Heather Wright/The Independent

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was edited July 10 to include comments from the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants

Two men are facing immigration and criminal charges after Lambton College tipped authorities off about a student immigration scam.

College officials called the Canada Border Services Agency in February 2025, about students who had dealt with immigration consultants.

“Investigators interviewed the victims and launched an extensive  investigation,” says CBSA in a news release. “Two individuals are alleged to have taken money from international students by falsely promising the funds would be used to pay their tuition fees. Victims were provided with fraudulent enrollment documents but were not enrolled in the post-secondary programs that had been promised.”

The call from Lambton College to the CBSA came two years after Lambton had one of its largest student bodies in its history. In the 2023-2024 school year, Lambton attracted about 7,500 international students to its partner colleges in Toronto. Another 3,050 international students made Sarnia their home that school year, taking in many of Lambton’s business programs curated for their needs. 

In 2024, the federal government admitted the program was out of control with nearly one million students in the country, cutting the number of student visas to 360,000.

After interviewing the victims at Lambton College in 2025, CBSA officers executed two search warrants at Ontario homes and businesses and collected evidence of the allegedly fraudulent scheme from electronic devices. More warrants were obtained to examine the digital forensic data extracted from those devices.

CBSA officials say the victims lost about $126,000.

June 2, two men, Hardik Dave of Cambridge and Jainishkumar Patel, 35, of London, were charged. Each face 12 charges, four counts each of fraud over $5,000, uttering forged documents, counselling misrepresentation under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Dave is scheduled to appear in court in London July 10.

CBSA officials say Patel is believed to have fled the country and is wanted on an arrest warrant.

According to the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, Patel – a registered Canadian Immigration Consultant – received his licence in Dec. 2021 and has worked for Pascal Immigration Inc since 2022. The website claims the business “brings over 15 years of experience serving prospective Canadian immigrants with ethical, timely, and competent representation for immigration and resettlement with branches in Canada, UAE & India.”

Dave is not a registered immigration consultant and is listed online as the founder of Hd Financial and HD Overseas, an immigration services company based out of India which claims to help clients find “excellent educational facilities” among other things.

So far the college has yet to launch its own charges against Patel. In a statement the college says it “takes these kinds of allegations very seriously. We will review the facts of this case and take appropriate regulatory action to protect the public.”

The CBSA says between April 1 and March 31, 2026, the agency opened 161 criminal investigations into suspected offences under the Immigration Act.

• The CBSA is responsible for identifying, investigating and pursuing the prosecution of individuals and entities that are connected to immigration fraud, organized crime and other violations of the Customs Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
• Individuals who violate Canada’s immigration laws are subject to serious consequences, including criminal charges, court fines, probation, imprisonment and a criminal record. 
• Between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026, the CBSA opened 161 criminal investigations into suspected offences under the IRPA.
• Canada is investing $1.3 billion to bolster security at the border and strengthen the immigration system, all while keeping Canadians safe. Information on the Border Plan is available here: The Government of Canada’s Border Plan: significant investments to strengthen border security and our immigration system.
• If you have information about suspicious cross-border activity, please contact the CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.