Canadian immigration can be complicated and daunting. To streamline their travel, many newcomers use immigration representatives. Ensure your representative has the legal authority to perform this role. Despite severe laws and punishments, immigration frauds targeting newcomers persist. To combat this, the IRCC dedicates March to fraud prevention.

This article defines an immigration representative who can legally operate as one, how to verify credentials and the duties of declaring one. Additionally, it emphasizes the benefits of hiring a competent immigration representative.

Understanding Immigration Representatives in Canada

A representative assists immigrants with their immigration process. Their duties may include:

• Providing immigration advice, completing application forms for clients, and communicating with IRCC and other authorities.
• Representing clients at immigration proceedings.
• Completing the IRCC form to declare their involvement in your application.

Types of Immigration Representatives

Immigration agents can either be compensated or unpaid. Unpaid representatives may include friends or relatives, whereas paid representatives must be authorized by Canadian law.

Who Can Be a Paid Immigration Representative in Canada?

Only the following professionals are permitted to act as compensated immigration representatives in Canada:

• Licensed lawyers and paralegals authorized by provincial or territorial law societies.
• Immigration and citizenship consultants licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.
• Notaries licensed by the Chambre des notaries du Québec.

Your immigration application may be denied if you fail to declare the use of a representative or use an unauthorized one.

Verifying the Credentials of Your Representative

Your representative’s professional classification determines how to verify their credentials:

1.  Lawyers and Paralegals

To verify a lawyer or paralegal, visit IRCC’s webpage, which links to provincial and territorial law societies. Select the relevant legal society to search their directory for your representative by name, registration number, and practice status.

Here are some key areas to check on various law society directories:

Law Society	Key Areas to Verify
Alberta	Current citations, discipline history, current restrictions
British Columbia	Practicing status, practicing restrictions, discipline history
Manitoba	Firm affiliation, practicing status
Ontario	License type (lawyer or paralegal), law society number

If the representative’s credentials are not found, you can contact the law society directly for further information.

2.  Citizenship and Immigration Consultants

The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants registers citizens and immigration consultants. Check a consultant’s status in the college’s online directory. The directory shows the name, college ID, license type, and corporate affiliation.

3.  Notaries

The Chambre des notaires du Québec licenses Quebec notaries. Only “active” practitioners can provide a representative immigration service. The directory shows the name, college ID, license type, and corporate affiliation.

Enter the notary’s details in the Chamber’s directory to verify registration and standing.

Declaring Your Use of a Representative

Declaring a representation is crucial to immigration. You must complete the “Use of a Representative” form on the IRCC website. After applying, you can amend IRCC via the web form if you hire a representative. To cancel their services, edit and submit the same form.

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Immigration Representative

You should know that hiring a representative does not guarantee speedier application processing or acceptance. Working with a licensed professional has many benefits:

Expert Advice: Experienced representatives can help you improve your application.

Error Reduction: They ensure accurate form completion and include necessary paperwork to prevent delays and rejections.

Time Efficiency: Representatives track deadlines and communicate with authorities, saving you time.

Reduced Stress: Their experience helps simplify the immigration process.

By choosing a qualified and experienced representative, you can ensure your application is as strong as possible, improving your chances of success while avoiding common pitfalls.

A seamless and secure immigration process requires a skilled, legally qualified immigration representative. To comply with Canadian immigration requirements, verify credentials and declare your representation to IRCC. Representatives cannot affect decision-making or processing delays, but their experience can help navigate the system.