How to check if your immigration consultant or lawyer is licensed

Step 1: Check a consultant on the CICC register

1. Go to the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) public register.
2. Search by the consultant’s last name or the licence number on your contract.
3. Open the result and check two columns:
   • Status: must be Active.
   • Entitled to Practise: must be Yes.
4. Check the licence class: RCIC (L1 or L2), RCIC-IRB (L3, can also represent at the Immigration and Refugee Board) or RISIA (L4 or L5, student immigration advisors).
5. Check the company name and address match what the person gave you.

The CICC says only licensees shown as “Active” and entitled to practise can legally provide immigration services. “Active – Practice Restricted” means discipline has placed limits on their work: read the details. Any suspended, revoked, resigned or on-leave status means they cannot practise.

Step 2: Check a lawyer or paralegal

Lawyers are licensed by the law society of each province or territory. Search the directory where the lawyer says they practise:

• Ontario: the Law Society of Ontario Lawyer and Paralegal Directory. Ontario paralegals are also listed here; they are the only paralegals IRCC accepts as paid representatives.
• British Columbia: the Law Society of BC lawyer lookup.
• Other provinces: IRCC’s authorized representative page links to every provincial and territorial law society.
• Quebec notaries: the Chambre des notaires du Québec directory (in French).

Look for a status that shows they are a member in good standing and allowed to practise. IRCC says: “If they are not members in good standing, you should not use their services.”

Step 3: For Quebec processes, check the Quebec register

If your application goes through Quebec selection (for example a Quebec skilled worker program), the consultant must also be recognized by Quebec’s immigration ministry. The Quebec government says a CICC licence alone is not enough.

1. Open the Quebec register of immigration consultants (Registre québécois des consultants en immigration).
2. Search the consultant’s name. Each recognized consultant has an inscription number and recognition date.
3. Check the separate list of consultants whose recognition is suspended or revoked.

Members of the Barreau du Québec and the Chambre des notaires du Québec do not need this recognition.

Step 4: Match the details on your paperwork

Fraudsters sometimes use a real consultant’s name and number. Protect yourself:

• Find the consultant’s contact details on the register or law society site and call or email them there, not only through the number they gave you.
• Check that the name and licence number on your contract and on the Use of a Representative form (IMM 5476) match the register.
• Ask for a written service agreement on business letterhead.
• Pay the business, not a personal account, and get receipts.

Step 5: Check they can do the work you need

A licence is not a blank cheque. Make sure the person is allowed to do your type of case:

Also ask how many cases like yours they have done in the last year, who will actually prepare your file, and whether an assistant or a licensed person will review it. A licensed representative is responsible for the work of their staff.

Signs something is wrong even if they are licensed

• They guarantee approval or a job offer.
• They will not put their name on your application.
• They ask you to give false information or sign blank forms.
• They keep your passport or your IRCC account login.
• They ask for cash only or payment to a personal account.

Read our immigration scams guide for more warning signs.

Questions to ask at the first meeting

• What is your licence number, and in which province or with which regulator?
• Will you sign the IMM 5476 form and appear as my representative?
• What is the total fee, and what does it include?
• What are my chances, and what are the risks in my case? (A good answer is honest, not a guarantee.)
• How will you keep me updated, and will I see everything you submit?

What to do if they are not on any register

If you cannot find the person on the CICC register, a law society directory or the Quebec register, treat them as unlicensed. That is true even if they show you a certificate, a membership card or a photo of an office.

• Do not pay anything more, and do not send your passport or original documents.
• Ask for a refund in writing and keep every message, receipt and contract.
• Log in to your own IRCC account to see if anything was submitted in your name. If you do not have one, create it and link any application with its number.
• Check if anything they sent was false. If a document they submitted was fake, get advice from a lawyer or legal clinic quickly. Misrepresentation can lead to a refusal and a ban, even if someone else made the mistake.
• Report them to IRCC and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

How to complain about a representative

• Licensed consultant: file a complaint with the CICC.
• Lawyer or paralegal: complain to their law society.
• Unlicensed person charging fees: report to IRCC through its fraud reporting page, and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

Need help but cannot afford it? See free and low-cost immigration legal help, or compare options in our lawyer vs RCIC guide.

Common questions

Sources

• CICC: Find an immigration consultant
• CICC: Public register
• IRCC: Find out if your representative is authorized
• Quebec: Find an immigration consultant
• Quebec: Who must be recognized as an immigration consultant
• Law Society of Ontario: Lawyer and Paralegal Directory
• Law Society of BC: Lawyer lookup
• IRCC: How to report scams, fraud or abuse

Checked against these sources on October 5, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.