SURREY, Canada (Diya TV) — A British Columbia immigration consultant whose license was permanently revoked for serious misconduct continues to own and promote his immigration consultancy business — and is now planning to expand.
Raghbir Singh Bharowal, a former licensed immigration consultant, had his credentials permanently stripped by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) on Sept. 27, 2024. The disciplinary committee found that Bharowal engaged in repeated misconduct, including threatening clients, overcharging fees, and withholding documents, including a passport, until full payment was made.
According to the CICC disciplinary report, three former clients alleged they were charged as much as $40,000 for services between 2019 and 2020. In two cases, the clients worked at Manitoba-based John White Trucking and claimed Bharowal threatened to cancel their visas or withdraw their permanent residency applications if they complained about working conditions. One was reportedly told to “keep his mouth shut” or risk deportation.
As a result, Bharowal was ordered to pay $68,875 in restitution to former clients and $50,000 to the college, on top of legal fees. The college later filed its disciplinary decision in federal court, citing Bharowal’s non-compliance and seeking an injunction.
Despite the ban, Bharowal still lists himself as the owner of Bharowal Immigration Solution and continues to advertise services online. His image dominates the firm’s Surrey storefront, and his LinkedIn profile incorrectly states he is still a licensed consultant. The firm boasts over 300,000 followers on TikTok, where Bharowal appears in promotional videos. It recently announced plans to open a second office in Kamloops.
The situation exposes a glaring loophole in Canada’s immigration consulting regulations. Under current rules, individuals without a CICC license can legally own and operate immigration consulting firms — they’re just not allowed to personally offer immigration advice.
“He’s benefiting, profiting off immigration consulting even though the college has deemed he’s somebody who should not be engaging in immigration services,” said Eoin Logan, an immigration negligence lawyer with KSW Lawyers, located near Bharowal’s firm.
Logan argues this regulatory gap puts the public at risk. “Immigration consulting companies don’t have to be owned by immigration consultants; they can be owned by anybody,” he said. Unlike law firms, which in British Columbia must be owned or majority-controlled by licensed lawyers, immigration consultancies face no such restrictions.
The CICC confirmed that while it can issue cease-and-desist letters and pursue court orders against unauthorized practitioners, it cannot currently prevent unlicensed individuals from owning firms. In a statement, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said it “intends to introduce new rules to penalize paid representatives who break the law when offering representation or advising on immigration or citizenship applications.”
Sources told CBC News that Ottawa is considering a bylaw that would prevent unlicensed individuals from owning or operating immigration consulting businesses. Advocates say these changes are long overdue.
“We have people who probably spent their whole life savings to come to Canada, and then they are fraudulently mistreated,” said Hugo Velazquez, director of family settlement at MOSAIC, a Vancouver-based newcomer support agency. He’s urging the CICC to conduct more firm-level audits and take stronger enforcement action.
As regulatory reform inches forward, critics warn that the current system leaves vulnerable newcomers exposed to potential abuse. Bharowal’s ongoing visibility and expansion plans highlight what some say is a serious flaw in Canada’s immigration oversight.
