Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC)
Calgary, Alberta Canada Authorized Immigration Consultant
The hard part about being new to Canada or being from somewhere else, is that there are a lot of things to learn about your soon-to-be new country. Applying for different statuses within the Canadian immigration system is confusing. This is made worse if English is not your first language. The question then becomes: “who do you trust to help you with the process”? The Canadian Government wants to make the immigration application process safe. They have licensed and regulated who can be paid for helping people immigrate to Canada with Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants or RCICs. If you want to speak to a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, call Kahane Law office in Calgary, Alberta today: 403-225-8810. Alternatively, call our Edmonton office at (780) 571-8463.
What are Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants?
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has identified through manuals and legislation those allowed to act as a representative to individuals dealing with the department. These people are authorized consultants allowed to assist with immigration matters. Other than immigration lawyers, only a select group of registered individuals in Canada and abroad may act on behalf of an applicant with Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Who Is Authorized To Help With Canadian Immigration Matters
Canadian law limits who can help people with their Canadian immigration matters. These individuals are listed on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website as:
“Paid representatives
Only some people can charge a fee or receive any other type of payment to represent or advise you on a Canadian immigration or citizenship proceeding or application. These are:
- lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society,
- notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and
- citizenship or immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council.
These people are called “authorized” representatives.”
Canadian Immigration Consultants & Lawyers Working Together For You!
At the Kahane Law Office, our immigration team consists of both immigration lawyers and Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants. This is important to understand, as when paying for our services you are hiring an “authorized representative”. In the case of our firm, you get both working for you at no additional charge. What is even better for you is that the majority of our team who work on Canadian immigration matters are former employees of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
How To Hire An Immigration Consultant In Alberta
There are certain legal documents that need to be agreed upon and signed by both a member of our Immigration Team and you as the applicant. These documents include:
- A Retainer Agreement with the Kahane Law Office which outlines our office’s responsibilities, your responsibilities as the applicant, payment terms, and other important information, and
- A Use of a Representative Form (IMM5476) available on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. This form allows an individual to assign as well as remove an “authorized” representative.
While Immigration Lawyers are fairly self-explanatory to the general public, the titles Immigration Consultant and Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant are lesser known.
Individual provinces and territories have regulatory bodies with which practicing lawyers must register. For example, the Law Society of Alberta. For Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants, this did not exist as it does now until very recently.
In 2011, Citizenship and Immigration Canada established the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) to address this issue. The ICCRC regulates, monitors, and issues individual practitioners the right to provide Canadian immigration advice for a fee. These individuals are titled Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants, and must complete an extensive 10 month training course and pass the Final Skills Exam to be eligible.
Be careful When Hiring An “Immigration Consultant”
There are many individuals in Canada and abroad that claim to be authorized to help with immigration. However, many are not recognized by the ICCRC or Citizenship and Immigration Canada. In recent years, the government of Canada has been somewhat successful in rooting out many of these unscrupulous practitioners, but unfortunately many still remain. Therefore, it is extremely important for individuals to investigate and identify those whom they are hiring as recognized by ICCRC and Citizenship and Immigration Canada as “authorized” representatives. They need to be a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. The Canadian government has a website to learn if your immigration consultant is authorized.
Immigration Help You Can Trust!
At the Kahane Law Office, we have many Immigration Lawyers and Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants on our team. We are also proud to have have former Citizenship and Immigration Canada Immigration and Citizenship Officers. While it is important to remember that there can never be a guaranteed outcome on a Citizenship and Immigration application, our firm can help you put together the most complete application package on your behalf. Contact the experienced team at Kahane Law Immigration Legal Services call 403-225-8810 locally in Calgary, Alberta. We also have an office in Edmonton, Alberta. Reach us there at (780) 571-8463 or toll-free at 1-877-225-8817 or email us directly here.