Government of Canada sets the opening date of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants

BURLINGTON, Ontario, Aug. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Honourable Marco Mendicino, PC, MP, has announced that the continuance of the Immigration Consultant of Canada Regulatory Council (Council) as the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (College) will be effective as of November 23, 2021.

"Pursuant to subsection 84 (1) of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act (Canada), (the College Act), the Council, with member approval, was granted the right to apply to be continued as the College. The Council obtained member approval on September 19, 2019, and applied for continuance on December 11, 2020," said Stan Belevici, RCIC, Chair of the ICCRC Board of Directors. "We are thrilled that the application has been accepted and that the date of continuance is now set for this autumn."

Pursuant to the College Act, the College will be governed by a transitional Board of Directors which will oversee the approval of the initial College By-laws and other procedures. This transitional period will end when the Minister issues a final order setting the number and composition of the final College Board of Directors and prescribes a date by which the new Board must be in office.

"The announcement of a date of continuance marks another important step in our quest to obtain the statutory authority required to protect the public against unauthorized practitioners," said John Murray, President & CEO of ICCRC. "Over the past months, we have worked together with IRCC to strengthen the standards of the profession and ensure a smooth transition."

The new College will have enhanced powers to regulate the immigration consulting profession in the public interest, including new authority to investigate and pursue unauthorized practitioners. These changes will support better protection of Canadians, newcomers, and licensed immigration consultants. Obtaining the statutory authority to regulate itself under the College Act marks a key milestone in the development and regulation of this growing profession.

For further information, please contact:
Christopher May
Director of Public Affairs & Communications
Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC)
T: 1-877-836-7543 | E: [email protected]

About ICCRC
ICCRC is the national self-regulatory body that promotes and protects the public interest by overseeing regulated immigration and citizenship consultants and international student advisors.

ICCRC's federal mandate stems from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Citizenship Act which require anyone providing Canadian immigration or citizenship advice or representation for a fee or other consideration to be a member in good standing of ICCRC, a Canadian law society or the Chambre des notaires du Québec.

Individuals providing Canadian immigration/citizenship services abroad are subject to Canadian law even if they reside outside of Canada.

SOURCE Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC)

SOURCE https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2021/08/new-college-of-immigration-and-citizenship-consultants-to-open-this-fall.html