Canada cracking down on immigration advice fraud
The Government of Canada has taken another step to crack down on immigration advice fraud.
Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Minister Marco El Mendicino has announced that the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants in Ottawa will officially open on November 23, 2021. The College will become the official regulatory body for immigration and citizenship consultants across the country. The College will regulate immigration and citizenship counsellors in accordance with the legislative framework established by the Immigration and Citizenship Counsellors Act. It will have significant new powers and tools to investigate professional misconduct and discipline licensees.
"Those who wish to come to Canada deserve honest, professional and ethical advice, and we have a responsibility to make sure they get it. Our new College of Immigration and Citizenship Counselors is an important milestone in this effort. The creation of the new college fulfills our promise to better protect newcomers and strengthens Canada's immigration system so that it can continue to be the envy of the world.
Summary:
- The College of Immigration and Citizenship Counselors Act went into effect on December 9, 2020, providing the legislative framework for the regulation of citizenship and immigration counseling.
- The College will have the authority necessary to regulate consultants, in particular the tools to investigate professional misconduct and punish licensees. This includes the power to enter counselor's premises in order to gather information to support the investigation and the power to compel witnesses to appear and testify before a disciplinary committee.
- The College will have the right to seek injunctive relief against unlicensed entities providing immigration or citizenship counseling without authorization.
- The initial Board of Directors of the College will consist of 5 Public Interest Directors and 4 members of the College (advisors). The Public Interest Directors will be appointed by the Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship prior to the opening of the College.
- The College's Code of Professional Conduct is currently being developed as part of the regulatory process. The Code will play an important role in establishing and maintaining strict ethical and professional standards that all licensees must adhere to.
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