TORONTO, April 9 -- CNW/AsiaNet
On April 8, 2004, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration announced that the Government of Canada is amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations to require that paid representatives must be authorized in order to conduct business on behalf of clients when dealing with the Government of Canada in immigration and refugee matters.
Authorized, paid representatives may be only:
- immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the
Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC);
- lawyers who are members in good standing of a Canadian law society and
students-at-law under their supervision; and
- notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires
du Qu?bec and students-at-law under their supervision.
Unless he or she is a member of one of these three groups, effectiveApril 13, 2004, an immigration representative who charges a fee for servicesand files a new application on behalf of a client will not be recognized as anauthorized representative by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), theImmigration and Refugee Board (IRB) and the Canadian Border Services Agency(CBSA).
Immigration applications filed before April 13, 2004, the date ofimplementation of the new regulations, will be allowed to continue with theirexisting counsel for four years. After April 13, 2008, applicants are free tocontinue on their own or they can hire an authorized representative who is amember of one of the three recognized groups.
The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) is an independentself-regulating body that operates at arms length from the government. TheSociety will regulate the activities of Immigration Consultants involved inproviding advice for a fee to persons wishing to immigrate to Canada.
"The proclamation of these amendments into law caps the efforts of manypeople over many years to bring regulation to the immigration consultingindustry in Canada" said Ben Trister, Chair of CSIC. "With the empowerment ofthe members of the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants, vulnerableimmigration applicants can be protected and the public's confidence in theCanadian immigration system enhanced."
Persons who wish to become members of CSIC are required to presentdocuments attesting to their experience in the field of immigration as well asto their good character. They must also successfully pass the Society'sKnowledge and Ethics Test and pass the language proficiency test.
For the first two years, the Board of CSIC will consist of a proportionalnumber of representatives from three key communities - the legal profession,immigration consulting industry and consumer protection community.
About the Society
The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) is an independent,not-for-profit body operating at arms length from the federal government. Itsmembership consists of immigration consultants who provide immigration adviceto clients for a fee. The Society's mandate is to protect the consumers ofimmigration consulting services and ensure the competent and professionalconduct of its members.
SOURCE: Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants
CONTACT: go to www.csic-scci.ca or
contact Denis Hamel,
(416) 539-9444,
AssociationsOnly,
[email protected]
--Distributed by AsiaNet (www.asianetnews.net)--