Canadian immigration officer sentenced to 44 months

George Gonsalves Barriero, 55, demanded CA$2,000 (£1,250) from Brazilian citizen Sidnei Ramalho in March 2010 in order to expedite his Canadian visa application while working for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Mr Ramalho consulted his immigration adviser who told him not to communicate with Barriero again while authorities were consulted.

"He said: 'I want to help you, but you need to help me,'" said Mr Ramalho. "'If you help me, you're going to have a nice letter come to your home.'"

Following an investigation by the RCMP, it emerged that Barriero had previously demanded bribes totalling CA$5,500 from two other previous clients.

Barriero was fired from his position in December 2010 and plead guilty to three charges of breaching the trust of public office in June of this year.

Appearing at the Ontario court of Justice, Justice Andrea Tuck-Jackson sentenced Barreiro to 44 months in prison, labelling his crimes, which were reportedly to fund a Greek holiday, as 'corrupt'.

"This category of offence strikes at the heart of the integrity of government," said Justice Tuck-Jackson. "The reputation of Canada as a nation will not tolerate corruption in government."

Nigel Smith, immigration consultant at the Canadian Visa Bureau, said migrants' vulnerable positions in a new country often leave them open to exploitation.

"It's an unfortunate reality that even government officials can target unsuspecting individuals but scams can be avoided with a little due diligence," said Mr Smith.

"Firstly, any charges should be proper and above board, there should be a written record of any money that changes hands. If you are ever in any doubt, consult an immigration adviser registered with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council before paying."

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The Canadian Visa Bureau is an independent migration consultancy specialising in helping people make their application to the Canadian Embassy.