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.
(2)A person does not contravene subsection (1) if they are (a)a lawyer who is a member in good standing of a law society of a province or a notary who is a member in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec; (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.
(3)A student-at-law does not contravene subsection (1) by offering or providing representation or advice to a person if the student-at-law is acting under the supervision of a person mentioned in paragraph (2)(a) who is representing or advising the person — or offering 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.
(4)An entity, including a person acting on its behalf, that offers or provides services to assist persons in connection with the submission of an expression of interest under subsection 10.1(3) or an application under this Act, including for a permanent or temporary resident visa, travel documents or a work or study permit, does not contravene subsection (1) if it is acting in accordance with an agreement or arrangement between that entity and Her Majesty in right of Canada that authorizes it to provide those services.
(5)[Repealed, 2019, c. 29, s. 296]
(5.1)[Repealed, 2019, c. 29, s. 296]
(6)[Repealed, 2019, c. 29, s. 296]
(7)[Repealed, 2019, c. 29, s. 296]
(7.1)For greater certainty, the Québec Immigration Act, CQLR, c. I-0.2.1, applies to, among other persons, every person who, in Quebec, represents or advises a person for consideration — or offers to do so — in connection with a proceeding or application under this Act and is a member of the College, as defined in section 2 of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act.
(8)[Repealed, 2019, c. 29, s. 296]
(10)For greater certainty, in this section, proceeding does not include a proceeding before a superior court.
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). (2) Any regulation made under paragraph (1)(a) must provide that a person who is the subject of a notice of violation has the right to request, from a person appointed under subsection (3), a review of the notice or of the penalty imposed. (3) The Governor in Council may, by order, appoint one or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents to conduct reviews in respect of notices of violation issued, or penalties imposed, under a regulation made under paragraph (1)(a) and to perform any other function conferred on them by a regulation made under that paragraph. (4) A person appointed by order under subsection (3) holds office during good behaviour for a term that the Governor in Council may specify, by order, but may be removed for cause by the Governor in Council at any time.