Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants sues Federal government to protect consumers of immigration consulting services

TORONTO, April 5 /CNW/ - The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) stood up for consumers today by taking legal action to halt the Federal government's proposal to replace CSIC with a new immigration consultant regulatory organization that has no experience in consumer protection and will require more than 3.6 million taxpayer dollars to get off the ground.

"It is astonishing that the Federal government has turned its back on consumers by choosing a new and inexperienced group, the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC), to regulate immigration consultants. This group has no plans and no ability to resolve the 99 outstanding complaints and 155 open investigations that CSIC is currently seized with," said CSIC Chair Nigel Thomson. "CSIC also has serious concerns about the 21 ongoing disciplinary hearings. For all intents and purposes, the government has given the people who are the subject of CSIC's disciplinary process a free pass and this is unacceptable."

In June 2010 the Federal government established criteria for the review of the national regulator of immigration consultants. In December CSIC made a detailed submission that demonstrated that it met all of the government's criteria for confirmation as the regulator, most notably due to its significant experience in protecting consumers by holding its members accountable to strict standards.

"Consumers have effective protection and only CSIC has the policies, rules, expertise and disciplinary processes to provide that protection. The council will take years and millions of dollars to reach the same level of sophistication that CSIC currently possesses and in the meantime consumers will be put at risk," said Thomson. "CSIC believes that the process followed by the Federal government is biased, unreasonable and unfair. This decision defies logic and CSIC is standing up for consumers by challenging the fairness and practicality of the selection process."

The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants is the professional regulatory body for Certified Canadian Immigration Consultants. Established in 2004 it currently has 1,900 fully accredited members located throughout Canada and the world. CSIC's mandate is to protect consumers of immigration consulting services. Consequently, it is responsible for ensuring the education, competency testing and the discipline of its members. CSIC also requires its members to carry errors and omissions insurance and to contribute to a compensation fund in order to protect consumers. The best way to find a Certified Canadian Immigration Consultant (CCIC) is via CSIC's toll free referral line, 1-877-311-7926.

For further information:

Nancy Tibbo, 416-572-2800, Toll Free: 1-866-308-CSIC (2252), 416-294-0030 or ntibbo@csic-scci.ca

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• Fraud against immigrants target of new agency (cbc.ca)
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Immigration Consultant Regulator Continues Commitment to Transparency

TORONTO, March 17 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) released its 2009-2010 Annual Report. The release of the annual report is an important aspect of the organization's commitment to accountability, transparency and communication with all of its stakeholders, including government and members.

"As the regulator of an ever-growing profession, CSIC has matured considerably since its infancy," said Chair Nigel Thomson. "I am proud of CSIC's accomplishments during an extraordinarily busy year."

In 2010 the Immigration Minister introduced Bill C-35 to crack down on the problem of unlicensed ghost agents, unscrupulous individuals who offer immigration consulting services without having the proper accreditation. With the introduction of Bill C-35 the minister also announced that the Federal government would open a bidding process for groups wishing to be designated the regulator of immigration consultants.

"The minister's action has made for a somewhat trying year, but CSIC remains firm in its conviction that it is the best choice for regulator and its accomplishments in 2009-2010 speak for themselves," continued Thomson.

• CSIC stepped up its efforts to hold members accountable and subsequently referred a greater number of matters to a hearing (results available at https://www.csic-scci.ca/content/currenthearings).
• CSIC further held members accountable through the introduction of a Compliance Department, which is dedicated to ensuring that members manage their practices according to CSIC's rules.
• CSIC accreditation was recognized by the Quebec government through regulation.
• CSIC connected with more consumers than ever through a multi-faceted strategy that included increased media outreach, a national ad campaign and a toll-free referral service.
• CSIC's membership numbers increased due to a growing interest in the profession.

CSIC's Annual Report and its financial statements will be presented to members at the upcoming Annual Meeting, which will take place online on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 3 p.m. EDT. The Annual Report is also available online on the CSIC website: https://www.csic-scci.ca/content/annual_reports

The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants is the professional regulatory body for immigration consultants in Canada. Established in 2004 it currently has over 1,900 members. CSIC's mandate is to protect consumers of immigration consulting services. Consequently, it is responsible for ensuring the education, competency testing and the discipline of its members. CSIC also requires its members to carry errors and omissions insurance and to contribute to a compensation fund.

For further information:

Nancy Tibbo, Communications Manager, ntibbo@csic-scci.ca, 416-945-6271, Toll free: 866-308-2742, ext. 2252 or 416-294-0030.

Immigration consultants reflect on their work to help immigrants live their dreams during Citizenship Week

Toronto, ON – Canada’s Citizenship Week is a time for all Canadians to consider the shared benefits and responsibilities we enjoy as citizens, and immigration consultants are especially aware of just how lucky we all are.
As part of Citizenship Week, the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) is releasing What is a CCIC?, a video that details what Certified Canadian Immigration Consultants are and how they feel about helping immigrants live their dreams of becoming Canadian.
“Canada is a nation built on immigration and immigration continues to play a pivotal role in Canada’s future,” said CSIC Chair Nigel Thomson. “We are fortunate that many immigrants enrich our cultural fabric by choosing to make Canada their home.”
Members of CSIC, known as Certified Canadian Immigration Consultants, members of a provincial or territorial bar and Quebec notaries are the only paid representatives who are legally entitled to appear before the Canadian government on behalf of an immigration applicant.
“Immigration is a crucial step on the long journey to citizenship,” said Thomson. “Our members are proud to be a part of that journey by helping prospective Canadians navigate the often stressful and uncertain immigration process.”

The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants is the professional regulatory body for Certified Canadian Immigration Consultants. Established in 2004 it currently has over 1,800 members. CSIC’s mandate is to protect consumers of immigration consulting services. Consequently, it is responsible for ensuring the education, competency testing and the discipline of its members. CSIC also requires its members to carry errors and omissions insurance and to contribute to a compensation fund. The best way to find a CCIC is via CSIC’s toll free referral line, 1-877-311-7926 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-877-311-7926      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Related articles

• Canadian Immigration News - October 2010 (socyberty.com)