The entire immigration process to Canada can be a lot. Are you already overwhelmed before you even start? This content contains all the help you need for an easy ride. Follow closely.
Do you know that you can employ the services of a Canadian immigration consultant or an immigration consultant while immigrating? Both sets of people are fully licensed experts that can represent you during the process. However, they do not have the same educational background nor are guided by the same regulation authorities. Read up to learn more.
Immigration Lawyers
These are professionals with a sufficient educational experience in legal matters. Since they attended law schools, they must have completed their degree to be a lawyer. More so, they are expected to pass their bar exams to be fully registered legally.
Additionally, lawyers go through an internship period to receive practical training. It could be during or at the end of their studies. However, all these pieces of training are preceded by having an undergraduate in law. By implication, lawyers spend tangible years after secondary school to be fully certified.
After their basic education, immigration lawyers go a step further by attending several immigration interviews with clients. Their role is to advocate for your application in cases of judicial review.
NB: Judicial review is a rare condition that presents your application before a Canadian court of law.
Immigration Lawyers are regulated and governed by the independent societal law of the province. Lawyers do not need any number to prove the legitimacy of their practice. Instead, they are registered with a province and bar. Hence, immigration fraud is possible if a person tells you that an immigration lawyer needs a CICC number.
Immigration Consultants
Immigration consultants are different from lawyers. They do not go through the same educational path as lawyers. However, they must undergo a year of training to earn their certification. Also, they do not have to complete any undergraduate degree to begin their practice. As a result, the peculiarity of their work is different from that of an immigration lawyer.
Like immigration lawyers, immigration consultants can legally represent their clients. Nevertheless, they cannot advocate for them if there is a need for it. Only immigration lawyers can.
CICC Number
CICC fully means College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). This association regulates all immigration consultants in Canada. They give their approved clients a seven-digit number referred to as the CICC number. Hence, you should confirm the validity of your consultant’s CICC number.
How to Avoid Fraud as a Potential Immigrant
Many people have been victims of fraud during their immigration process. Yearly, the estimation of immigration fraud across the world is hundreds of thousands. The positive side is that you do not have to be a victim to know the right approach.
Let us see how to avoid immigration fraud. The most important part of this is to have the right knowledge. Having the right knowledge as discussed in this content will keep you safe – your resources and money will be safe too. Here are important questions to ask to be safe:
1. What is the source of your immigration information?
It is important that you get to the root of any immigration information you receive. For example, some unsolicited messages can pop up – could be a call too. Many times, such are fraudulent and you should not consider them at all.
However, if you have previously filled out a form or provided some people with your information, a text message or call can be a follow-up.
Also, be careful of a suspicious websites when searching for online information. The easiest way to know such a website is to check if the URL at the address bar is different from what you typed. Finally, check if the letter “s” is at the start of the URL (https://). “S” implies that the page is secure and that every piece of information you may search for is encrypted.
2. Whose service are you employing?
As described earlier, there are two sets of authorized people you can pay to represent you during an immigration process. You can use an immigration lawyer or an immigration consultant. You can use the CICC number to verify the authority of your Immigration consultant.
Are there pros and cons to employing the service of either an immigration lawyer or an immigration consultant? Let us examine some of them.
PROS
– Convenience
You can focus on other important things while your lawyer or consultant keeps up with the process. You may not have time to fill out those many immigration forms. Nevertheless, an experienced lawyer or consultant is familiar with the question. Also, they can direct you to the right forms to fill out and help you navigate the entire process.
A Canadian immigration lawyer or consultant knows about the entire process as they do it for a living. Hence, you should opt for an experienced lawyer or consultant that will help you settle quickly in Canada.
– Avoid a possible or another rejection
“Prevention is better than cure.” Hence, it is advisable to use a consultant or lawyer as they assure a higher level of success than going through immigration alone. More so, if you have been previously denied entry into the country, it would have been accompanied by a letter from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The letter will contain the reasons for the denial.
From experience, the major reasons are erroneous or incomplete documentation. Another reason may be that you are not eligible or that the IRCC officer believes you do not meet the conditions of the program like the reason to leave Canada after a short stay or required proof of funds.
Whichever condition it is, you do not want to be in the same situation anymore. You need a piece of positive news this time around. Hence, you need to get some professional help from an immigration lawyer or consultant.
– Convicted or committed a crime
Admissible crimes in Canada may not be murder or robbing a bank. Some minor crimes can go a long way to deny you entry into Canada. Possible examples are petty theft or being convicted of dangerous driving.
The good side to this is that you can overcome such a criminal conviction and get approval into the country. However, you will need the knowledge of an expert – an immigration lawyer or consultant is your best bet.
– Being able to get entry even with inadmissibility concern
People with critical medical conditions that can put the lives of others at risk are often denied from coming into the country. More so, people with health conditions that may demand more from social or health workers are not allowed into the country. The cost of treatment is enough discouraging reasons to not be allowed into the country.
However, one may need to get into Canada to receive treatment. Your best bet is to speak with an expert as they can help you with opportunities for your condition. Also, they can help to review basic information your doctor may have included.
– Help to get through a complex immigration program
Some immigration programs are complex as you will need to fulfill different criteria. You may need to be in an entry pool, then proceed to a more specific pool before being invited. After this, you can apply to the province. After its approval, you can accept the nomination from the entry pool to apply for permanent residence.
The entire process can be confusing but a Canadian lawyer or consultant can see you through it. They can guide you through the phase while they track possible changes in criteria.
CONS
– Cost of service
The cost is often the challenging part of using an immigration lawyer or consultant. For a consultation, you have to pay between $100 to $300. For other services, you may pay between:
- $400 to $1200 for IRCC Fees
- $150 to $550 for a Lawyer’s Hourly Rate
- $250 to $3000 for Form Filling Assistance
- $1000 to $8500 for Permanent Residency Assistance
– Not knowing the state of things
One may lose sight of the progress of things because someone else is in charge. Hence, the immigration lawyer or consultant may not be serious with you. The solution to this is to be involved too or hire the right person. How? Ask the following important questions:
a. What is their provincial bar association listing or RCIC registration number?
b. Compare the cost structure with another lawyer or consultant
c. Does their service cover the whole process?
d. What is the perfect immigration program for you? what is their reason for the suggestion?
e. Is the consultation once and for all?
f. How sure are you this process will turn out positive?
g. Can my family be a part of this process?
You do not have to feel lonely during your immigration process. Get all the help you can from immigration consultants and lawyers. You can check out our other posts on relocating to Canada.
REFERENCES
– Major, R., 2022. What You Need to Know to Avoid Immigration Fraud. [online] Canadim. Available at: <https://www.canadim.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-to-avoid-immigration-fraud/> [Accessed 8 September 2022].
– Moving2Canada. 2022. ‘Should I hire a Canadian immigration consultant or lawyer, or do it myself?’. [online] Available at: <https://www.google.com/amp/s/moving2canada.com/hire-canadian-immigration-consultant-or-lawyer/amp/> [Accessed 8 September 2022].
– Moving2Canada. 2022. Seven questions to ask before hiring a Canadian immigration consultant or lawyer. [online] Available at: <https://moving2canada.com/questions-before-hiring-canadian-immigration-consultant-lawyer/?_gl=1*dsor50*_ga*YW1wLWtNSmUwUjdCYk9ITjR2aUNiTTlwSDhwZi1KemdqWk5UU3JNSk5BQlRjV2E0aF9iSU4tYlpibHdJMEZjbGRKdGQ> [Accessed 8 September 2022].
– VisaPlace. 2022. How Much Should I Budget for Immigration Lawyer Fees? [online] Available at: <https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.visaplace.com/blog-immigration-law/budget-immigration-lawyer-fees/%3famp> [Accessed 8 September 2022].
