MONTREAL: Canada's crackdown on immigration fraud has unwittingly snared a Portuguese man living in the country for 32 years who said Tuesday he is being deported over an administrative gaffe.

Married to a Canadian woman, Jose Pereira had four children and several grandchildren in Canada and has never committed a crime.

Public broadcaster Radio-Canada said his permanent residency card expired two years ago during a trip abroad and a replacement was not processed because Pereira did not reply to a letter asking for more information.

The letter had been mailed to him in Portugal, where he had been visiting his sick father, but Pereira had already returned to Canada by the time it arrived.

It wasn't until this year, when he applied for Canadian citizenship, that he learned of the letter and the consequences of not replying: deportation for alleged "immigration fraud."

After having spent 32 of his 58 years in Canada, he must now sell his house in Saint-Roch-de-Richelieu, Quebec, northeast of Montreal, and return to his birth country with his wife in the coming weeks.

"They're kicking me out and treating me like a criminal, it makes no sense," he told Radio-Canada.

According to Canadian immigration lawyer Stephane Handfield, Pereira did not abuse the system, but rather thought he was following all the rules. - AFP

• Bernanke says Fed likely to reduce bond buying this year
• US stocks down after Bernanke hints at slowing stimulus
• Assore - Assmang approves ferromanganese joint venture in Malaysia
• Malaysia-Market factors to watch on June 20(Thursday)
• Kulim to take New Britain Palm Oil Ltd private?
• Nusa Gapurna rejects PKNS offer to up stake in PJ Sentral
• AirAsia wants no further delays in opening of new low-cost terminal KLIA2
• AirAsia signs RM27.5bil engine deal
• AirAsia X shares worth up to RM1.66 each
• Use of psychometrics assessment for employees can be controversial
• Low bids for Hwang-DBS due to the banking group’s poor Q3 results
• Reality check on Asean Economic Community, is it rather ambitious?
• Sumatec shareholders to vote on Kazakhstan oil and gas asset buy
• Genting’s Aussie move a surprise
• 3 parties said to be in talks to take over Luster

• Assange says WikiLeaks assisting Snowden asylum bid
• Kim Dotcom slams Megaupload 'data massacre'
• Study: Jordan teens still 'honour killings' justified

• Paul Revington is glad to be back to train the Malaysian team
• Heavy task on Faizal’s shoulders
• Singapore Open: Chong Wei Feng fights to survive
• Rachel owes her rich vein of form to change in technique
• Future looks gloomy for men’s squash when Beng Hee calls it a day
• Gavin Green confident he can take on title-holders this weekend
• Zhang switches focus on developing golf in China
• Thaworn hopes to find his ‘A’ game in Selangor Masters
• Khairy: RM8mil to be forked out for Sukma due to lack of sponsorship
• A chance for local cyclists to shine
• Rahul survives weekend of harsh hurdles in Norfolk
• MGF set wheels in motion to unearth young talents
• Steady as Jie goes
• Ferrer loses title after opening round loss
• Heat edge Spurs in overtime to force Game 7 in NBA Finals

• Please wait.

• Nightmare over topless pictures
• Singapore's air turns "hazardous" as Indonesian fires rage
• We need to be careful about cosmetic surgery
• Use of psychometrics assessment for employees can be controversial
• ‘Body buried 13 storeys deep’
• NS trainee gives birth in camp toilet
• Another flash mob ahead of gathering
• Assore - Assmang approves ferromanganese joint venture in Malaysia
• Sumatec shareholders to vote on Kazakhstan oil and gas asset buy
• 3 parties said to be in talks to take over Luster