What is an Immigration Consultant?
An immigration consultant is an individual who has obtained a one-year certification and is a licenced member under the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC).
A consultant’s membership number can can be verified at the College’s website. Consultants are monitored by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants and are periodically audited.
CICC was designed to serve the interests of clients of licensed immigration consultants. Its main goal is to protect immigration and citizenship clients and strengthen the integrity of the consulting industry.
Are immigration consultants lawyers?
Consultants are not lawyers. They do not have a law degree, but they are required to hold a bachelor’s degree, and we find most have a degree in a social science field such as criminology or political science.
What is an Immigration Lawyer?
An immigration lawyer must complete law school, pass the bar exam, and become a member of a provincial Law Society.
Lawyers practicing immigration law typically do not specialize in immigration law at school as most Canadian law schools offer just one or two classes in this field.
The immigration knowledge lawyers possess is mostly from experience, whereas immigration consultants gain knowledge through both experience and specialized study. Immigration lawyers do not have a CICC number and are not regulated by the CICC, their practices are governed by provincial law societies.
Differences between Immigration Lawyers & Consultants
Immigration Consultants and Lawyers can offer identical related to immigration and citizenship services, apart from representing the client at a federal court. Consultants can represent a client to the appeal tribunal level if there is an issue with an application.
If you’re in a situation where you have a complicated case that may go before the federal courts of Canada, you should look at hiring a lawyer.
However, 99% of immigration cases do not fall under this category. Something else to consider is that not all immigration lawyers want to take on complicated cases.
What is the difference between the two in cost?
It really depends; typically consultants tend to be cheaper, but you should do your due diligence and research the market to see what fits your budget. Once you find either a consultant or lawyer that fits your budget, research their reviews and try to find testimonials to verify their service. Make sure they can provide what your situation requires. At the end of the day, it is like shopping for anything else: you want the best service at the most competitive price.
Final thoughts
Lawyers may try to market themselves as experts and frown upon consultants, but the reality is that both provide the same service. When choosing between the two, you should look at their expertise and experience.
Not all lawyers or consultants are experts at every immigration program; some might develop niches in Express Entry or Family Sponsorships as examples.
The information in this blog is not to be interpreted or construed as legal advice. Everyone’s immigration goals, objectives and situations are different. Please contact us to speak to a consultant for advice.
About Us
Canada By Choice is a Canadian Immigration Firm based in Windsor, Ontario. Founded in 2007, Canada By Choice Immigration is widely considered as one of the most respected immigration firms in our region. We have earned our reputation as a world class firm by providing dedication and personalized service to each and every unique case before us.
Verify our Membership number here. Membership number: R530015
