuine relationship.
The department has advised potential sponsors to exercise caution, particularly if they have recently met a prospective partner, are being pressured to marry quickly, or if the person has a history of multiple marriages or common-law relationships. IRCC also flags situations where a prospective partner shares little information about their family or personal background.
Immigration officers use interviews and document checks
According to IRCC, immigration officers are trained to identify fraudulent applications and can use document verification and interviews with both sponsors and applicants to assess whether a relationship is genuine.
The department states that Canadian citizens or permanent residents involved in a relationship of convenience for immigration purposes may be charged with a crime.
For foreign applicants, IRCC says a false marriage can result in a visa refusal and potentially a five-year ban on travelling to Canada.
Punjab cases have raised concerns over contract marriages
The warning comes amid reports of alleged contract marriages involving couples from Punjab, where families have claimed that marriages were entered into with the expectation of facilitating immigration to Canada.
In some reported cases, the groom is described as being unable to meet certain immigration or language requirements and allegedly financially supports a prospective bride’s education and travel, expecting her to later facilitate his move to Canada through spousal sponsorship.
In some cases, families have alleged that the relationship breaks down after the woman reaches Canada, resulting in disputes, legal proceedings or police complaints in India. These are individual allegations and should not be treated as evidence that genuine marriages or sponsorships are fraudulent.
Canada continues to focus on immigration system integrity
IRCC has identified fraudulent applications, supporting documents and relationships of convenience among issues connected with potential misuse of immigration programmes.
The department also reminds sponsors that agreeing to sponsor a spouse or partner creates financial obligations under a legal undertaking with the Canadian government.
Abuse victims do not have to remain in a relationship
At the same time, IRCC has clarified that people facing domestic abuse do not have to remain in an abusive relationship to retain their Canadian immigration status.
The department says sponsored spouses and partners have the right to seek help and do not need to continue living with an abusive Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsor to maintain permanent resident status.