Before a licensed consultant does any work, they must sign a written agreement with you that lists the services, the fee, expected costs, any advance payment and their refund policy, and explains how to complain. Money you pay before the work is done must be held in trust. Government fees go to IRCC, not the consultant, and hiring a representative doesn’t get your application special attention or guarantee approval. If something goes wrong, complain to the CICC, or to the law society for a lawyer.
There is no set price, but there are set rules
The rules don’t set prices. They fix how a consultant charges you: the Code of Professional Conduct, a federal regulation every CICC licensee must follow, says what has to be written down, and when.
The consultation
Even a first consultation needs a written agreement stating the fee (or that it’s free) and what it covers.
Code s. 23Hourly
An hourly rate, plus an estimate of how many hours the work will take.
Code s. 24(3)(i)Fixed fee
One agreed amount for the listed services, with the payment terms written down.
Code s. 24(3)(i), (l)Ask which of these a quote includes and which you pay separately: IRCC fees, biometrics, a medical exam, police certificates, translations, language tests and credential assessments. Compare the list of services, not just the number. If you’re still choosing, see licensed consultants who fit your case and ask each for a written estimate.
Read it clause by clause before you sign
The Code calls it a service agreement; many people call it a retainer. You must get a draft before you sign and a signed copy after. Open each clause, compare it with yours, and tick it off.
You’ve checked 0 of 7 clauses · All covered. Keep your signed copy somewhere safe.
01Who is acting for youCode s. 24(3)(a), (e), (v), (x)
- The licensee’s name, CICC registration number, address, phone number and email.
- The names of the people likely to help with your file.
- What the College does as their regulator.
- That they have given you a copy of the Code of Professional Conduct.
- A company or “agent” named, but no licensee. Check the number yourself.
- Assistants doing the work. Allowed, but the licensee must supervise them and stays responsible.
02Scope of workCode s. 24(3)(c), (f), (g), (h), (s); 24(5)
- Your instructions and a summary of any advice already given.
- An itemized list of services, tailored to you.
- Estimated time frames, and whether you’ll be served in English or French.
- A vague scope like “immigration services”.
- Any promise of approval. The Code bars consultants from guaranteeing success.
- Changes agreed only by phone. Changes must be agreed in writing by both of you.
03Fees and payment scheduleCode s. 24(3)(i), (k), (l); 31
- An hourly rate with the expected hours, or a fixed fee.
- Any GST, HST or other tax.
- When you pay, and any interest on unpaid amounts.
- Surprise bills. Going over the estimate needs your written agreement first.
- A fee for finding you a job or a school. A licensee who also recruits for employers or schools can’t charge a foreign national for that.
04Government fees and disbursementsCode s. 24(3)(j), (n); 31(2)–(3)
- An estimate of disbursements: money they’ll pay out for you, such as IRCC fees.
- Any other costs you may have to pay.
- Mark-ups. A disbursement can’t exceed what was actually paid.
- New costs added later without your written agreement.
05Money held in trustCode s. 24(3)(m); 32; 33
- Any advance payment you’ll make before the work is done.
- Paying into anything but a client account held in trust (section 04).
- No receipt for an advance.
- Invoices for work not yet done.
06Refunds and ending the agreementCode s. 24(3)(m), (p), (y); 35; 36
- Their refund policy.
- That your original documents will be returned once they’ve been used.
- What happens to your file if the licensee becomes unable to continue.
- Anything that seems to lock you in. If you no longer want their services, they must end the agreement.
- A refund policy you haven’t read.
07How to complainCode s. 24(3)(q), (r), (v); 29
- The licensee’s own complaint-handling procedure.
- The College’s complaints process.
- How they’ll keep your information and documents confidential.
- No mention of the CICC at all.
- Slow or no replies. A licensee must respond promptly to your complaint.
No written agreement, no work. A licensed consultant must sign a service agreement with you before providing any services beyond a first consultation. And before you sign, check that they’re licensed.
Two kinds of fees, paid to different people
The consultant’s fee pays for their work. Government fees pay IRCC to process your application. Check current amounts on IRCC’s official fee list, not in a quote.
| Cost | Who gets the money | Keep | If refused |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional fee | The licensee | An invoice describing the work, and a receipt for each payment | Depends on the agreement’s refund policy |
| IRCC fees, incl. biometrics | IRCC | IRCC’s receipt | Only some fees come back once processing has started |
| Medical exam | The panel physician, at the appointment | Proof of payment | IRCC won’t refund it |
| Other costs | Whoever provides them (police, translators, test centres) | Proof of payment | Not an IRCC fee, so IRCC doesn’t refund it |
An IRCC fee your consultant pays for you is a disbursement: it can’t be more than the amount actually paid. Ask for IRCC’s receipt.
IRCC’s fees are in Canadian dollars and the same everywhere in the world. IRCC says it will never call you to ask for a deposit into a personal bank account, or ask you to send money through a private money transfer company.
Your advance stays yours until the work is done
Paying up front is allowed, but a consultant can only invoice you for services already provided or costs already paid out. Until then, an advance is your money, held in trust. The consultant must:
Put it in a client account
Held in trust at a financial institution approved by the College. Only clients’ money may go into it.
Give you a receipt
Clearly showing the amount, with separate records of deposits and withdrawals for each client.
Invoice you before taking it
Fully describing the services and costs. Only the invoiced amount can come out, within 30 days of the invoice.
Use it only for its purpose
Money paid for your file can’t be used for anything else.
canada.ca puts it simply: any time you pay your representative, get a signed receipt. Keep receipts and invoices with your agreement.
You can leave. Here is what they owe you when you do.
You can change or cancel your representative with IRCC at any time, using the Use of a Representative form (IMM 5476) sent through IRCC’s web form. And if you no longer want their services, the consultant must end the agreement.
Unless the Code requires them to stop (for example, if you ask them to do something dishonest), a consultant can end it early only for a good reason, such as unpaid fees, with reasonable notice, and only if it won’t seriously harm your case.
Within 30 days of the agreement ending, finished or not, they must:
Any documents or anything else of yours they still hold.
An accounting of all funds received from you.
For services actually provided and costs actually paid.
Any trust money beyond what’s been invoiced.
If it ends early, they must also hand over the information needed for your file, cooperate with your new representative, and tell IRCC they no longer represent you.
Unpaid bill? You still get your file. If you ask for your file to go to another representative, the consultant must deliver all of its documents within 10 business days, even if payments are outstanding. For delays beyond their control, the limit is 30 days.
Whether invoiced fees come back depends on your agreement’s refund policy, so read that clause before you sign.
If something goes wrong
First gather your agreement, invoices, receipts, emails and messages. Then work through these steps.
Raise it with the consultant, in writing
If you feel safe doing so, start here. Your agreement describes their complaint procedure, and a licensee must respond promptly.
Complain to the regulator
For a licensed consultant, complain to the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. Anyone may complain about a licensee or a former licensee. For a lawyer, go to their provincial or territorial law society, for a Québec notary the Chambre des notaires, and for an Ontario paralegal the Law Society of Ontario.
Once you complain to the College, the consultant may not contact you unless the College agrees in writing. If you’re still their client, they must keep meeting their obligations, communicating only as the College permits.
Report fraud to IRCC
Suspect fraud or misinformation? Tell IRCC through its web form; you can also notify the Canada Border Services Agency. Remove an unauthorized representative from your file straight away.
Ask about getting money back
If the College’s Discipline Committee finds professional misconduct or incompetence, it can require the consultant to repay all or part of your fees and costs. For losses caused by a dishonest act, the route is the compensation fund instead.
The compensation fund
Under regulations in force since 15 July 2026, you may be eligible if you lost money through a licensee’s dishonest act committed on or after 23 November 2021: theft, fraud or misappropriating your money, for example, or knowingly providing false information in an application. You must have had an agreement with them, or reasonably believed they’d agreed to act for you, and not taken part in the act.
It works through the College’s complaints and discipline process. If the Discipline Committee finds a dishonest act and sets the amount you lost, the College must tell you that you may be eligible, with no application needed. In other cases set out in the regulations, you apply.
Questions people ask
Do I need an agreement just for a consultation?
Yes. A licensed consultant must sign a written consultation agreement with you first, stating the fee (or that it’s free) and what it covers, and give you a copy.
Can a consultant guarantee my application will be approved?
No. The Code bars licensees from guaranteeing success in their marketing, and IRCC says a representative won’t draw special attention to your application or guarantee approval.
My consultant wants more money than the agreement says. Do I have to pay?
Fees or costs above the agreed estimate or fixed amount need your written agreement first, and any change to the agreement must be in writing.
Can I switch consultants partway through?
Yes, at any time. Your old consultant must transfer your file to the new representative within 10 business days of your request, even if you owe them money.
Do these rules apply to lawyers?
The Code in this guide applies to CICC licensees. Lawyers and Québec notaries follow their own regulator’s rules, and complaints go to their law society or the Chambre des notaires.
Sources
- Code of Professional Conduct for College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Licensees (SOR/2022-128), ss. 14, 17–18, 23–24, 29, 31–36, 38, 41, 44, Justice Laws Website (current to 2026-09-21, modified 2026-09-28)
- College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Regulations (SOR/2026-68), ss. 1, 4–5, 38, Justice Laws Website (last amended 2026-07-15, modified 2026-09-28)
- College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act, s. 45, Justice Laws Website (modified 2026-09-28)
- How to choose an immigration or citizenship representative, canada.ca (modified 2026-08-18)
- File a complaint against a representative, canada.ca (modified 2026-05-11)
- Add, change or cancel a representative, canada.ca (modified 2025-03-31)
- Canada strengthens regulation of immigration and citizenship consultants, canada.ca news (2026-05-06)
- Fee list, IRCC (modified 2026-09-21)
- How to get a refund, IRCC (modified 2026-09-21)
- Medical exam requirements for permanent residents, canada.ca (modified 2026-08-04)