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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.

Impersonating a licensed consultant is, in the College's words, "a common form of fraud." The check takes a few minutes and the College runs the tool for exactly this purpose. This page walks through what the register shows, what each status means, and how to check lawyers and Quebec consultants, who are on different registers.

Where the register is and what you can search

The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants keeps "the official record of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs)." It is at register.college-ic.ca, in English and French. The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act requires it: the register "must be made available to the public on the College's website in a searchable format" and kept updated "in a timely manner" (s.31).

RCICs and RISIAs are listed separately, so choose the list first. You can search by first name, last name, College ID, company name, country and city.

Search results show the College ID, name, company, licence type and entitlement to practise. Selecting a licensee opens a profile showing licence status (Active or Inactive), licence history, contact information, agent details and discipline history, including any suspensions, revocations, restrictions, current proceedings or past decisions.

The column that matters: Entitled to Practise

The College is direct about this: "Only RCICs and RISIAs marked as 'Yes' in that column can legally provide immigration advice or services. Any RCIC or RISIA marked as 'No' under the Entitled to Practise column CANNOT legally provide immigration advice or services."

Two statuses go with "Yes": - Active: "A licensee in good standing with the College authorized to provide immigration services to clients." - Active – Practice Restricted: a licensee whose practice has been restricted by an interim order or disciplinary finding. The restriction is listed beside the status, so read it.

Statuses that go with "No" include Leave of Absence, Resigned, Resigned – Called to the Bar (the person is now a lawyer), Resigned – While Under Investigation, Administrative Suspension, Administrative Revocation, Disciplinary Suspension, Disciplinary Revocation, and Deceased.

A name that appears on the register is not enough on its own. A former consultant stays on it with a status that says they cannot practise.

Licence type: what work the person may do

The "Type" column shows the class of licence (College, "Find an Immigration Consultant"): - L1 – RCIC and L2 – RCIC: full scope of consultant practice. L2 consultants cannot practise before the Immigration and Refugee Board unless they are also Ontario-licensed paralegals. - L3 – RCIC-IRB: full scope plus representation before the Immigration and Refugee Board. - L4 and L5 – RISIA: advice on study permits and related visas for students only. RISIAs are not authorized to represent you or complete forms for you, and the College says they "do not collect fees directly from students"; they are employees of designated learning institutions.

The College's unauthorized-practice page adds: "some RCICs are authorized to provide only certain services. Always check the Public Register to ensure your RCIC is authorized to perform the service you are asking them to."

Match the licence number and the contact details

A consultant's licence number begins with the letter R followed by digits; the College's own example is "R123456". The College says the consultant must put their full legal name and licence number on the service agreement, and that the person signing it "should be the person conducting the immigration services for you."

Fraudsters often borrow a real consultant's name and number. The defence is to use the register's contact information, not the one you were given. Before paying anyone, the College says you should verify that the consultant is licensed, communicate with them "using the contact information listed on our Public Register," and sign a service agreement.

The College also warns about third parties: travel agents, labour recruiters and student recruiters who offer to handle a visa as part of another service. "In most cases, these people are not authorized." If someone says they are working with an RCIC, the College's advice is to check by asking that RCIC directly, using the register's contact details, and to sign the agreement directly with the RCIC.

Check the discipline history

Profiles include discipline history, and the College also publishes lists of revocations, suspensions and restrictions, current proceedings and past decisions. Discipline Committee decisions are published with the licensee's full name. A past decision does not necessarily stop someone practising today; the Entitled to Practise column tells you their current position. The decision itself tells you what happened.

Lawyers, paralegals and notaries are on different registers

If your adviser says they are a lawyer, they will not be on the College's register. IRCC's "Check if your representative is authorized" page links every law society directory: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario (lawyers and paralegals), the Barreau du Québec, New Brunswick, the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Quebec notaries are on the Chambre des notaires du Québec directory. Paralegals may represent people only in Ontario, through the Law Society of Ontario. IRCC's advice is the same for every group: "If they are not members in good standing, you should not use their services."

Quebec files: a second register

For immigration matters handled by Quebec, a consultant also needs recognition from Quebec's immigration ministry. Quebec's page says a College licence alone "ne suffit pas" (is not enough). Recognised consultants are listed in the Registre québécois des consultants en immigration, which you can search by name and municipality on quebec.ca ("Trouver un consultant en immigration"). The same page links a list of consultants whose recognition has been suspended or revoked. Members of the Barreau du Québec and the Chambre des notaires do not need this recognition.

If the person is not on any register

Anyone who charges for Canadian immigration advice and is not a College licensee, a law society member or a Quebec notary is committing an offence under IRPA s.91(1). The College accepts reports about unauthorized practitioners through its online College Portal. IRCC asks people to report suspected fraud through its web form and to the Canada Border Services Agency. See our page on unlicensed consultants for the warning signs and the reporting routes.

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

How do I verify an RCIC in Canada?

Search their name or College ID on register.college-ic.ca. Confirm the status is Active and the Entitled to Practise column says Yes, then contact them using the details on the register.

What does 'Entitled to Practise: No' mean?

The College says anyone marked No "CANNOT legally provide immigration advice or services." It covers statuses such as resigned, suspended, revoked and on leave.

What does an RCIC licence number look like?

It starts with the letter R followed by digits. The College's example is R123456. Check that the number and the name match the same entry on the register.

My consultant is not on the CICC register. Could they still be authorized?

Yes, if they are a lawyer, an Ontario paralegal or a Quebec notary. They will be on their law society or the Chambre des notaires directory instead. IRCC links all of these on its "Check if your representative is authorized" page.

Is there a list of immigration consultants in Quebec?

Yes. Consultants recognised by Quebec appear in the Registre québécois des consultants en immigration, searchable on quebec.ca, with a separate list of suspended and revoked recognitions.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • 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.
  • 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 Complain About an Immigration Consultant in Canada — Complaints about an RCIC or RISIA go to the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants through its online portal. The College looks at conduct and competence, not fee disputes; refunds usually need a court. Lawyers and paralegals are complained about to their law society.
  • 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.
  • 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.