Using an Immigration Representative

Contact the Cohen Immigration Law Firm for Canadian Immigration Assistance

Table of Contents

• About Representatives
• What a Representative Does
• Paid vs Unpaid Representatives 
• Accuracy of Information and Misrepresentation
• Selecting a Representative
• Avoiding Fraud
• About Cohen Immigration Law

About Representatives

You have the choice of handling your immigration application yourself, or using a representative.

So long as your application is completed fully and accurately, your chances of success will be the same, as will the processing time, regardless of whether or not you make use of a representative.

If you use a representative you must declare your use of a representative as part of your application.

Failing to declare a representative can lead to your application being refused.

What a Representative Does

A representative can:

• Offer you advice to help you make immigration decisions;
• Help you select the appropriate immigration program;
• Complete your application and forms;
• Communicate with government officials throughout the application process; and
• Represent you in hearings.

When deciding on using a representative, ensure that you’re both on the same page about what the representative will do on your behalf, and what your responsibilities will be.

Paid vs Unpaid Representatives

Representatives can be paid or unpaid.

Paid representatives must be authorized. It is illegal for anyone to act as a paid representative if they’re not authorized.

Paid Representatives

Only the following are authorized to act as paid representatives for Canadian immigration purposes:

• lawyers and paralegals licensed by a Canadian provincial or territorial law society;
• notaries licensed by the Chambre des notaries du Québec; and
• citizenship or immigration consultants licensed by The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.

Anyone receiving any form of compensation in exchange for assisting you with immigration or citizenship matters counts as a paid representative.

To check whether someone is an authorized representative, you can check the website of the appropriate licensing body to see whether a person is a member in good standing of that society.

If you pay an unauthorized representative to assist with your application, the government may refuse your application.

Unpaid Representatives

Anyone can act as an unpaid representative. Unpaid representatives do not need to be authorized.

An unpaid representative could be a friend or family member, for example.

You must still declare your use of an unpaid representative. Using an unpaid representative without declaring it could result in the government refusing your application.

An unpaid representative may not accept any form of compensation for their services. Non-monetary forms of payment, such as bartering or exchanging goods or services, are equally prohibited.

Unpaid representatives may lack much of the knowledge and expertise possessed by experienced authorized representatives.

Accuracy of Information and Misrepresentation

Whether you use a representative or not, you are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of the information in your application.

Your representative cannot act appropriately on your behalf if you do not provide them with accurate, up-to-date information.

You must inform your representative of any changes in your circumstances that affect your application, even if that application has already been submitted or is already being processed.

Any inaccuracies in your application, including failing to update the government of changes in a timely fashion, or omitting information pertinent to the application, can constitute misrepresentation.

Misrepresentation is a serious immigration offense, and can lead to a five-year ban on immigration applications.

Misrepresentation can also result in revocation of your immigration status, even if you have already been granted permanent residency or citizenship.

Selecting a Representative

You should select a reputable and experienced representative.

A reputable representative will

• be upfront about their prices and what services they provide;
• be a member of good standing with the appropriate licensing body; and
• have substantial experience in the immigration business.

You can check the appropriate licensing body to see whether your presentative is authorized. Authorized representatives will be members in good standing with their appropriate licensing body.

A reputable representative will never:

• use high-pressure sales tactics (such as demanding that you make a decision immediately);
• offer to assist you for free (or for a suspiciously low price), only to demand additional payment later;
• assure you that success is guaranteed;
• claim that they can expediate the processing of your application;
• claim that they can exert special influence—beyond what is included in your application—to sway government officials to decide in your favour;
• advise you to lie on your application;
• advise you to omit information relevant to your application;
• advise you to get married for immigration purposes; or
• advise you to apply to a provincial nominee program (PNP) without intending to settle in that province.

Avoiding Fraud

Unfortunately, fraudsters commonly attempt to take advantage of those seeking immigration representatives.

The best way to avoid fraud is to ensure that you deal only with reputable representatives.

You can do this by engaging authorized representatives with well-established track records who have been in operation for many years, and avoiding dealing with anyone who exhibits red flags.

Contact the Cohen Immigration Law Firm for Assistance

Cohen Immigration Law is a leading Canadian immigration law firm with over 45 years of experience. Cohen Immigration Law features over 60 immigration lawyers, paralegals, and professionals who are dedicated to helping you immigrate to Canada.

CanadaVisa.com was founded as the online presence of Cohen Immigration Law. Since its launch in 1994, CanadaVisa has grown into one of the globe's most trusted resources on Canadian immigration. Please contact us if you require legal assistance.

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