Canada moves to bolster regulation of immigration consultants

The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) is set to become the new regulatory body for immigration and citizenship consultants in Canada. This follows a September 2019 vote by members of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) to approve the transition to the new college. The CICC will be an arms-length institution mandated to regulate the profession in the public interest by protecting both the public and consultants in good standing from dishonest actors who take advantage of vulnerable people.

“Today’s announcement reaffirms that our Government is committed to the implementation of a new professional governance regime. We’re taking decisive action to hold immigration and citizenship consultants to account by improving oversight and increasing accountability to protect both the public and consultants in good standing from dishonest consultants who are taking advantage of vulnerable people.” – Marco Mendicino, Minister of Immigration

Legislation approving the creation of the new watchdog body was initially introduced in 2019 by the Canadian government. The CICC is intended to regulate consultants while enhancing powers to “provide professional oversight, enforcement, investigations and governance for citizenship and immigration consultants across Canada and abroad.”

While both the government and the ICCRC are both now poised for the transition, the ICCRC remains the current regulatory authority over regulated Canadian immigration consultants until the the CICC formally opens, which is anticipated in 2021.

Creation of the new, self-regulatory College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants was tabled in Parliament in 2019, after a Globe and Mail investigative report revealed “unscrupulous” activity among a minority of consultants accused of exploiting some 2,600 foreign workers and students, both in Canada and abroad.

The Globe and Mail found that many workers and students handed over large sums of money to rogue consultants on the understanding that they would be able to work or study in Canada, or to obtain permanent residence. However, many of those who made it to Canada found that they had been lied to, resulting in them being stuck in jobs they didn’t apply to, wages being withheld, or other outcomes.

Who to trust?

Licensed immigration consultants, as well as lawyers, are authorized to provide representation on immigration and refugee cases.

Moving2Canada has partnered with a small selection of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants who continue to help individuals and families fulfil their Canadian immigration goals, whether it is to work, study, immigrate permanently, transition to citizenship, or overcome an inadmissibility issue.

The consultants we work with are valued for their experience, knowledge of Canadian immigration programs, cost-effective solutions, and high quality of service.

To learn more about the consultants we work with, and to book a consultation, please visit this page.

We also have guides on immigration representatives, including regulated consultants and lawyers, to help potential applicants for immigration to Canada:

• What is a representative?
• Do you need a consultant?
• Questions to ask before hiring a representative
• Red flags to avoid