ICCRC Committed to Enhancing Consumer Protection

BURLINGTON, ON, Oct. 17, 2017 /CNW/ - In response to the tabling of the response to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration's report on Immigration Consultants in the House of Commons by the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) will follow up with both Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Minister's office to work toward a better solution for consumers of immigration services, as well as the protection of the public.

Following the tabling of the Standing Committee's report by then-Chair Borys Wrzesnewskyj, ICCRC carefully reviewed all the Committee's recommendations before further engaging with membership, stakeholders, and IRCC to develop a comprehensive response proposing changes to governance and operations that would directly address existing concerns about the regulator.

"ICCRC has taken the Standing Committee's recommendations very seriously and has been working to find solutions to the challenges presented in their report," said Mr. Chris Daw, Chair of the Board of Directors of ICCRC.

The Board has been working on this file over the course of the summer alongside Mr. Stephen Ashworth, who was appointed ICCRC's President and CEO in May of this year.

"ICCRC performs an important function in the Canadian immigration system," said Mr. Ashworth. "We firmly believe that there is opportunity to strengthen the Council as a regulator, rather than start from scratch at great cost to the Canadian taxpayer. We will work with IRCC and the Minister's office to ensure the best course of action is taken in the interest of the protection of the public."

The Council's proposed changes will be considered at ICCRC's Annual General Meeting on November 18 in Montreal, Quebec.

ICCRC currently regulates more than 4,000 licensed professionals practicing as Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs). The Council operates as a completely self-financing regulatory authority without expense to the taxpayer. ICCRC's mandate is to protect consumers of immigration services through effective regulation of immigration and citizenship consultants and promotion of the benefits of using only authorized immigration representatives.

About ICCRC

Designated by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, ICCRC is the national regulatory body that governs Canadian immigration and citizenship consultants as well as international student advisors. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Citizenship Act stipulate that persons, who provide immigration or citizenship advice for a fee or other consideration, must be regulated by ICCRC as Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs). Exceptions are members in good standing of provincial or territorial law societies or the Chambre des notaires du Québec. 

RELATED LINKS http://www.iccrc-crcic.ca

SOURCE Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC)

Communications, Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC), 1-877-836-7543, [email protected]