Immigrating to Canada is excessive stakes, prompting many newcomers to work with immigration representatives for work allow and everlasting residence functions.
Listed here are 5 questions you must all the time ask earlier than deciding to rent an immigration consultant:
- What are my possibilities of success?
- Are there completely different packages out there?
- What providers are included, which value further, and that are out of scope?
- Are you able to present references?
- By means of which regulatory physique are you licensed?
Seek the advice of with an skilled immigration consultant
We’ll clarify why every query is necessary and what solutions to search for, and we’ll additionally present a listing of purple flags to be careful for.
“What are my possibilities of success?”
Success is rarely assured in immigration.
It is best to by no means rent a consultant who assures you that success is assured—that’s a positive signal of fraud or a rip-off.
That mentioned, skilled representatives ought to have the ability to inform their historic success charge along with your sort of software, and/or with purchasers in related conditions as your self.
Take into accout, nevertheless, that each state of affairs is exclusive. The historic success charge with that file sort shouldn’t be reflective of your possibilities of success.
“Are there completely different packages out there?”
Some representatives will cost a flat charge for a sure software sort, which others might provide completely different ranges of service for a similar sort of software relying on what your wants are.
Earlier than going over their providers, a good consultant will ask you questions on your state of affairs to make sure that they perceive the place you’re coming from and what you’re on the lookout for.
In the event that they do provide a wide range of packages in your sort of software, a good consultant will take time with you to assessment all of your choices and clarify what’s included in every one.
They won’t attempt to “upsell” you or push you to pick out a bundle that features providers you don’t care about or want.
“What providers are included, which value further, and that are out of scope?”
If the consultant fees a flat charge for a sure file or software sort, as many do, they are going to be clear about which providers are included within the flat charge, versus which kinds of providers might value further.
For instance, the price for getting ready, submitting, and dealing with an software will typically not embrace dealing with the enchantment of a refused software down the highway.
Some representatives might cost completely different quantities dependent upon the extent of expertise of the lawyer or licensed consultant who’s dealing with your file.
All respected representatives shall be up entrance about their charges and what these charges pay for, and can present you a written settlement that outlines each the providers and the related price(s).
If a consultant asks for extra cost part-way by means of the method, and this cost was not mentioned up entrance, that’s a purple flag for fraud.
“Are you able to present references?”
Skilled representatives will usually have the ability to present references from earlier purchasers who’ve agreed to behave as references.
Generally, it’s unwise to rent a consultant who can not or won’t present references, or whose references don’t look like official.
When checking references, communicate with them your self, and be well mannered, transient, and respectful of their time.
Ask sufficient particular inquiries to validate that the reference was certainly a bona fide consumer.
“By means of which physique are you licensed?”
It’s a authorized requirement that to take cost for offering providers, an immigration consultant or guide have to be licensed with a licensed physique: both a provincial or territorial regulation society, or the Faculty of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.
The federal government of Canada’s official webpage describes the way to verify in case your consultant is allowed, by wanting them up to make sure that they’re in actual fact licensed and in good standing with their regulatory physique.
Understand that being licensed and in good standing is a authorized requirement.
Licensing by a regulatory physique shouldn’t be an endorsement of a consultant, and doesn’t let you know something in regards to the consultant’s degree of experience or the standard of the providers they’ll present—that’s why it’s necessary to do your personal due diligence in checking references and in interviewing the consultant your self.
Purple flags
The next are indications that the consultant is unlikely to be a good selection:
| Purple flag | Clarification |
|---|---|
| They guarantee you that success is assured. | Success is rarely assured in immigration. A choice is all the time on the sole discretion of the immigration officer reviewing your software. |
| They are saying they’ll personally affect the choice in your software. | Representatives can not instantly affect the choices of immigration officers.
Doing so could be unlawful, as officers are certain to make neutral choices primarily based on software. That mentioned, a superb consultant can cut back the chance of refusal by means of how they help along with your software—for instance, by making certain that no required info or paperwork has been omitted. |
| They are saying they’ll pace up processing, or make sure that your software goes to the entrance of the road, or they assure a sure processing time. | IRCC operates independently of any affect by representatives. Functions are handled impartially for order and pace of processing. Nobody can assure a sure processing time. |
| They start pitching providers earlier than asking questions. | Respected representatives will all the time make sure that they take the time to know your state of affairs and your required outcomes earlier than they start to debate what providers they’ll provide or how they are able to provide help to. |
| They are saying they can assist with something and all the things immigration associated, for everybody underneath any circumstances. | Aside from a number of extraordinarily giant corporations, no respected consultant will deal with all software varieties underneath all circumstances.
Most representatives are specialists, and shall be clear with you about what lies inside their space(s) of experience, and what kinds of information they might go on or discuss with different corporations. |
| They ask for extra charges, which weren’t disclosed up entrance, half manner by means of the appliance course of. | It’s regular and acceptable to interrupt down charges for various phases of the appliance course of: for instance, getting ready an Specific Entry profile, after which submitting an software in response to an ITA.
However in instances akin to these, all charges ought to have been transparently disclosed up entrance, and it ought to be clear which parts of the price pay for which providers. |
| They refuse to supply references. | Respected, skilled representatives will usually all the time have the ability to present references. |
| They attempt to “upsell” you. | Respected representatives will clarify their choices and may advocate what they consider is finest primarily based in your state of affairs, however they gained’t push you to pay for a higher-level bundle. |
| They use high-pressure gross sales techniques (e.g., if you happen to signal inside 24 hours, I’ll provide you with 20% off). | Respected representatives perceive that the choice to interact a consultant is high-stakes, and so they usually entice purchasers on the premise of the standard of their repute, the standard of their providers, and referrals from glad purchasers.
If the consultant tries to pressure a sale rapidly by instilling a way of urgency, they’re attempting to achieve your small business by means of emotional manipulation. |
| They promise you cost for referring new purchasers to them. | Paying referral charges to purchasers is prohibited.* |
| They recommend including false claims, embellishing sure claims (e.g., job duties), or they recommend omitting or eradicating info listed in your software. | Falsifying any part of your software or omitting any materials truth(s) out of your software is prohibited. It constitutes misrepresentation, and may result in refusal of your software and a five-year ban on Canadian immigration. |
| They recommend making use of to a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) if you don’t plan to reside in that province. | Having a real intent to reside within the province or territory nominating you is a situation for eligibility for all nominee applications. Making use of to a PNP and not using a real intent to reside constitutes misrepresentation.
It’s possible you’ll, nevertheless, enter a number of expression of curiosity (EOI) swimming pools, and apply solely to at least one PNP in case your EOI is chosen. |
*Immigration legal professionals are allowed to obtain referral charges when referring you to different corporations, supplied that these charges are disclosed.
