I am still not accepted (ITA yet to submit the file) but here is some information that you could use on consultants that I experienced. Hiring one is not mandatory but could help if your case is a bit complicated like mine is.
Mine is an Authorized Canadian Immigration Consultant and Member of CICC and I checked on the website no clue what that means but I still don't trust them to handle everything. Here is why.
If you are going to look for a consultant then I would suggest the following:
1. First of all back out if they say they will control your account and keep all details with them. They made the account for me but I also had passwords and 2FA which I created for both of us. They themselves said we share access it's not just exclusive to them but it's easier to not ask me every time to login for them. So it's a matter of convenience to share accounts not a requirement. If you don't trust them change passwords after submission which I did. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE GIVE THEM FULL CONTROL WITHOUT YOU HAVING ANY CONTROL.
2. Check and double check before submitting everything. They will do it for you but multiple eyes are better. Don't just blindly believe what they do for you in the profile.
3. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. DONT JUST BLINDLY believe in them. They don't care much if you get accepted or rejected beyond statistics. It's your life and you care. Their advice at times is invaluable (I got an OINP NOI thanks to them tbh) but that doesn't mean you just keep doing what they say. Spend time researching yourself. This forum is a great place. Most common questions are answered here somewhere. Search is your friend.
4. And constantly ask them questions. I have asked so many questions to my consultant that she probably got more knowledge from me than I got from her. All possibilities you must explore to be alert.
Consultants are not bad per se, but just hiring a consultant and hoping they will do everything and you'll land in Canada is just plain ignorance. Don't be lazy. Put some effort on the internet. And don't believe your 'friends' who tell you things how it's in Canada. Your friends probably have only half knowledge they got by not doing their own research but listening to some other friend who got half knowledge from some other friend and so on. I have witnessed this too many times.
Basically don't be lazy. Do your own research and use a consultant as a 'consultant' not your PR giver because you paid them.
Mine is an Authorized Canadian Immigration Consultant and Member of CICC and I checked on the website no clue what that means but I still don't trust them to handle everything. Here is why.
If you are going to look for a consultant then I would suggest the following:
1. First of all back out if they say they will control your account and keep all details with them. They made the account for me but I also had passwords and 2FA which I created for both of us. They themselves said we share access it's not just exclusive to them but it's easier to not ask me every time to login for them. So it's a matter of convenience to share accounts not a requirement. If you don't trust them change passwords after submission which I did. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE GIVE THEM FULL CONTROL WITHOUT YOU HAVING ANY CONTROL.
2. Check and double check before submitting everything. They will do it for you but multiple eyes are better. Don't just blindly believe what they do for you in the profile.
3. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. DONT JUST BLINDLY believe in them. They don't care much if you get accepted or rejected beyond statistics. It's your life and you care. Their advice at times is invaluable (I got an OINP NOI thanks to them tbh) but that doesn't mean you just keep doing what they say. Spend time researching yourself. This forum is a great place. Most common questions are answered here somewhere. Search is your friend.
4. And constantly ask them questions. I have asked so many questions to my consultant that she probably got more knowledge from me than I got from her. All possibilities you must explore to be alert.
Consultants are not bad per se, but just hiring a consultant and hoping they will do everything and you'll land in Canada is just plain ignorance. Don't be lazy. Put some effort on the internet. And don't believe your 'friends' who tell you things how it's in Canada. Your friends probably have only half knowledge they got by not doing their own research but listening to some other friend who got half knowledge from some other friend and so on. I have witnessed this too many times.
Basically don't be lazy. Do your own research and use a consultant as a 'consultant' not your PR giver because you paid them.
