Canada names new regulator for immigration and citizenship
Dear Mr Brown,
I heard that ICCRC is no longer regulating professional immigration consultants. Why is it being replaced?
– IH
Dear IH,
As of yesterday, the new regulator of Immigration Consultants in Canada is the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC).
The Regulatory College has enhanced powers for:
• Licensing,
• Oversight,
• Investigation, and
• Enforcement in the immigration consulting profession in Canada and abroad.
The creation of the college is a key part of the effort to deal with fraud in the immigration system. It also fulfils a mandate to strengthen oversight and uphold the integrity of Canada’s immigration system. For example, the college has the ability to request court injunctions to address unlicensed actors providing immigration or citizenship advice without authorisation. This has always been a significant problem, especially with agencies outside of Canada offering visa services without a licence.
High standards
As a regulatory college, it sets educational, professional practice and ethical standards for its licensees to ensure competent, ethical advice and service for immigrants and citizenship applicants to Canada. Any immigration consultant who provides Canadian immigration/citizenship services, whether domestically or abroad, must adhere to strict educational, professional and ethical standards. The college ensures that these licensees comply with a Code of Professional Conduct by holding them accountable for breaches of the code.
Existing regulated consultants licensed under the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) will immediately become licensees of the new college. College licensees will be required to complete annual continuing professional development requirements and an annual practice assessment.
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 documents.jamaica2canada@gmail.com