Scams selling fake jobs to foreign workers may be operating outside Canada

A recurring scheme offering temporary foreign workers jobs in exchange for excessive fees appears to extend beyond Canada's borders.

A number of consultants operating in Canada have been accused of offering foreign workers jobs in exchange for money. Immigration lawyers and agencies are warning that the practice is becoming more common.

The scams often involve the sale labour market impact assessments (LMIAs), a federal document Canadian employers apply for when looking to hire a foreign worker.

Selling an LMIA is illegal in Canada — but the scam appears to be operating outside the country as well.

Wisdom Ogbogbaidi of Lagos, Nigeria told CBC News he was duped by one such scam. The 31-year-old said he was approached in a community Facebook group last year by a man claiming to be a travel agent who specialized in providing visas to Canada and the U.K.

«There was a kind of trust I had for him because he is from my [community group],» Ogbogbaidi told CBC News.

«There were some reasons that made me believe he is not going to do me harm.»

Ogbogbaidi said the man suggested there was a job opening for him with a Canadian construction company through Canada's temporary foreign worker program, and that he would be able to bring his girlfriend with him. Ogbogbaidi said the man told him he'd have to pay up front to cover security clearances, medical checks and other administrative fees.

After paying the requested fees, Ogbogbaidi said, the supposed travel agent told him in December that an official letter of offer was coming but he would have to pay an additional fee for it. Ogbogbaidi said it was at this point that he started to become suspicious.

«I wasn't comfortable and I told him I'm not going to pay,» he said.

In February of this year,