If someone contacts you offering to arrange a job in Canada after you obtain a visitor visa, with a promise to 'convert' that visitor visa into a work permit for a fee, treat it as a red flag:
- Know that an employer or agent can only offer you a job — they cannot approve or guarantee a change from visitor status to a work permit. That decision rests entirely with IRCC, not with any private individual or employer, no matter what they claim.
- Be suspicious of any arrangement where you pay someone upfront (e.g., a flat fee) in exchange for a promised job offer or work permit outcome. Legitimate job offers don't typically require the worker to pay the person arranging them a fee tied to visa conversion.
- If you already have a genuine job offer, apply for a work permit through the normal IRCC process (e.g., through your employer's LMIA or an LMIA-exempt category if applicable) rather than relying on someone's informal promise that a visitor visa will simply convert.
- Report suspected fraud to IRCC or local authorities if you believe someone is charging you for a service they cannot actually deliver.
Immigration fraud schemes evolve, so if an arrangement sounds too easy or requires unusual upfront payments, verify independently with IRCC or a licensed immigration consultant before proceeding.