Fight Ghost Consultants
Many people ask “what is a ghost consultant?” A ghost consultant is someone who charges a fee for immigration services which they are not authorized to charge a fee for. Many of these ghost consultants operate outside of the country they provide services to in order to avoid the laws of that country.
Canada has made many changes to crack down on these types of consultants who are operating around the world for a variety of reasons. Several government agencies have received numerous complaints from individuals around the world about consultants which include: charging ridiculous fees for their services, defrauding them and ruining their application. In many cases it is more than just money that is at stake for the client, it is their life. Whether they are trying to move their family to a new country to gain new opportunities, to join their family in another country or to flee discrimination in their own country, the results can be devastating.
Unfortunately most clients are not aware of the consequences of using a ghost consultant, or that they are using a ghost consultant. There are several ways that you can find out if the person you are choosing to assist you with your Canadian application is authorized to represent you with your application. First, they need to be one of the following if they are charging a fee:
- Lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society;
- Notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec, and
- Immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council
You can find out if the person you are dealing with falls under one of the categories by checking with their regulatory board in Canada directly. The regulatory board will be able to confirm their registration. The immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) provides the list of all of their members on their website where you can search by name, location, company name, and a variety of other criteria:
http://secure.iccrc-crcic.ca/search-new/EN
If the person you are looking to hire for your Canadian application does not appear to be registered with any of the regulatory boards listed above, ask them directly which regulatory board they belong to along with their membership number. This will give them the opportunity to clarify your concerns. You can then use this to confirm with their regulatory body.
If you find a person or company is not authorized to provide Canadian immigration advise for a fee you should not use them in order to protect yourself and your application. You can also report them directly to the ICCRC by visiting the site below:
http://iccrc-crcic.ca/ALERT.cfm
Alternatively, if it is a lawyer who is not registered with the required body you can report them to the law society which they are a member of.
The ICCRC was created to regulate Canadian immigration consultants and hold them accountable for their actions. They are also there to hear from the public about their concerns and issues. Don’t be afraid to use your voice.
