Only authorized representatives can provide immigration advice for compensation — Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and lawyers. Using an unauthorized consultant is illegal and can result in your application being rejected or you being banned from Canada. If you are paying someone to help you with immigration, verify they are either a lawyer or an RCIC registered with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.
(1)Subject to this section, no person shall knowingly, directly or indirectly, represent or advise a person for consideration — or offer to do so — in connection with the submission of an expression of interest under subsection 10.1(3) or a proceeding or application under this Act.
(b)any other member in good standing of a law society of a province or the Chambre des notaires du Québec, including a paralegal; or
(c)a member in good standing of the College, as defined in section 2 of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act.
91.1 (1) The regulations may(a) establish a system of administrative penalties and consequences — including of administrative monetary penalties — applicable to the violations designated in regulations made under paragraph (b) and set the amounts of those administrative monetary penalties;(b) designate as a violation the contravention — including a contravention committed outside Canada — of any specified provision of this Act or of the regulations by any person who, directly or indirectly, represents or advises a person for consideration — or offers to do so — in connection with the submission of an expression of interest under subsection 10.1(3) or a proceeding or application under this Act;(c) prohibit acts in relation to the activity of representing or advising — or offering to do so — described in paragraph (b); and(d) provide for the power to inspect — including the power to require documents to be provided by individuals and entities for inspection — for the purpose of verifying compliance with the provisions specified in regulations made under paragraph (b).