the CanadaVisa Team - 28 June, 2011
“The Government of Canada has promised to crack down on crooked immigration consultants and their shady practices, and with Bill C-35, we now have the tools,” said the Minister.
Bill C-35 is meant to put pressure on crooked immigration consultants. Under this law, no person, other than an accredited immigration representative, can charge a fee or other consideration to represent an applicant at any stage of their immigration process.
Immigration representatives must either be in good standing with the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC),be members in good standing of a provincial or territorial law society, or members of the Chambre des notaires du Québec.
CSIC is currently being turned over to the new Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC). Any members who are in good standing with CSIC will have to register with ICCRC on June 30, 2011.
“The ICCRC has committed to accountability, transparency and good governance and has pledged to work to protect the interests of consumers,” added Minister Kenney. “Their efforts, backed by strong new legislation, will allow us to better serve people through our immigration processes and protect potential immigrants, all while improving the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.”
Applicants who want to hire a representative to assist them with their Canadian immigration application are encouraged to verify the representative’s credentials.
You may verify that Attorney David Cohen is a member in good standing of a Canadian Law Society and therefore authorized to represent you.
