The Punjabi diaspora is front runner in this business.
Faridkot
“If you want to migrate to Canada without IELTS, contact us” reads the status of one of my friends.
“I shall provide LMIA(Labour Market Impact Assessment) of supervisor to you, but two of you shall work for me for two years at my farm. You would be provided free accomodation, food, transport and your taxes would be paid by me," there is another offer to the Canadian aspirants by a close relative, in response to a query.
This way, if a couple works for two years free of cost at a farm, it would end up paying about 115200 canadian dollars in two years, making roughly Rs 69 lakh, minus food, accomodation and paying tax by the employer.
This calculation goes as, 30 CAD for two persons for one hour, 5 days and 20 days a month , for 24 months.
How they would survive in life without getting any pence, is worrisome and questionable.
But there is no advance payment for the deal.
“I have struck a deal for Rs 35 lakh with my Canadian employer who will give me LMIA and complete all formalities till I get PR,” said a youth from Bathinda village, a graduate, who contacted to me to have some photos clicked on fields showing him doing agriculture job, ie,spraying, broadcasting fertilizers and driving tractors.
Jaspreet Singh(name changed) struck a deal with a Canadian Citizen to buy LMIA for unskilled workers last year, but there was no response. He again updated his application and got Visa in less than a month.
He is all jubilant and now claims to arrange some more for Canadian aspirants.
Jaspreet was not alone. Even some of his friends and acquaintances also bought such LMIAs for Rs 25 lakh and were successful in getting a visa to immigrate to Canada.
This is the legalized business of the PRs or Canadian citizens, particularly of Punjabi diaspora, whose greed always turns to avarice to loot their people.
The Labour Market Impact Assessment is a document is a legal way on which the employers can seek skilled and unskilled workers for their business. Though it is a very good initiative of the Canadian government to cater to the needs of the Canadian businesses, where there is a shortage of the workers, it is being misused and manipulated by its citizens.
Instead of turning to the deserving candidates, the employers allegedly look for people who can pay hefty amounts to them.
The amount for Skilled and unskilled workers vary between Rs 20 lakh to 35 lakh.
Where the aspirants are directly in touch with the employer, the deal may go a bit low and if there is a mediator between the two parties, the commision is there.In such cases, the buyers of LIMA end up paying more while the employer may get a bit less.
But the people say that those who can not afford to somehow immigrate to Canada on study visas or in some other category, the opportunity is worth grabbing.
However, the sources said that the immigrants are further exploited by the employers in Canada.
“They just pay about 1000 CAD per month for their work while the minimum wages are Rs 14 to 15 CAD per hour, which makes CAD 2400 per month. The rest of the amount is deducted by the employers for accomodation and food., though the formalities are completed on paper in a proper way,” claimed a source.
It is also questionable how such huge amounts find a way to Canada from India as money may not be transferred through legal ways by banks because of the big tax deduction.
Even one employer may avail and sell many LIMAs offshore, India or Punjab.