BURLINGTON, Ontario, May 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) is pleased to share that Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has informed the Council of his intent to approve the Council’s application to be continued as the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (College) and set a date of continuance.
The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act (Canada), S.C. 2019, c. 29 (the College Act) was proclaimed in force effective December 9, 2020, and pursuant to subsection 84 (1), ICCRC submitted a letter of application for continuance to the Minister on December 11, 2020. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is looking to establish a date of continuance for a fall 2021 opening of the College. Setting the date of continuance will be contingent on several implementation factors, including the Minister’s appointment of Public Interest Directors to the new College Board, and the development of the Code of Professional Conduct for licensees, as well as College Act regulations.
“It is very encouraging to see the commitment of Minister Mendicino to the College and his intention to approve the Council’s application and set a date of continuance for the fall of 2021,” said Stan Belevici, RCIC, Chair of the ICCRC Board of Directors. “We have been anticipating and working towards this goal for many years and it is wonderful to see that we are that much closer to obtain the same statutory authority as other regulated professions.”
IRCC also released the proposed Code of Professional Conduct for College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Licensees for public comment on May 15, 2021. As per section 43 (1) of the College Act, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship must establish a code of professional conduct for College licensees (RCICs and RISIAs). The Code will not be exhaustive of a licensee’s professional conduct obligations; it will be interpreted in conjunction with the College’s other governing documents.
“The Council will be fully prepared to continue as the College in the fall of 2021,” said John Murray, President & CEO of ICCRC. “We look forward to the Minister’s appointment of Public Interest Directors to the new College Board and the continued development of the College’s new code of conduct and regulations.”
The new College will have enhanced powers to regulate the immigration consulting profession in the public interest, including new authority to investigate and pursue unlicensed immigration consultants. For further information on the Council to College transition, please visit www.iccrc-crcic.ca.
For further information, please contact:
Christopher May
Director of Public Affairs & Communications
Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC)
T: 1-877-836-7543 | E: cmay@iccrc-crcic.ca
About ICCRC
ICCRC is the national self-regulatory body that promotes and protects the public interest by overseeing regulated immigration and citizenship consultants and international student advisors.
ICCRC’s federal mandate stems from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Citizenship Act which require anyone providing Canadian immigration or citizenship advice or representation for a fee or other consideration to be a member in good standing of ICCRC, a Canadian law society or the Chambre des notaires du Québec.
Individuals providing Canadian immigration/citizenship services abroad are subject to Canadian law even if they reside outside of Canada.
SOURCE: Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC)
SOURCE: Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 155, Number 20. (2021). Retrieved from Code of Professional Conduct for College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Licensees. https://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2021/2021-05-15/html/reg1-eng.html