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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.

Searches for "how much does an immigration consultant cost in Canada" usually want a number. We are not publishing one. Prices vary by adviser and case, and the ranges circulating online are not from any official source. What we can set out precisely is what the law says a consultant must tell you about fees, when they may bill you, and what to do if the bill is not what you agreed. Government application fees are separate and are set by IRCC.

Who sets the fee

The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants does not set prices. Its "Working with an Immigration Consultant" page says: "Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) set their own fees. As a regulatory body, the College does not set fee guidelines for business relationships. However, RCICs must set fair and reasonable fees for the specific services they provide."

That requirement is in the Code of Professional Conduct: "All fees charged to a client by a licensee for immigration or citizenship consulting services must be fair and reasonable in the circumstances" (Code s.31(1)). Disbursements "must not exceed the actual amount of the disbursement" (s.31(2)), and a consultant "must not undertake work that unnecessarily increases fees or disbursements" (s.31(4)).

The College suggests speaking to several RCICs, and lists things to consider when comparing fees: years of experience, the complexity of your case, the number of people in the application, any time limits, how long the application takes to process, and the level of service needed.

Student advisers are different. RISIAs "do not collect fees directly from students"; they are paid employees of designated learning institutions.

Fee 1: the initial consultation

Before a first consultation, a consultant must enter into a written consultation agreement with you (Code s.23(1)). It must include: - the consultant's name, registration number, address, telephone number and email address; - your name and contact details; - "the fee for the consultation or, if the consultation is provided pro bono, a statement to that effect"; - a brief description of the College's role as their regulator; - a description of the purpose and scope of the consultation.

The consultant keeps a signed copy and must give you one (s.23(3)). So you should know the consultation fee, in writing, before the consultation begins. If an adviser says a first call costs nothing, the agreement should say it is pro bono; see our page on "free consultation" offers.

Fee 2: the service agreement for the actual work

For anything beyond the initial consultation, the consultant must sign a written service agreement with you before providing the services (Code s.24(1)), and must give you a draft first (s.24(2)(b)). The agreement must include, among other things (s.24(3)): - an itemised list of the services, tailored to your needs; - estimated time frames; - "an estimate of fees, including the hourly rate and the anticipated number of hours, or an agreed fixed fee"; - an estimate of expected disbursements; - any GST, HST or other tax to be charged; - the terms of payment, including any interest on unpaid amounts; - any advance payments and the consultant's refund policy; - an explanation of any additional costs you may have to pay; - the consultant's complaint-handling procedure.

If the fees or disbursements are going to exceed the estimate or fixed amount, or new disbursements come up, the consultant must tell you and "obtain the client's agreement in writing" (Code s.31(3)).

Deposits and advance payments go into trust

Many consultants ask for part of the fee up front. The Code controls what happens to that money. A consultant who receives an advance payment must hold it "in trust in a client account" at a College-approved financial institution, give you a receipt showing the amount, keep separate records for each client, and use the funds only for the purpose they were paid for (Code s.32).

The consultant may invoice you "only once they have provided immigration or citizenship consulting services to the client or have made disbursements on the client's behalf" (s.33(1)). Every invoice must fully describe the services and disbursements it covers (s.33(2)), and every payment gets a receipt that names the invoice it relates to (s.33(3)). Only after invoicing may the consultant move the money out of the trust account (s.32(f)).

In plain terms: paying a deposit is allowed, but it is still your money, held in trust, until the work it pays for has been done and invoiced.

Government fees are a separate cost

IRCC's application fees, the right of permanent residence fee, biometrics and third-party costs such as medical exams, police certificates, language tests and translations are not part of a consultant's fee. They are paid to the government or to the provider. IRCC publishes its current fees on its fee list (ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp); check the amount there on the day you pay, because fees are indexed and change.

A service agreement should say which disbursements the consultant expects to pay on your behalf, and those may not be marked up above their actual cost (Code s.31(2)).

The advertised price has to be the real price

The Competition Act treats a misleading price as reviewable conduct. Its "drip pricing" rule says "the making of a representation of a price that is not attainable due to fixed obligatory charges or fees constitutes a false or misleading representation," unless the extra charge is only an amount imposed by law, such as a tax (s.74.01(1.1)). A consultation advertised at one price that can only be booked by paying an extra fixed charge is the kind of practice the rule covers.

Lawyers who advertise fees have their own rule. In Ontario, the advertising must be "reasonably precise as to the services offered for each fee quoted," must say whether disbursements, third-party charges and taxes are extra, and the rule requires that "the lawyer strictly adheres to the advertised fee in every applicable case" (LSO rule 4.2-2).

If you disagree with a bill

For consultants, the College says its complaints process "focuses on RCICs' or RISIAs' professional conduct, not on their fees," and that "the College does not deal with complaints that are only about a request for a refund or return of fees because an immigration application was refused." A dispute that is only about money belongs in a local court. A complaint about conduct (for example, money not held in trust, no service agreement, or charges you never agreed to in writing) is a conduct issue, and the College's complaint form asks for agreements, receipts, invoices and proof of payment.

For lawyers, the provincial process applies. In Ontario, a lawyer's bill can be reviewed by an Assessment Officer of the Superior Court of Justice; starting more than one month after you receive the bill needs a judge's permission. In British Columbia, the Law Society offers fee mediation at no cost for disputes from $1,000 to $35,000, and a BC Supreme Court registrar can review a bill.

Questions the rules suggest you ask

None of these are required questions; they follow directly from what the Code says must be in writing. - Is the consultation fee in the consultation agreement, and what does the agreement say the consultation will cover? - Is the service fee hourly or fixed? If hourly, what is the estimated number of hours? - Which disbursements do you expect, and roughly how much? - Is tax included or extra? - How much is due in advance, and what is the refund policy? - Who will actually do the work?

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 much does an immigration consultant cost in Canada?

There is no official fee scale. The College says RCICs set their own fees, which must be fair and reasonable. The consultation fee must be in a written consultation agreement before the consultation, and the full fee estimate must be in a written service agreement before the work begins.

Are RCIC fees regulated?

The level is not set, but the Code requires fees to be "fair and reasonable in the circumstances," limits disbursements to their actual cost, requires written agreement to any increase, and controls how advance payments are held and invoiced.

Can a consultant ask for payment up front?

Yes, but an advance payment must be held in trust in a client account and can only be withdrawn after you have been invoiced for services actually provided (Code s.32 and s.33).

Do consultant fees include IRCC government fees?

No. Government fees are paid to IRCC and are listed on IRCC's fee list. The service agreement should list any disbursements the consultant will pay for you, which may not exceed their actual cost.

Can I get a refund if my application is refused?

That depends on your service agreement, which must state the refund policy. The College says it does not handle complaints that are only about a refund because an application was refused; fee-only disputes go to a local court.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • "Free consultation" with an immigration consultant: what it covers — A no-charge call is allowed, but it is not the same thing as a paid advice consultation, and the price of that paid consultation must be written in a consultation agreement before it starts (Code s.23). If the consultation itself is genuinely at no charge, the agreement has to say so. IRCC warns about representatives who "advertise their services as free and later ask you to pay a fee."
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Canadian Immigration Fees 2026: The IRCC List, Explained — The IRCC fee list (date modified 21 September 2026) sets the government fees for most applications: for example $100 for a visitor visa, $150 for a study permit, $155 for a work permit, $1,590 for an economic permanent residence application including the $600 right of permanent residence fee, and $653 for an adult citizenship application. Medical exams, language tests, police certificates and representative fees are not on it.