How to work with an immigration consultant in Canada

Before you pay or share sensitive records, verify the professional and put the work in writing. The agreement should tell you who is responsible and what the fee covers.

Before the first call, verify the person

Paying for immigration advice adds one basic check to your to-do list: confirm that the individual is authorized. IRCC recognizes members in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, Canadian provincial or territorial law societies, and the Chambre des notaires du Québec. Look up the person yourself and compare the name, licence number and current status with the details you were given.

A polished website tells you little about regulatory status. Ask who will actually be responsible for the file, who will communicate with IRCC and whether parts of the work will be delegated. At Progressive, that responsibility is identified in the written scope. For a long-running matter, check the public register again if the professional changes.

1. 1Verify
2. 2Define scope
3. 3Share facts
4. 4Review
5. 5Keep records

Make the first meeting useful

A one-page timeline is more useful than a large folder with no explanation. Note your present status, the result you want and any date that worries you. Include earlier refusals, applications and correspondence, even if you would rather start fresh; an awkward fact discovered late is usually harder to deal with.

Ask what the consultation covers before the meeting ends. Advice and next steps may be included while document review, a deadline response or preparation of a complete application may require a separate service. You should leave knowing what the consultant will do and what remains your responsibility.

A client who had a study-permit refusal two years ago should include the refusal letter in the first file review. Leaving it out can change the advice and create inconsistent answers later.

What the service agreement should tell you

IRCC advises clients to obtain a written contract that lists the services and fees. The agreement should identify the parties, responsible professional, work included, exclusions, payment terms, communication method and termination process. If it says something different from the conversation, ask for the wording to be corrected before signing.

Never sign a blank form or a document you cannot read. Keep copies of signed forms, submissions, invoices and receipts. The bill should also separate government fees from professional fees and outside costs such as translations, medical examinations or credential assessments.

Your file still belongs to you

You remain responsible for information submitted in your name. Read forms line by line and report changes in work, family composition, address, travel, criminal charges, refusals or other facts that may affect the application. A representative can advise you on a difficult fact; hiding it or creating a document is not a solution.

Send passports, identity records and sensitive case details through the agreed secure channel. Ordinary contact forms and email are poor places for passport numbers, payment-card data or a detailed protection narrative. Sensible filenames and dates make it possible to see exactly what was provided.

Good communication has limits

Agree on how often updates will be sent and when a follow-up is reasonable. The representative can prepare work within the retainer and respond to requests, while IRCC or the relevant tribunal controls the decision and timing. Promises of approval, claims of special access and unexplained pressure to pay quickly are warning signs.

If a concern cannot be resolved, the professional’s regulator has a complaint process, and IRCC may also need to be notified. Keeping your own complete copy of the file makes it easier to understand the case or change representatives. Professional help should give you more clarity, not less.

Build a file another person can follow

Use a simple index. Group identity and civil-status records, immigration history, education, employment, finances and correspondence, then send only what has been requested. A filename such as “Employment letter — ABC Ltd — 2024-05” is far easier to trace than “scan12.pdf.” If a record is unavailable, explain the attempts you made to obtain it and ask what alternative evidence may be relevant.

After a meeting, write down the decision, documents still needed, responsible person and due date. This small habit becomes valuable when a case involves several family members, translators, accountants or former employers.

If you decide to leave

When the work ends, ask for an account statement, the current file and confirmation of any upcoming deadline. Check the agreement for termination and refund terms. You may also need an IRCC form or account change; telling the former representative does not necessarily update every authority.

A second opinion can make sense after a refusal, a major change or conflicting advice. Give the new professional the full history and enough time to review it independently. Choose the advice that fits the evidence and law, even when another answer sounds more reassuring.

What to do now

• Prepare a one-page timeline and list of questions for the first meeting.
• Ask who is responsible for the file and how updates will be delivered.
• Use secure channels for sensitive records.

Where this guide stops

A representative cannot guarantee an invitation, approval, processing time or special treatment for an application.

Official sources

• IRCC — How to choose a representative
• IRCC — File a complaint against a representative