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Home » About the Department » Immigration Representatives

What if I Have a Complaint?

Notice:
Read this important notice about who may represent you.

Who does this affect?

Individuals, whether in Canada or abroad, seeking to hire a representative with regard to their immigration application or status.

You are not obliged to hire a representative for immigration matters. The Government of Canada treats everyone equally, whether they use the services of a representative or not. If you choose to hire a representative, your application will not be given special attention nor can you expect faster processing or a more favourable outcome.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) realizes that the use of a representative to assist in completing your immigration application is a personal choice. Please note, the Government of Canada does not recommend or endorse any individual representative.

How do I file a complaint?
What if my immigration representative committed an unlawful offence (for example, submitted fraudulent documentation) while representing me?

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) does not mediate in disputes between clients and authorized representatives. If you have a complaint against an authorized representative, send your complaint directly to the regulatory body to which the representative belongs. Regulatory bodies impose a code of professional conduct on their members to protect public interest. They also have rules for disciplining their members and compensating clients.

If your representative is not an authorized representative, send your complaint to the appropriate authorities in the country where the consultant has a place of business or is a resident.

How do I file a complaint?

The following table provides recommendations on how to file a complaint.

I have a complaint about…	Then…
A non-authorized representative.	Report non-authorized representatives to the following organizations to prevent inappropriate activity from happening to someone else. If your representative is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, send your complaint to the appropriate authorities in the country where the representative has a place of business or is a resident. The Government of Canada cannot get involved in this matter. If your representative is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, file a complaint with the Canadian Council of Better Business Bureaus (CCBBB). If you believe there was a criminal action, contact the local police force or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
A local agent who works for an authorized representative.	Local agents who are employed by authorized immigration representatives must follow the same professional codes of conduct as the authorized representative. If you have a complaint about a local agent, discuss this complaint with the authorized immigration representative. If you feel your concern has not been addressed satisfactorily, you may file a complaint with the regulatory body to which the representative belongs.
A member of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC), or a lawyer or Quebec notary and their students-at-law.	File a complaint with the regulatory body that the representative belongs to (e.g., a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC), or the Chambre des notaires du Québec). You may also file a complaint with the Canadian Council of Better Business Bureaus (CCBBB).
The operational processes concerning the immigration representative regulations.	Send your complaint to the CIC office that processed your application.

What if my immigration representative committed an unlawful offence (for example, submitted fraudulent documentation) while representing me?

It is a serious offence to give false or misleading information. If the information on your application is inaccurate and/or incorrect, you may be inadmissible to Canada for a period of two years. If you know your immigration representative committed an unlawful offence while representing you, they could be charged under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and/or the Criminal Code of Canada.

Immediately contact the CIC office processing your application, your local law enforcement agency and/or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

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	Last Updated: 2006-09-08		Important Notices