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Canada’s border security agency has charged five people over alleged immigration fraud involving 209 Bangladeshi nationals and 243 temporary visa applications submitted in Quebec and Ontario.
The accused allegedly used false information and forged documents to facilitate visa applications by misrepresenting themselves as Canadian citizens inviting or hosting the applicants, according to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
The agency disclosed the charges on October 22.
Four of the accused — Rashel Mirza, Mohammad Aminul Islam, Md Mudasar Alam Bhuiyan and Kazi Nafiz Alam — appeared before the Valleyfield court in Quebec on October 22. The fifth accused, Md Rakibul Hasan, is reportedly in Bangladesh, and an arrest warrant has been issued against him.
The CBSA said investigators gathered evidence to support formal charges focusing on 79 of the 243 visa applications, which they considered the most significant to the case.
The investigation began after authorities conducted routine checks at a residence in Mercier, Quebec, on July 3, 2024. CBSA officers, along with local police and firefighters, took part in the operation.
A criminal investigation was launched in August 2024 after authorities found potential evidence of violations of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
On June 3, 2025, investigators executed four search warrants in Quebec and Ontario. Documents and computer equipment seized during the searches allegedly linked the five accused to the fraud scheme, the agency said.
The charges include conspiracy to facilitate unlawful entry into Canada, counselling misrepresentation in immigration applications, and aiding or abetting violations of immigration law. The allegations have yet to be proven in court.
According to the CBSA, 191 criminal investigations into suspected violations of Canadian immigration law were launched in 2025. Another 55 investigations were initiated between January 1 and June 30, 2026.
Source: Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)