Why use a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant?

Once you have made the decision to enter Canada as a student, worker or permanent resident you are faced with choices and hurdles. Canada has a number of options available to potential immigrants, and navigating the information can be overwhelming. There are no requirements to retain an Authorized Representative for any Canadian immigration applications; however, an Authorized Representative could save you time and money.

If you choose to hire an Authorized Representative to assist you with the Canadian immigration process, he or she must be one of the following:

• Regulated immigration consultant who are members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council;
• Lawyer or paralegal who is a member in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society; or
• Notary who is a member in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec;

The Canadian government will not deal with representatives who charge for their services and are not members of one of the above groups.

Choosing who to use as an Authorized Representative is a big decision. Your first step is to ensure the person you wish to retain meets one of the above criteria. Secondly, do some research to be sure your potential Representative is knowledgeable about the area of immigration that applies to your specific case. Because there are numerous paths in Canadian immigration combined with constantly changing law and regulations, it is important that you are represented by someone who keeps their knowledge current. RCIC's practice and specialize in Canadian immigration law only.

Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) must constantly upgrade their knowledge to remain in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). The CICC is a regulatory body put in place to protect consumers. Moving to a new country is a big decision, make sure you give yourself the best start and do some research first. You can verify a lawyer through the respective law society website and an RCIC through the CICC website.

NOTE: Do not risk your application by having any unauthorized representative filling in your forms. Once an application is refused, a permanent record is created. Seek professional help from a Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant today!