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Do I need an immigration consultant to apply to Canada?

No. IRCC's own answer is "No. The Government of Canada treats everyone equally, whether they use a representative or not." If you do pay someone for advice, the law says they must be a licensed consultant, a lawyer or paralegal, or a Quebec notary.

Many people start a Canadian application believing they need an immigration consultant to be taken seriously. The government says otherwise, in writing. This page sets out what IRCC says about representatives, who is allowed to charge you for advice, what a paid adviser actually does, and the situations where people commonly decide to pay for help. It explains the rules. It does not tell you which way to decide for your own case.

What IRCC says, word for word

IRCC's Help Centre answers the question directly. Asked "Do I need a representative to help me apply?", it says: "No. The Government of Canada treats everyone equally, whether they use a representative or not." It adds that the forms and information needed to apply for an eTA, a visa or to immigrate are on its website at no charge (the government application fees on IRCC's fee list are still payable when you apply), and that if you follow the instructions in the application guide you can complete and submit the form on your own (IRCC Help Centre, page modified 28 September 2026).

IRCC's "Learn about representatives" page says the same thing from the other side: using a representative "will not draw special attention to your application and doesn't mean we'll approve it." It also says: "You are responsible for all the information in your application, even if your representative completes it for you."

So hiring someone does not buy faster processing, a different officer or a better result. What it can buy is someone else's knowledge and time.

Who is allowed to charge you for immigration advice

Section 91(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) says no person shall "knowingly, directly or indirectly, represent or advise a person for consideration — or offer to do so" in connection with an Express Entry profile or any application or proceeding under the Act. "For consideration" means for a fee or any other benefit.

Section 91(2) lists who is allowed to do it: - lawyers who are members in good standing of a provincial law society, and notaries who are members of the Chambre des notaires du Québec; - other law society members in good standing, including paralegals (in practice, Ontario licensed paralegals, according to IRCC's authorized-representative page); - members in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (the College).

The College licenses two kinds of consultant: Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs). RISIAs work for designated learning institutions and can advise on study permits and related visas only; the College says they "are not authorized to represent you in immigration or citizenship matters or complete immigration forms for you."

Breaking s.91(1) is an offence. On conviction on indictment the maximum is a $200,000 fine, two years in prison, or both; on summary conviction, $40,000, six months, or both (IRPA s.91(9)). The College adds that consultants who provide Canadian immigration services "in countries other than Canada are subject to Canadian law."

Unpaid help is allowed, and it still has to be declared

IRCC recognises two kinds of representative: paid and unpaid. An unpaid representative can be a family member, a friend or anyone else who charges nothing. IRCC says unpaid representatives may give the same services as paid representatives, without charging for them.

The line is payment of any kind. IRCC's wording: "if you pay a representative or compensate them in any way in exchange for their services, we consider that paid," and paid representatives must be authorized. IRCC also says it "won't deal with representatives who charge a fee but are not authorized" and that if you use an unauthorized representative, "in Canada or abroad, we may return your application or refuse it."

If someone, paid or unpaid, is going to deal with IRCC on your behalf, IRCC asks you to tell it on form IMM 5476, Use of a Representative. IRCC's change-or-cancel page says to submit the form "even if your representative is uncompensated." See the separate IMM 5476 guide for what the form asks.

What a paid adviser does

IRCC's page lists what representatives can do: explain and give advice on your immigration or citizenship options; help you choose an immigration program; fill out and submit your application; communicate with the Government of Canada on your behalf; and represent you in an application or hearing.

The College's list of what counts as "providing immigration or citizenship advice" is useful because it shows where general information ends. It includes: "Using publicly available information to advise someone on an immigration matter. Telling someone how best to answer a question on an immigration-related application form. Advising about what additional information someone should include with an application. Writing a covering letter to accompany someone's application. Acting as their representative."

That is also why this page, and every article on Migratio, stays general. Explaining what a rule says is information. Applying it to your facts is advice, and only a licensed adviser may charge for that.

When people commonly decide to pay for help

There is no rule that says a particular case needs an adviser. The points below are situations where the stakes or the deadlines are written into law, which is when people most often look for one. Whether any of them applies to you is a judgement only you, or an adviser you hire, can make.

  • A refusal you want to challenge. Some routes have short, fixed deadlines. An application for leave for judicial review in the Federal Court must be filed within 15 days of being notified if the matter arose in Canada, or 60 days if it arose outside Canada (IRPA s.72). In the Federal Court, an individual "may act in person or be represented by a solicitor" (Federal Courts Rules, rule 119), so that step is for you or a lawyer, not a consultant.
  • A hearing before the Immigration and Refugee Board. Only RCICs holding the RCIC-IRB class of licence, or lawyers, may represent you there (College licence classes; see the RCIC vs lawyer page).
  • A letter from IRCC raising a concern before a decision, or any suggestion of misrepresentation, criminality or a past removal.
  • Complicated family facts: previous marriages, dependants in different countries, gaps in history.
  • A file you have no time to manage, or one in a language you are not comfortable working in.

Many people with straightforward applications complete them alone using IRCC's guides. Others pay for a single consultation to check their understanding and then file themselves. Both are allowed.

What hiring one involves

If you hire a licensed consultant, the Code of Professional Conduct sets out the paperwork. Before an initial consultation, the consultant must enter into a written consultation agreement with you that states their name and registration number, the fee for the consultation (or a statement that it is pro bono), the College's role as their regulator, and the purpose and scope of the consultation (Code s.23).

Before doing further work, the consultant must sign a written service agreement with you (Code s.24). It must include an itemised list of services, estimated time frames, an estimate of fees or a fixed fee, expected disbursements, taxes, payment terms, any advance payment and the refund policy, and the consultant's complaint-handling procedure.

Fees must be "fair and reasonable in the circumstances" (Code s.31(1)). The College does not set fee levels: "RCICs set their own fees," and it suggests speaking to several before choosing. Lawyers are governed by their own law society's rules and fee-review processes instead.

Before you pay anyone

The College's unauthorized-practice page gives three checks before paying a consultant: verify that they are licensed with the College; contact them using the contact information listed on the Public Register; and sign a service agreement.

For lawyers and paralegals, IRCC links every provincial and territorial law society directory on its "Check if your representative is authorized" page. Its advice if someone is not a member in good standing: "you should not use their services."

Finding a regulated adviser

Migratio is a directory and booking platform, not an immigration consultant or law firm, and it does not give immigration advice. Advisers listed in our Canadian directory are licensed immigration consultants and lawyers who have signed up with us themselves. Each listing shows the adviser's registered name and licence number, with a link to the official register so you can check it yourself before you book.

Whoever you choose, from our directory or anywhere else, check them on the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Public Register (register.college-ic.ca) or on their provincial law society's directory first, and ask for the written consultation agreement before the consultation starts.

Questions people ask

Can I apply for Canadian immigration without a consultant?

Yes. IRCC's Help Centre says you do not need a representative and that the government "treats everyone equally, whether they use a representative or not." The forms and guides are on IRCC's website at no charge; government application fees still apply.

Does using an immigration consultant make my application faster?

No. IRCC says using a representative "will not draw special attention to your application and doesn't mean we'll approve it."

Can a friend or relative help me with my application?

Yes, as long as they are not paid or compensated in any way. IRCC calls them unpaid representatives. If they will deal with IRCC for you, IRCC asks you to submit IMM 5476 even though they are uncompensated.

Who can legally charge me for Canadian immigration advice?

Under IRPA s.91(2): lawyers and other members of a provincial law society (including Ontario paralegals), notaries of the Chambre des notaires du Québec, and members in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.

Is it illegal to use an unlicensed immigration consultant?

It is an offence for the unlicensed person to advise or represent you for payment (IRPA s.91(1) and (9)). For you, the risk is practical: IRCC says it will not deal with paid representatives who are not authorized and may return or refuse your application.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • RCIC vs immigration lawyer in Canada: what each one can do — Both a licensed immigration consultant (RCIC) and a lawyer may charge you for Canadian immigration advice and represent you before IRCC. The differences are at the edges: only RCIC-IRB consultants and lawyers may appear before the Immigration and Refugee Board, only lawyers may act for you in the Federal Court, and Quebec files need extra recognition for consultants.
  • How to check an RCIC licence on the College's Public Register — Search the consultant on the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Public Register (register.college-ic.ca). Only people with an "Active" status and "Yes" in the "Entitled to Practise" column may legally give you immigration advice for a fee. Then contact them using the details on the register, not the ones in an ad or a message.
  • Immigration consultant fees in Canada: what you pay for and how it must be billed — There is no official fee scale: the College says "RCICs set their own fees," and they must be "fair and reasonable." What the rules do fix is the paperwork. The fee for a first consultation must be in a written agreement before it starts, the full job needs a written service agreement with a fee estimate, and money paid in advance must sit in a trust account until the work is done.
  • IMM 5476, Use of a Representative: what the form asks and how it is submitted — IMM 5476 tells IRCC that someone may act for you on an application, paid or unpaid. You complete the applicant sections, your representative signs their own declaration, and a paid representative must give their membership ID from the College, a law society or the Chambre des notaires. The same form is used to cancel or change a representative.
  • Unlicensed Immigration Consultants: How to Check Before You Pay — Only RCICs and RISIAs licensed by the College, lawyers and paralegals in good standing with a law society, and Quebec notaries may charge for Canadian immigration advice. IRCC says it won't deal with unauthorized paid representatives and may return or refuse an application that uses one.