Five charged in Canada visa fraud
An alleged immigration fraud network that sought to secure Canadian visas for 209 Bangladeshi nationals through false claims and forged documents has led to criminal charges against five individuals, Canada’s border agency has announced.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said on 22 October 2026 that the accused were allegedly involved in submitting 243 temporary resident visa (TRV) applications across Quebec and Ontario, falsely identifying Canadian citizens as hosts for applicants.
Four of the accused – Rashel Mirza, Mohammed Aminul Islam, Md Mudassar Alam Bhuiyan and Kazi Nafeez Alam – appeared at the Valleyfield courthouse in Quebec on 22 October, according to the agency.
The fifth, Md Rakibul Hassan, is reportedly in Bangladesh, and an arrest warrant has been issued for him.
Given the scale and complexity of the alleged operation, investigators focused their formal evidence on 79 of the 243 visa applications, which the CBSA described as the most probative.
The investigation began on 3 July 2024, when CBSA officers, accompanied by police and fire department personnel from Mercier, Quebec, conducted a compliance and control check at a private residence.
After identifying possible violations of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the agency launched a criminal investigation in August 2024.
On 3 June 2025, CBSA criminal investigators executed four search warrants across Quebec and Ontario. Documents and computer equipment seized during the searches allegedly connected the five individuals to the scheme, the agency said.
The accused face charges involving conspiracy to organise illegal entry into Canada, counselling misrepresentation in immigration applications and counselling violations of the IRPA.
The charges relate to provisions of the law covering the organisation or facilitation of illegal entry, knowingly assisting or encouraging misrepresentation or the concealment of material facts, and knowingly assisting or encouraging violations of immigration legislation.
The CBSA said it initiated 191 criminal investigations into suspected offences under the IRPA in 2025 and opened a further 55 between 1 January and 30 June 2026.
The agency urged members of the public to report suspected immigration fraud through its Border Watch line at 1-888-502-9060 or via its secure online reporting form.
