Dear Mr Brown,

I heard that the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) is coming to an end. I know that you are legitimate, as I have done my research and I know persons who used you and who speak highly of your service. However, I am concerned about all these new recruiters who seem to be popping up everywhere in Jamaica. I find this quite problematic because I have a few friends who have been victims of some of these said “recruiters”, which led to me telling them about you and your service.

If ICCRC ends, how will we know who is a legitimate immigration professional? Also, due to so many of my friends getting through to study in Canada with your assistance, I, too, am finally ready to study in Toronto. Therefore, I would like your guidance.

— KH

Dear KH:

As per your concern about the ICCRC coming to an end and its associated implications, Canada’s minister of immigration, Ahmed Hussen, recently addressed changes to the existing immigration regulatory framework, including: The enforcement of rules; the provision of oversight; and the provision of recourse.

Therefore, proposed changes will be in the form of a federal statute — a legal framework that is a precondition for broad equivalency with other professions.

The goal is to protect Canadians, prospective newcomers and good-standing immigration and citizenship consultants against the fraudulent, unlicensed and unregulated consultants who prey on vulnerable applicants.

College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (the College)

The new legislation would create the College as the official watchdog of consultants.

ICCRC would transition into the College with enhanced powers and tools for oversight, enforcement and investigation, and expanded authority to identify unauthorised (ghost) immigration and citizenship consultants and hold them accountable for their actions.

The ICCRC has been working very closely with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) over the last few months to achieve this.

The new law would aim to:

• Create a licensing regime for immigration and citizenship consultants.

• Require licensees to comply with a code of professional conduct established by the minister of immigration.

• Authorise the College’s Complaints Committee to conduct investigations into a licensee’s conduct and activities.

• Authorise the College’s Discipline Committee to take or require action if it determines that a licensee has committed professional misconduct or was incompetent.

• Prohibit individuals who aren’t licensed from representing themselves as authorised or licensed consultants.

I will provide more information regarding new development in due course.

Humber College Seminar

With regard to your interest in studying in Toronto, Humber College is one of Canada’s top destinations for education. We have hundreds of students from Jamaica enrolled there each year. As the local agent of Humber, I will be hosting a seminar for Humber College in Kingston at the Knutsford Court Hotel on April 26, 2019 at 7:00 pm. Should you be interested, you may speak with a Humber representative.

Please visit jamaica2canada.com for additional information on Canadian Permanent Residence programmes, including Express Entry, The Study & Work programme, Visas or Appeals, etc.

Antonn Brown, BA, (Hons), LLB, MSc, RCIC, is an immigration counsel and an accredited Canadian education agent of JAMAICA2CANADA.COM — a Canadian immigration & education firm in Kingston. Send questions/comments to jamaica2canada@gmail.com.