Key Takeaways:
- A Brazilian family, the Meiras, hired a licensed immigration consultant, Ana Raquel Aparico Perdomo, to help them obtain permanent residence in Canada, but she failed to do her job properly, leading to their possible deportation.
- The family had been living in Ottawa for nine years, working and raising a family, but their immigration status was compromised due to Perdomo’s negligence.
- The consultant’s license was revoked by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) due to "non-responsiveness" after she failed to respond to the College’s request for information.
- The Meiras are now facing deportation and are relying on the generosity of friends and a crowdfunding campaign to pay for an immigration lawyer to plead their case.
- The incident highlights the importance of doing due diligence and research when hiring an immigration consultant, and the need for stricter regulations to protect vulnerable clients.
Introduction to the Meira Family’s Story
The Meira family, consisting of Paulo, Leila, and their three daughters, had built a life in Ottawa, Canada, after moving from Brazil in 2016. Leila was issued a religious worker visa to work with the Shivitei Israel Congregation, and Paulo’s application for an open work permit was approved shortly after. They had been living and working in Canada for nine years, with their daughters growing up and attending school. However, their lives were turned upside down when they hired a licensed immigration consultant, Ana Raquel Aparico Perdomo, to help them obtain permanent residence.
The Consultant’s Negligence
Perdomo, who was accredited by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) in 2021, told the Meiras that they didn’t qualify for an express entry application for skilled workers, but that she could help them obtain permanent residence based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. She quoted the family $3,000 to deal with their immigration matters, but after receiving the full payment, she became unresponsive. The family tried to contact her multiple times, but she failed to respond, and eventually, her office was found to be empty, with no forwarding address. It was later discovered that Perdomo had posted photos on Facebook, indicating that she was in Italy, while the Meiras were left to deal with the consequences of her negligence.
The Consequences of Perdomo’s Actions
The Meiras’ immigration status was compromised due to Perdomo’s failure to submit their application and pay their biometric fees. They received a letter from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) informing them that they had lost their temporary resident status and must leave the country voluntarily or face enforcement action. Paulo lost his job, Leila had to quit her job, and their eldest daughter, Ester, lost her job as well. The family is now relying on the generosity of friends and a crowdfunding campaign to pay for an immigration lawyer to plead their case.
The Consultant’s License Revocation
The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) suspended Perdomo’s license in June 2023, following a complaint from another client, and revoked it in November 2023, due to her "non-responsiveness" to the College’s request for information. The CICC emphasized that they do not provide immigration advice, process applications, or influence decisions made by IRCC. The organization’s manager, Stef Lach, stated that they understand the gravity of the situation the Meiras are facing, but emphasized the importance of doing due diligence and research when hiring an immigration consultant.
The Meiras’ Options and the Future
Ottawa immigration lawyer Warren Creates stated that the Meiras’ situation is "tragic" and that they have few options. He suggested that they could try to find an empathetic employer willing to go through the process of applying for government approval to hire a temporary worker, but they may have to return to Brazil until the approval comes through. However, even this option is a long shot, as the federal government is making it harder to get temporary work permits and has accelerated the pace of deportations. The Meiras’ story highlights the importance of doing due diligence and research when hiring an immigration consultant and the need for stricter regulations to protect vulnerable clients.