How to check that an immigration consultant is authorized, and spot the fakes

How to check that an immigration consultant is authorized, and spot the fakes, starts with one basic rule: verify the individual through the regulator that oversees their professional category. Fake consultants are good at looking legitimate: polished websites, busy social media accounts, testimonials, sometimes even a real consultant’s name and number borrowed without permission. For people living in Québec or planning to come here, the right check depends on who will advise you and which department or tribunal they will deal with.

Key takeaways

Question	What to do
How do I verify an immigration consultant?	Search the CICC public register by the consultant’s full name, then compare the official record with the person and contact details you have.
Is a CICC licence enough in Québec?	No. To work as an immigration consultant in Québec, the consultant must also be recognized by Québec’s immigration ministry (MII, formerly MIFI) and listed in the Québec register.
How do I check a lawyer or Québec notary?	Use the Barreau du Québec directory for lawyers and the Chambre des notaires du Québec directory for notaries.
What are warning signs of a fake representative?	Pressure to pay, vague answers about who handles your file, claims of special influence, a “guaranteed” result, and refusal to provide a written agreement or receipt.
What should I do if I suspect fraud?	Pause payments and sharing, save the evidence, and contact the regulator responsible for the person’s claimed profession.
Can I apply without a representative?	Yes. You can always apply on your own, and using a representative does not give an application special treatment.

Who can charge you for immigration help

For applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), anyone you pay to advise or represent you must be one of the following:

• a consultant in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC);
• a lawyer in good standing with a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, or, in Ontario only, a paralegal licensed by the Law Society of Ontario;
• a notary in good standing with the Chambre des notaires du Québec.

Friends and relatives can help you for free, but they cannot charge for it. If a friend or family member offers help, clarify what they will do and that they are not acting as a paid professional. IRCC warns that applications involving an unauthorized paid representative may be returned or refused.

Authorization depends on the person’s professional category and the work they will do. Use the regulator for the specific credential the person claims, rather than accepting a job title, company name or advertisement as proof of authority. If the work involves a tribunal, such as the Immigration and Refugee Board, check whether the person’s credential covers that specific proceeding.

Verify an immigration consultant in the official registers

To check a consultant, look for the individual in the CICC public register. Compare the name, licence number, status and contact details in the record with the person you are dealing with; a badge, screenshot or number in an advertisement does not by itself verify identity. Look as well for restrictions or disciplinary measures on the public record.

In Québec, check a second register. To work as an immigration consultant in Québec, the consultant must also be recognized by MII and listed in the Québec register of immigration consultants, which you can search by name on quebec.ca. Recognition is renewed every two years, and the ministry also publishes suspended and revoked recognitions. Lawyers and notaries are not in that register.

As an example of what you should be able to verify: at Visa Canada Rouge, Moadh Rahmaoui is listed on the CICC public register (licence R534941) and recognized by MII (number 12182). Check those numbers, and ask the same of anyone you consider hiring.

Compare the contact details in the official record with the phone number, email address and business information you received. If something does not match, contact the consultant through details you found independently in the register, not through the questionable message: someone may be impersonating a real consultant.

Reviews and personal referrals can help you understand someone’s service style, but they cannot establish current authorization. The practical test is whether the individual handling your matter appears in the regulator’s record under matching identity details.

Check lawyers and Québec notaries through their own regulators

If someone says they are a lawyer, verify the credential with the law society of the province or territory where they practise; in Québec, the Barreau du Québec. For a notary, use the directory of the Chambre des notaires du Québec, and compare its identity details with the person offering the service.

Do not treat a title in an advertisement as proof of professional status. “Notario” is a label to verify, not proof of professional status in Québec. A firm website may describe its team, but it does not replace an independent check of the individual who will advise you.

A five-minute check, and matching the person to the work

1. Get the full name and licence number of the person who will actually handle your file, not just the company name.
2. Search the CICC public register and compare name, number, status and contact details.
3. For a Québec file, search the Québec register and confirm the recognition is valid.
4. Compare contact details. A different email or phone number can be a sign of impersonation.
5. Look for restrictions or disciplinary measures on the public record.

Ask who will personally advise you, prepare or review your application, and communicate with IRCC, MII or the IRB. Verify that individual, not only the firm owner or a spokesperson whose name appears in an advertisement. In a firm with several staff members, get the name and role of the person responsible for your file: registration of a firm or of one professional does not verify every employee.

These checks answer a common question: how can you verify that a licence belongs to the person you are speaking with? Match the person, their register entry, their contact details and the work they will do, rather than relying on a licence number alone.

Use a written agreement and keep control of your file

Before paying, ask for a written service agreement that names the responsible professional, lists what is and is not included, states the fees and payment schedule, and explains what happens if either side ends the mandate. It should also say who prepares forms, who reviews documents and who communicates with IRCC or MII.

Keep the agreement, receipts, messages and copies of every form submitted for you. Review completed forms against your own information and ask for an explanation of anything unclear before authorizing a submission.

Never sign a blank form or a document you have not reviewed. Do not hand over account passwords or one-time security codes; provide only the access or documents genuinely needed for the work agreed.

Recognize common scams and misleading claims

• A guaranteed approval or a guaranteed job. No one can guarantee a decision, and regulated consultants are not allowed to promise one.
• Claims of special access to officers, a government connection or faster processing.
• Reluctance to give a licence number, or to say who is handling your file.
• Advice to leave out a fact or “adjust” information. Misrepresentation can have serious, lasting consequences for you, not for them; see our guide on misrepresentation and the five-year ban.
• Pressure to pay quickly, in cash or by untraceable transfer, or to sign blank or incomplete forms.
• No written agreement or receipt, or an agreement that does not say who does what.

Polished branding, a social media profile, a professional-looking website or a licence number in an advertisement does not establish that the individual handling your file is authorized. Look the person up directly in the register.

A typical scenario: a message on social media offers a “guaranteed work permit” for a fee, signed with a real consultant’s name and licence number. The number checks out in the register, but the phone number in the message doesn’t match the register entry, and the payment goes to a personal account. That combination, a real number with someone else’s contact details, is exactly how impersonation works. Call the consultant at the number listed in the register before you pay anything or send a document.

If you suspect fraud, preserve evidence and take action

Stop sending money or sensitive information while you assess the situation. Save messages, emails, agreements, receipts, payment records, names, contact details and copies of forms already submitted.

Ask in writing for a complete copy of your file and a summary of what has been submitted. Check with IRCC or MII which representative is on record for your application, and follow the official process to change representatives. If someone had access to your online accounts, change your passwords.

Report professional misconduct or unauthorized practice to the regulator of the profession the person claims, following its public-protection or complaint instructions. If money or access to your accounts was involved, contact your financial institution as well.

A second opinion on your case answers a different question from licence verification. If your file already has a refusal or complications, our complex cases page explains how we take over a file, and our refusal page covers what to do after a refusal. You can also describe your situation or book a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

Can a CICC consultant from another province handle my Québec file?

To act as an immigration consultant in Québec, they must also be recognized by MII and listed in the Québec register. Check both.

Do I need a consultant to apply?

No. You can always apply on your own. A regulated professional can help you understand your options and prepare a consistent file, but using one is your choice.

The person I hired is not in the register. What now?

Stop sending documents and money, keep every record of your exchanges, check who is listed as your representative with IRCC or MII, and report the situation to the relevant regulator.

Can I change or cancel a representative after appointing one?

Yes. Tell the representative in writing and follow the department’s instructions for updating or withdrawing the appointment, so future correspondence goes to the right person.

What should I do if someone uses a consultant’s name or licence number without permission?

Contact the regulator and provide the profile, advertisement or message showing the misuse. If money or account access was involved, contact your financial institution as well.

What if a form was submitted with information I did not approve?

Get a copy of the submitted form, identify the exact information you dispute, and contact the department promptly through its official channel. Keep any confirmation.

Conclusion

Checking that an immigration consultant is authorized comes down to matching the person, the credential, the contact details and the proposed work against the correct official registers: the CICC and, in Québec, the MII register. Before sharing sensitive information or paying, identify who will handle your case, read the written agreement, and keep control of your forms and records.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 17, 2026:

• IRCC — Find out if your representative is authorized
• Québec — Get represented in your immigration procedures