Immigration to Canada is at its high point and is maintaining its growth, putting Ashton’s industry-leading programs in high demand among the students across the country. Immigration programs, offered at the College, are the most acknowledged and well-regarded with hundreds of immigration businesses built by our alumni nationwide. If you want to be part of the growing, thriving immigration industry or wish to advance your existing knowledge and skills in order to expand the immigration practice and achieve career success, we will do our best to help you get there.
Immigration Practitioner Centre provides a variety of immigration programs and courses for those who want to break into the industry as well as for professionals who are already working in the field as immigration consultants, immigration lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants and others, driven by the desire to bring their career to the next level. We offer educational and continuous studies opportunities, advanced certificates and short-term exam preparation courses, professional development seminars and opportunities to practice knowledge and skills in pro-bono clinics, build and accelerate a career in Immigration Practitioner Zone.
Immigration Consultant Diploma program has been a staple of Ashton College for over a decade and has been endorsed by multiple success stories of our alumni across Canada. The curriculum of the immigration practitioner program is accredited by the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) and meets the requirements for full membership of the ICCRC. It is a great choice for those who are willing to build a solid foundation for a career in immigration field and to become a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant.
The program consists of immigration consultant courses covering all fundamental areas of immigration law and policy. The expert faculty of the immigration consultant program do not only cover the academic material but also provide guidelines for establishing a successful immigration practice and working with clients’ cases in real-life situations. The main goal of the program is to equip the students with the profound knowledge of Canadian immigration system and help them build the skills essential for achieving great career results.
Immigration Legal Assistant program is the best fit for those who are looking for a faster way to enter the immigration field, start developing their practical skills and gaining work experience. Immigration legal assistant courses allow students to develop the basic understanding of Canadian immigration system, its policies and regulations, and to learn how to apply this knowledge in immigration practice. Graduates of this program can pursue job opportunities in immigration consulting businesses, immigration law offices and government departments.
Immigration legal assistant program is the first step in an immigration career. It is a great opportunity for professional development for legal assistants who want to specialize in the immigration field, for foreign-trained legal specialists who need to upgrade their credentials, for young professionals who are just entering the job market. After completion of their studies, students can transfer credits to the IMCD program and work on expanding their expertise in the immigration field.
In order to become Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC) and to be able to open an immigration practice all the students graduating from the Immigration Consultant Diploma program need to take a mandatory Entry-to-Practice Exam administered by the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC). We offer RCIC exam preparation course delivered in the online format to help students do their best at the exam. Together with their peers and faculty recent graduates will review the program material, practice sample questions and participate in the discussions that will help them build their confidence for the RCIC exam.
Ashton College offers a selection of advanced certifications to immigration practitioners who would like to deepen their knowledge of certain areas of immigration law. The faculty teaching these certifications are chosen for their expertise in these particular areas and their ability to provide guidelines which the students can apply in their own practice. The courses are delivered online, in interactive webinar format with detailed case reviews, discussions and practical assignments. The goal is to bridge theory and practice and to boost students’ confidence in applying immigration law, policies and procedures.
Certificate in Immigration Tribunal Practice was designed to introduce the process and procedures involved when appearing before the Immigration Division and the Immigration Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) to immigration practitioners. The students can learn about the case law, review past hearings, understand the protocol, learn what issues might arise and how to prepare for them.
Certificate in Refugee Class Immigration Law intends to provide the students with the profound knowledge of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and understanding of the requirements which must be established for a person to be found to be a Convention Refugee and a Protected Person. The course covers the details of the process and procedure of preparing a refugee claim, appearing before the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) and appealing decisions to the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD).
Certificate in Temporary Resident Immigration Law delivers in-depth knowledge of Temporary Resident immigration and useful strategies surrounding this area. CTRL courses provide students with an advanced analysis of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) and policies of government agencies relating to the processing of Temporary Residents. Courses also focus on a thorough analysis of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), the role of Service Canada and other agencies/organizations, as well as case law relating to LMIA and Compliance audits.
To stay abreast of the most recent changes and updates in the immigration field, Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) are required to attend continuing professional development seminars to maintain their official status. Ashton offers regular CPD seminars featuring the most acknowledged immigration experts from all over the country who cover a variety of relevant immigration-related topics and share the current updates. The seminars are delivered in flexible formats – in-person, via live online webinar or via video recording to make sure attendees can choose the most convenient option. Ashton College also offers a loyalty system providing discount to frequent participants of the CPD seminars throughout the year.
Throughout the years Ashton College has built an expert community of immigration practitioners consisting of our faculty, partners, alumni and students. As a means of giving back to the society and providing free immigration advice to the general public, Ashton College established immigration pro-bono clinics. Anybody seeking immigration lawyer advice for themselves or their families and friends can attend quarterly clinics at one of Ashton College campuses and receive a consultation on their immigration cases free of charge.
The clinics do not only benefit the public who cannot afford paying for immigration legal advice but also give Ashton College students and recent graduates an opportunity to practice working on real-life cases under the guidance of more experienced faculty members and alumni. It’s hard to find pro-bono immigration lawyers in Canada, and Ashton College takes pride in introducing this initiative to support local communities of immigrants. All interested students and graduates of Immigration Consultant Diploma program can become members of these temporary immigration advice centres and learn to apply their knowledge and skills in real-life scenarios.
We take professional success of our students and graduates seriously and are dedicated to providing support and guidance to those who are just entering the immigration field. Opening the business, marketing the services, looking for clients, managing finances, maintaining the practice can be overwhelming for new graduates of immigration programs. Immigration Practitioner Zone (IPZ) was launched to help new immigration practitioners build and expand their practice and seek support of more experienced business professionals and immigration experts. The main goal of the IPZ is to ensure immigration consultants achieve professional success and bring their career to the next level.
IPZ is a career accelerator providing a wide range of services to those who are taking their first steps in the immigration business. The IPZ members can work in the supportive office environment, receive advice from professional mentors on how to practice immigration law, develop their individual immigration practice manual based on the assessment of their business plans performed by the field experts. There is also a variety of professional seminars and networking events organized at the IPZ to facilitate professional development of its members and to give them an opportunity to build connections and expand their network.
