The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) disclosed on October 23 that it has levied a record CAD 66,000 in administrative penalties against Jaskaran Jit Singh for providing immigration advice without authorization. Seven separate contraventions under the Ontario Immigration Act were cited, each linked to unauthorized representation and misleading information supplied to applicants.
Singh is one of 18 individuals and entities penalised in 2025, with total fines approaching half a million dollars. The crackdown follows amendments that granted OINP inspectors broader investigative powers and raised maximum penalties to CAD 100,000 per offence. Ontario officials say unlicensed advice undermines program integrity and exposes applicants to refusal or misrepresentation bans.
For employers sponsoring workers through OINP streams, the announcement highlights due-diligence obligations when engaging third-party representatives. Corporations should verify that consultants hold active College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) licences and include compliance clauses in vendor contracts. Failure to do so can jeopardize candidate nominations and corporate reputations.
The case also underscores a wider enforcement trend. At the federal level, IRCC has increased site visits and audit triggers tied to fraudulent representation, and provinces such as British Columbia are adopting similar monetary-penalty frameworks. Legal experts expect more cross-jurisdiction information-sharing to identify repeat offenders.
Practical steps for mobility teams include conducting annual licence checks, training HR staff to spot “ghost consultants,” and encouraging employees to report suspicious advice channels. Applicants should be reminded that only lawyers, Quebec notaries and licensed RCICs can represent them for compensation.
Singh is one of 18 individuals and entities penalised in 2025, with total fines approaching half a million dollars. The crackdown follows amendments that granted OINP inspectors broader investigative powers and raised maximum penalties to CAD 100,000 per offence. Ontario officials say unlicensed advice undermines program integrity and exposes applicants to refusal or misrepresentation bans.
For employers sponsoring workers through OINP streams, the announcement highlights due-diligence obligations when engaging third-party representatives. Corporations should verify that consultants hold active College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) licences and include compliance clauses in vendor contracts. Failure to do so can jeopardize candidate nominations and corporate reputations.
The case also underscores a wider enforcement trend. At the federal level, IRCC has increased site visits and audit triggers tied to fraudulent representation, and provinces such as British Columbia are adopting similar monetary-penalty frameworks. Legal experts expect more cross-jurisdiction information-sharing to identify repeat offenders.
Practical steps for mobility teams include conducting annual licence checks, training HR staff to spot “ghost consultants,” and encouraging employees to report suspicious advice channels. Applicants should be reminded that only lawyers, Quebec notaries and licensed RCICs can represent them for compensation.
