There are many individuals out there offering immigration advice, however only some of them are authorized to do so. Follow these simple steps when choosing your immigration representative to reduce your risk of becoming a victim of an immigration fraud and losing your money:
1. Is your representative licensed?
Whenever you hire a representative to communicate with IRCC, PNP office or ESDC on your behalf, check their credentials by asking them to provide you with their membership number and verify their good standing with given regulatory body. If the company or person that you are about to hire does not provide you with this information, there is a high possibility that they are unauthorized representatives and you put yourself at risk of being scammed.
2. Does your representative guarantee 100% success of your application without reviewing all details of your case?
They might not be honest with you and should not be trusted. Every single case is different and it is impossible to know your chances without thorough analysis.
3. Does your representative ask you to pay a “sign-up fee” without telling you what exactly they’ll do for you?
Then they will probably do nothing and you will never see your money again.
4. Is their fee much lower than the market price for that service?
Be alert as there is probably a reason for this significant price difference – whether it is poor service or high hidden fees. You might initially save few hundred dollars but end up paying double/triple the market price before the process is over.
5. Does your immigration representative claim they have “connections” to immigration officers that will guarantee the success of your application?
You can be sure they are lying to you.
You should always ask yourself “Does it sound too good to be true?” If the answer is YES, you should not take your changes and look elsewhere.
Read other clients’ reviews, take your time to read your contract and make your research before putting your future into somebody’s hands. Hiring an unregulated representative could do much more harm that you might think. You might not be given another chance to do things right and your doors to Canada can become closed forever.
Who is an authorized representative?
Only the following people/companies are authorized to charge a fee, to represent or advise you in connection with a Canadian immigration proceeding or application:
- Immigration Consultants who are members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC);
- Lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, and
- Notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will not deal with non-authorized Immigration representatives. As a result of hiring non-authorized immigration representative, your application may be significantly delayed, returned or rejected. Do not be surprised if you are unable to reach your unlicensed representative should any complications arise – after all, those who do not bother to follow the law will not be bothered to follow any ethical guidelines either.
We are members in good standing with The Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) – ID # R510257 and R514706.
Why Should I Hire a Licensed Immigration Consultant?
Canadian immigration laws and application forms change very frequently and the law is therefore very complex and difficult to understand, which can easily lead to its incorrect interpretation and subsequent critical errors in your application. We are required by our regulatory body to regularly upgrade our knowledge and we invest our time and effort in keeping up-to-date with the frequent immigration law changes. We have an extensive knowledge of Canadian Immigration Laws, policies and procedures and we apply this knowledge to find the most cost effective and faster immigration stream that suits them the best.
By hiring Coastal Immigration Ltd., you can rest assured that your application is prepared on a highly professional level. We will submit your application on your behalf, regularly monitor the progress of your application, guide you through the whole immigration process and effectively communicate with IRCC, PNP, and ESDC regarding your application.