On December 13, 2003 the Canadian government introduced legislative amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations setting the stage for the regulation of immigration consultants in the Canadian immigration industry. The new rules require fee charging representatives to be a member in good standing by April 1, 2004, of either a provincial or territorial law society, the Chambre des notaries du Québec or the recently created Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC), a Canadian non-profit self-regulating body for immigration consultants.
The Department of Citizenship and Immigration, the sponsor of the amendments, readily acknowledges that representatives can play a constructive role in assisting applicants in all matters before the Minister, an officer or the IRB.
The government’s objective in introducing these amendments is therefore intended to protect applicants from unscrupulous representatives while preserving the integrity of Canada’s increasingly complex immigration system.
Effective April 2004, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) officials will no longer deal with any fee-charging representative presenting new applications who are not a member of a provincial or territorial law society, the Chambre des notaries du Québec or who is registered with the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants.
Readers who require additional information are invited to communicate with Colin R. Singer, Attorney – csinger@immigration.ca.
