How to Ensure Your Immigration Representative is Authorized

When applying for immigration to Canada, you might choose to hire a professional immigration representative to assist with the process. While this can be a helpful decision, it’s important to ensure your representative is legally authorized to act on your behalf. This guide will explain what an immigration representative does, who can act as one, and how to verify their credentials.

What is an Immigration Representative?

An immigration representative is someone who assists you with your immigration case by:

• Providing advice on the best steps for your immigration journey,
• Completing application forms on your behalf,
• Communicating with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and other immigration officials, and
• Representing you in official immigration hearings.

If you choose to use a representative, you must declare this in your immigration application using the appropriate form.

Who Can Act as an Immigration Representative?

Immigration representatives can be paid or unpaid.

• Unpaid Representatives: Friends, family, or other individuals can act as your representative as long as they do not receive compensation.
• Paid Representatives: Must be legally authorized to act in this role under Canadian law. This includes:
• Lawyers and paralegals licensed by a provincial or territorial law society,
• Citizenship and immigration consultants licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), and
• Notaries licensed by the Chambre des notaries du Québec.

Using an unauthorized paid representative or failing to declare a representative can lead to the refusal of your immigration application.

How to Verify Your Immigration Representative’s Credentials

1. Lawyers and Paralegals

To verify a lawyer or paralegal, visit the IRCC webpage that lists links to the law societies in each province and territory. From there:

• Select the relevant law society,
• Enter the representative’s name, registration number, and other details to confirm their status.

Look for information such as:

• Practicing status (e.g., “practicing lawyer” or “practicing paralegal”),
• Membership type, and
• Discipline history, if available.

If you are unable to find their credentials, contact the law society directly for assistance.

2. Citizenship and Immigration Consultants

Consultants must be registered with the CICC. To verify their credentials:

• Visit the CICC directory page,
• Enter the consultant’s name or ID number, and
• Confirm their status as “active” and entitled to practice.

For details about consultant license levels (e.g., Class L1 to L6) and their permissions, visit the CICC website.

3. Notaries

Notaries in Canada are specific to Quebec and must be authorized by the Chambre des notaries du Québec.

• Visit their directory page,
• Enter the notary’s name or other details to confirm their registration and standing.

Declaring Your Use of a Representative

When using an immigration representative (paid or unpaid), you must declare this to IRCC.

• Complete the Use of a Representative form available on IRCC’s website.
• Ensure the information is accurate and signed by you.

If you appoint a representative after applying, submit the form electronically through IRCC’s web form. To cancel a representative, update the same form and resubmit it.

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Representative

While using a representative does not speed up the processing of your application or influence the decision, there are other benefits:

• Expert Guidance: A professional can help you avoid mistakes and ensure your application is complete.
• Time Savings: They handle time-consuming tasks like form submissions and communication with IRCC.
• Reduced Stress: An experienced representative can simplify the process and reduce the risk of delays or refusals.

Protect Yourself from Immigration Scams

Newcomers to Canada are often targeted by fraudulent consultants. Ensure you:

• Verify your representative’s credentials through the appropriate regulatory body,
• Avoid unlicensed representatives offering paid services, and
• Report suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.

For more information on how to protect yourself, visit IRCC’s fraud prevention resources.