'We didn’t come here for this' Indian immigration agents in Canada targeted by extortion and violence

Indian immigration agents working with the Indo-Canadian community in and around Toronto and Vancouver are increasingly finding themselves the targets of violent extortion and threats, sparking fear and uncertainty in a profession already under strain.

On January 3, an alarming incident occurred in Brampton, part of the Greater Toronto Area, when immigration consultant Vikram Sharma’s home was fired upon by an unknown masked gunman. Witnesses reported that eight to nine bullets struck the property, damaging Sharma’s vehicle and garage just after 1:30 a.m., leaving the family shaken.

Shortly after the shooting, Sharma received a chilling WhatsApp extortion message demanding CA$500,000, accompanied by a video displaying the shooting at his house. The anonymous sender warned that his family would be in further danger if the money was not paid.

Speaking in Punjabi in an off-camera interview, Sharma expressed his dismay, saying, “We didn’t come to Canada for this. We came for the peace, for the system,” and added that the episode had fundamentally changed his family’s sense of safety. Shocked by the attack and ongoing threats, Sharma and his family are believed to have left Canada last week, just over three years after their arrival.

Sharma’s case is not isolated. According to Brampton-based journalist Nitin Chopra, several other immigration consultants in the region have reported being targeted by extortionists, although not all incidents involved overt violence.

Similar reports of threats and coercive calls have emerged from Mississauga in Ontario and Surrey in British Columbia, indicating a broader pattern affecting professionals throughout the country. These incidents include demands for money and intimidation tactics, creating lasting anxiety within the Indo-Canadian community.

Authorities are also responding to a wider wave of extortion-related violence and shootings that have targeted South Asian businesses and professionals across Canada, including British Columbia. Law enforcement units, such as the Canada Border Services Agency and regional police forces, have been investigating these crimes and have removed several suspects from the country in extortion probes.

The rise in extortion attempts and violent incidents has drawn concern from community leaders and residents alike, highlighting a complex challenge that intersects crime, immigration pressures, and fears within one of Canada’s largest immigrant communities.

As this situation unfolds, many immigration professionals are urging authorities to do more to protect consultants and the clients they serve, while families like the Sharmas weigh whether Canada can still offer the peace and security they originally sought.