The Tourist Airport Immigration Lawyer(Canada) made me pay $1000 for refundable deposit fee, should I pay?

Question

The Tourist Airport Immigration Lawyer(Canada) made me pay $1000 for refundable deposit fee, should I pay?

Answer 1

Have you come to Canada as a tourist?  Immigration would not be involved unless you are immigrating.  You call it a 'refundable' fee so I wonder if you paid this and will receive it back when you leave the country.  It could be insurance that you are only a tourist and do not plan to live here permanently

Answer 2

Sounds like a rip off. You should only deal with Canada Customs and Immigration.

Answer 3

I'm confused by this, and I'm a lawyer. "Refundable deposit fee" of a thousand dollars? For what services? In what capacity are you dealing with this person? Where did you come across him, and under what circumstances?

If this is a retainer for legitimate legal work, then yes, you pay. Lawyers generally require money up front because people have a nasty habit of not paying up once their problems are resolved. So it's not uncommon to pay your lawyer some money up front. Generally, it's not refundable - it goes toward paying the lawyer's bill for services rendered.  "Refundable deposit fee" doesn't even make sense. What are you making a deposit on? And a "refundable fee"? Fees, by definition, aren't refunded.  

But a "tourist airport immigration lawyer" is a position I've never even heard of. I'm not sure how you came across this person or the reasons for which you're dealing with him, but I suspect a scam of some sort. Especially so if this is something stemming  from an e-mail or website communication. Of course, this might be entirely legitimate and you've just done a bad job of explaining it, but from what you've said, my scam-alert is going off the charts.