{"id":2043,"date":"2026-11-10T17:52:58","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T17:52:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/fake-job-offer-lmia-misrepresentation\/"},"modified":"2026-11-10T21:56:59","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T21:56:59","slug":"fake-job-offer-lmia-misrepresentation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/fake-job-offer-lmia-misrepresentation\/","title":{"rendered":"Work permit refused over a fake job offer or LMIA: your options and the 15- or 60-day deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a>, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation \u00b7 Reviewed November 10, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2024, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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The fix:<\/strong> a full answer to the fairness letter before the decision, and judicial review in the Federal Court if you are refused or banned. A judge can set aside a “not genuine” finding or a misrepresentation ban and send the file back to a different officer.<\/p>\n

The deadline:<\/strong> the date in the fairness letter for your answer. After the decision, 15 days from notice if you are in Canada, 60 days if outside (IRPA s.72<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Why a lawyer:<\/strong> only a lawyer can take this to the Federal Court, and what you say about the agent or employer can help or hurt you. Why a lawyer<\/a><\/p>\n

Book a consultation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The lawyers who review these refusals<\/p>\n

\"SundeepSundeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PrabhpreetPrabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PardeepPardeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
\nAbout our lawyers<\/summary>\n
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Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.<\/p>\n

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a><\/strong> focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

If you paid an agent, recruiter or employer for a job offer or an LMIA, and IRCC now says the offer is not genuine, the employer does not exist, or the documents were fraudulent, you may be facing either a plain refusal or a misrepresentation finding with a five-year ban. Which one you have changes everything. Before a decision, the answer to the fairness letter is your chance to show what you knew and did not know. After a decision, the remedy is judicial review<\/a> within 15 days in Canada or 60 days outside, and only a lawyer can represent you. This guide covers LMIA-based and LMIA-exempt work permits and job offers used for Express Entry.<\/p>\n

Lawgical Law Corporation<\/a>, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, answers fake job offer letters and challenges misrepresentation findings in the Federal Court for workers in Canada and abroad; this guide is by Pardeep S. Grewal.<\/p>\n

What does a fake job offer refusal say?<\/h2>\n

There are two kinds of decisions, and the wording tells you which one you have. In a plain refusal under section 200(5) of the Regulations, the officer is not satisfied the job offer is genuine and refuses the permit. In a misrepresentation decision under section 40, the officer goes further: the documents were false or the job never existed, and you are banned for five years. Officers often find these through site visits, calls to the employer, or open-source searches.<\/p>\n

You will often see phrases like these in the notes:<\/p>\n