Toronto 
If you are using a consultant to file an application for immigration, studying in Canada or citizenship, the new Canadian rules require that your consultants be licensed by the newly created College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.
The government of Canada has created a new system to weed out unscrupulous people who exploit millions of people from across the globe who want to come to Canada. Canada says this is part of an investment of $50 million to fight fraud and new educational tools to help applicants identify fraudulent activity.
The newly created College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants will be the official regulator of immigration and citizenship consultants across the country. All paid consultants must be licensed by the College to work with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The College oversees the conduct of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs).
The College will regulate immigration and citizenship consultants under the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act. It also has new powers and tools to investigate professional misconduct and to discipline consultants.
As per the news release, the College can enter a consultant’s premises to gather information for an investigation, compel witnesses to appear and testify before its Discipline Committee and request court injunctions to address unlicensed actors providing immigration or citizenship advice without authorization.
In addition, there will be a new competency-based graduate diploma program and consultants should hold a bachelor’s degree. The College licensees are also required to complete annual continuing professional development requirements and an annual practice assessment.
What Does This Mean For An Applicant:
The Canadian government has announced that if you’re paying or planning to pay for services by an immigration or citizenship consultant, they must be licensed under the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants and you should confirm they are licensed to practise by the College.
The immigration consultant you are using should be a member in good standing of one of the following:
- a law society of a province or territory (for lawyers or, in Ontario, paralegals)
- the Chambre des notaires du Québec
- the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants
How to Check Whether Immigration Consultant in Good Standing and Licensed
You can check whether your consultant is licensed and in good standing of the College by visiting the College’s website. You should also confirm that the contact information they have given you matches what is on the College’s website.
If you have a complaint about a licensed consultant, you can file a complaint:
- online,
- By email to cd@college-ic.ca
- By fax to 1-877-315-9868, or
- By mail to: 1002-5500 North Service Road, Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7L 6W6
As per Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Citizenship Act, it is an offence for anyone to represent or advise for a fee at any stage of an application or proceeding if they are not a member in good standing of the College, a Canadian law society, or the Chambre des notaires du Québec.
