Brijesh Mishra, an Indian immigration agent, has been sentenced to three years in jail after pleading guilty to multiple immigration offenses in Vancouver, Canada. Mishra, 37, was at the center of a scam that defrauded Indian students by issuing fake college admission letters to secure Canadian visas. The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) investigation linked him to dozens of fraudulent acceptance letters for Canadian colleges and universities provided to prospective international students from India between 2016 and 2020.
Dressed in a red jumpsuit, Mishra appeared in a Vancouver courtroom and apologized for his actions. "I'm sorry," he said. "I cannot change the past, but I can make sure I do not do it again in the future." He pleaded guilty to three charges under Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, including misrepresentation and communicating false information, as reported by CBC News.
Mishra was arrested in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023, after entering Canada on a tourist visa that had expired at the time of his arrest. The joint sentencing submission by Crown and defence lawyers, which the judge accepted, called for a three-year prison term. With time served since his arrest, Mishra will spend an additional 19 months in custody.
Following his sentence, Mishra is expected to be deported to India, where he faces further criminal charges, including a human smuggling offense that carries a maximum penalty of death.
No victims or their family members were present in the courtroom during Mishra's sentencing. Federal Crown Prosecutor Molly Greene declined to comment on the case but provided an agreed statement of facts based on victim testimony.
The fraudulent scheme typically targeted students from modest backgrounds in Punjab, India, who wished to study in Canada. Referred to Mishra by family or friends, these students provided passport information, transcripts, and English language test results, believing Mishra would facilitate their admissions. Mishra advised them to apply to multiple schools and collected fees for his services, including application fees, tuition costs, immigration fees, and consulting fees. Payments were usually made in cash without receipts.
Upon arriving in Canada, many students discovered they were not admitted to the schools they believed had accepted them. Mishra's responses varied: in some cases, he helped students enroll in other institutions; in others, he avoided the victims and their families altogether. Despite the setbacks, many students sought to enroll in alternate schools and waited for the next semesters to begin.
The CBSA has formed a task force to locate all possible victims of Mishra and other fraudsters. The agency aims to help genuine students complete their studies in Canada. "Our focus will continue to be on helping individuals assessed as genuine students as part of the task force so they can complete their studies in Canada," the CBSA stated in a release last year. Mishra’s family in India has reportedly faced harassment from the families of his alleged victims.