RCIC-IRB v. RCIC – Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant

Michael is a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. He intends to immigrate to Canada. However, the immigration process seems complicated. Consequently, Michael wants to hire a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant to assist him. He realizes there are two designations, RCIC and RCIC-IRB. Michael wonders what the differences are.

The role of a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC)

Before pointing out the differences between an RCIC and an RCIC-IRB, let’s explain who an RCIC is. These are professionals who are members in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Canada (CICC). Therefore, an RCIC may offer you immigration advice and representation for consideration.

For consideration means that you need to compensate them. Of course, the standard form of compensation is financial remuneration. An RCIC may ask for a fixed amount for the services rendered. Alternatively, they may ask for hourly payments.

Comparing RCIC and RCIC-IRB

RCICs may currently represent clients to the following entities:

• IRCC – Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada: The policy and decision maker for visa and immigration applications.
• CBSA – Canada Border Services Agency: The entity that enforces the immigration law. Consequently, they handle detention and removals.
• ESDC – Employment and Social Development Canada: The organization that assesses the Canadian labour market and issues LMIA letters.
• IRB – The Immigration Refugee Board of Canada: A court-like organization that decides refugee applications, conducts inadmissibility hearings, reviews detentions under the Immigration Act, and runs immigration appeal proceedings.
• Most provincial immigration organizations.

Starting from July 1, 2023, only those RCICs may represent clients to IRB who hold the RCIC-IRB designation. Consequently, regular RCICs may not represent clients to IRB on or after that date.

Which RCICs hold the RCIC-IRB designation

If you are an RCIC, you hold the RCIC-IRB designation only if one of the following situations apply to you:

• You are currently an RCIC. However, you graduated from the Queen’s University Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law program.
• You are currently an RCIC. However, you graduated from the D.E.S.S. en réglementation canadienne et québécoise de l’immigration offered by the Université de Montréal.
• Other RCICs must take the CICC Specialization Program and successfully pass the exam.

Of course, regardless of the path, the RCIC-IRB must maintain their active membership status.

Are there exceptions to the RCIC-IRB rule?

An RCIC may represent clients to IRB on or after July 1, 2023, without being an RCIC-IRB if they meet both of the following criteria:

• They are both an RCIC and a licensed paralegal in the province of Ontario, and
• they represent clients to IRB as a paralegal, not an RCIC.

If a paralegal represents clients to IRB as an RCIC, they must be an RCIC-IRB on or after July 1, 2023.

Let us help!

I am an RCIC-IRB. Therefore, I can represent you to IRB and other entities mentioned above. Please book a consultation session with me or fill out our assessment form. Moreover, I offer mentorship sessions for other RCICs. For generic questions, please fill out the following form.

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