Understanding the Role of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC)

The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC)  “licenses and regulates the practice of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in the public interest.” This article will explain the institution’s background and how it regulates the immigration sector and protects consumers. It will also dive into the licensing requirements, how the CICC investigates and disciplines misconduct, and how Ashton College is connected to the CICC.

About the CICC

The Government of Canada designated the College a self-regulatory organization overseeing the immigration consulting profession. It replaced the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) in 2021. Some changes include enhanced powers and tools for oversight, enforcement and investigation, and more authority to identify unauthorized practitioners and hold them responsible for their misconduct. The College is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of the following groups:

• Four of the College’s elected licensees
• Five public representatives appointed by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship of Canada

How Does CICC Regulate the Immigration Sector?

The College’s role and authority are set out in the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and the Citizenship Act.

The CICC determines who can become a member or licensee and sets ongoing professional obligations to improve their member’s skills and competencies. Anyone who wants to provide Canadian immigration or citizenship advice or representation for a fee must be a licensee in good standing. Exceptions are in place for members of

• A Canadian Law Society
• The Chambre des Notaires du Québec

Providing unauthorized immigration advice constitutes an offence punishable by law.

The CICC regulates the following primary types of immigration and citizenship professions:

• Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs)
• RCICs holding an IRB Class of Licence
• Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs)

Whether they practice in Canada or abroad, consultants must adhere to professional standards and a code of ethics set by the College. Effective regulation of the professions increases the government's confidence in the College, enhances the professions’ reputation, and builds public trust. It also enhances Canada’s reputation worldwide.

The Licensing Requirements

As mentioned, the CICC oversees the education and training programs for aspiring immigration and citizenship consultants. Below are details of how RCICs and RISIAs can attain and maintain their licence.

Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs)

RCICs support individuals or parties who want to study, work or live in Canada. They can also help immigrants with citizenship and family sponsorship applications, visitor visas, detention reviews, or study permits.

RCICs are required to:

• Complete a graduate diploma program or have completed the former Immigration Practitioner Program (IPP) by December 31, 2022
• Successfully pass the Entry-to-Practice Exam (RCIC EPE)
• Maintain an annual Professional Liability Insurance
• Complete mandatoryPractice Management Education (PME) courses
• Complete 16 hours ofContinuing Professional Development (CPD) every year
• Participate in a competency-based assessment process to identify competence gaps in their practice

As of July 1, 2023, RCICs must have secured the IRB Licence to present clients before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. This requires RCICs to have done one of the following:

• Completed the CICC Specialization Program and passed the IRB Licensing Examination
• Graduated from the Graduate Diploma Program and must have completed the New License Mentoring Program (if licensed on or after July 1, 2022) within 12 months of licensing.

Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs)

RISIAs are licensed international student advisors employed in the Canadian education sector. They provide immigration advice to international students and their dependents regarding topics such as study permits and temporary resident visas. As opposed to RCICs, RISIAs are not authorized to represent clients in an immigration or citizenship case or complete their immigration forms.

RISIAs are required to:

• Complete the International Students and Immigration Education Program (ISIEP)
• Successfully pass the Entry-to-Practice Exam (RISIA EPE)
• Provide proof of annual Professional Liability Insurance
• Complete 6 hours ofContinuing Professional Development (CPD) every year
• Participate in a competency-based assessment process to identify competence gaps in their practice
• Comply with theCode of Professional Conduct

How Does the CICC Protect Consumers?

According to Canada’s current Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, the Honourable Marc Miller, “Immigration is about more than politics or regulations – it’s about people …The licensing, education, code of conduct and professional standards for immigration and citizenship consultants give people who need these services access to high-quality advice and representation.”

To ensure that consumers are protected and consultants provide competent and ethical services, the CICC provides information to the public about licensed consultants, including a searchable online registry. Anyone can use this tool to help verify a Canadian immigration consultant’s status as a licensee of the College and, therefore, their trustworthiness.The CICC also works with offshore partners to ensure that people worldwide know how to use our up-to-date public register of licensed RCICs and RISIAs, as well as the dangers of using unauthorized practitioners.

Investigations and Disciplinary Actions

To help maintain the integrity of the profession and protect the public, the CICC is responsible for the following:

• Mandating and enforcing the standards that licensees must meet and hold them accountable.
• Investigating complaints made by the public.
• Conducting hearings.
• Imposing sanctions and disciplinary actions on consultants who breach regulations or engage in unethical behaviour. If necessary, this may include the involvement of law enforcement.

The CICC and Ashton College

Ashton College’s Immigration Practitioner Centre is your resource for staying current with the latest developments in the immigration field. We help ensure practitioners can provide their clients with the best possible and most up-to-date service. For example, we offer our certificate immigration law courses designed for licensed practitioners who would like to increase their knowledge of certain areas of immigration law. These courses focus on providing attendees with practical training and are pre-approved for varying numbers of CPD hours by the CICC.

The IPC also offers regular CPD seminars via live stream to provide licensed Immigration Practitioners with a high-quality education and fulfil their CPD requirements since these seminars are pre-approved for CPD hours as well. Learn more about our mission and our various courses and seminars: https://www.ashtoncollege.ca/immigration-practitioner-centre/