Canada applies new regulations monitoring immigration consultants from 15/07/2026

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced on 06/05/2026 new regulations monitoring immigration and citizenship consultants that will take effect on 15/07/2026. The regulatory package includes increased fines for violating consultants, expanded disclosure requirements in the register, the establishment of a compensation fund for fraud victims, and greater federal intervention powers granted to the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC).

Key changes

According to a statement from the Government of Canada, the new regulations allow the CICC to increase fines against violating consultants through stronger complaint and disciplinary processes. Additionally, starting from April 2027, the College must disclose more information about licensed consultants on the public register. The regulations also clarify and strengthen the investigation process for misconduct while granting the Minister of Immigration the power to appoint a receiver to take over the duties of the CICC Board if the Board fails to meet its responsibilities.

According to Canadian Lawyer Magazine, the draft regulations were published in the Canada Gazette on 21 December 2024 for stakeholders to review and provide feedback prior to implementation. The official legal text was published in the Canada Gazette, Part 2, Volume 160 on 6 May 2026.

Fraud victims compensation fund

The compensation fund is designed for victims of CICC-licensed consultants who have engaged in financial misconduct, including theft, fraud or misappropriation of funds; false declarations or counseling false declarations; and willful failure to report claims or cooperate with professional liability insurance.

To be eligible for compensation, victims must submit a formal claim through the CICC process, and the discipline committee must determine that financial loss occurred as a result of the consultant’s dishonest conduct. The violation must have occurred on or after 23 November 2021 – the date the CICC officially began operating as a regulatory body. The final decision of the discipline committee must be issued on or after 15 July 2026. Victims must not have participated in the dishonest conduct, and claims concluded before 15 July 2026 as well as duplicate claims are ineligible.

The CICC will publish further details regarding eligibility, timelines, compensation amounts, and the application process when the fund officially becomes operational.

Scale of fraud and implemented measures

According to Canadian HR Reporter citing Government of Canada data, an average of over 9,000 suspected immigration fraud cases were investigated each month in 2024. In the same year, 2,246 websites and social media pages belonging to unlicensed practitioners were shut down. As of March 2025, over 3,000 social media pages associated with unlicensed consultants were taken down.

Under Canadian law, any individual who receives payment to prepare immigration applications or provide immigration advice must be licensed by a government-authorized body – specifically a provincial or territorial law society, or the CICC. The CICC public register is the official record of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs).

Official statement

According to an IRCC release, Minister Lena Metlege Diab stated: “People wanting to build a future in Canada deserve access to honest, reliable immigration and citizenship advice. They need confidence that our Government is taking effective steps to improve integrity”.

According to Canadian Lawyer Magazine, Ms Kate Lamb, Acting President and CEO of the CICC, stated: “We look forward to the regulations coming into force on 15 July 2026, and the future finalisation of bylaws and supporting regulatory frameworks. The Board remains committed to regulating this profession in the public interest”.

Context and next steps

The CICC was established by the IRCC in 2021 to regulate immigration and citizenship consultants in Canada, replacing its predecessor, the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC). The Board is funded entirely by membership fees paid by licensees and receives no government financial support. The IRCC maintains close oversight to ensure the CICC fulfills its mandate to protect the public.

The CICC has approximately six weeks from the date of publication to update its bylaws and disciplinary procedures prior to the regulations coming into force. According to analyses in Canadian Lawyer Magazine, the IRCC also leaves open the possibility of further amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, which may include a mandatory retainer agreement template and fee caps.