Five common mistakes in your immigration application that could lead to misrepresentation

Providing incorrect information on your immigration application – even unintentionally – can put you at risk of misrepresentation.

Misrepresentation is a legal term in Canadian immigration.

It refers to providing information to the Government of Canada that is both: untrue, misleading, or incomplete; and could cause an error in applying immigration law to the particular case.

This includes information that the applicant gave or withheld directly, or someone else prepared or provided on behalf of the applicant (for example the Canadian sponsor in family class cases). Even if the applicant did not personally make the misrepresentation error, they may still be held accountable.

Misrepresentation is a serious offence according to section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Not only can it lead to your application getting rejected, but it can also have grave consequences such as fines, charges, being banned to apply for Canadian immigration for five years; and/or ordered to leave Canada.

Misrepresentation is also one of the possible factors that can lead to revocation of Canadian citizenship.

Some examples of misrepresentation include:

• omitting, consciously or not, to include important information in your application
• submitting altered or false documentation
• lying about your health to your physician during your medical exam
• declaring employment or educational experience you do not have