Clients of immigration consultants can recover losses dating back to 2021: new CICC rules | ImmigraCan

Clients of immigration consultants can recover losses dating back to 2021: new CICC rules

On July 15, 2026, Canada's immigration landscape saw a relevant update for Brazilians who are planning to apply, or already have an application in progress, with IRCC. The information comes from CIC News (original source), a network specialized in Canadian immigration.

The CICC (College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants) has been the regulatory body for immigration consultants in Canada since November 2021. It replaced the former ICCRC and brought much stricter rules to protect clients from fraud.

What changed for clients

The new rules give clients the right to:

• Recover amounts paid for services that were not provided or were poorly provided since November 2021
• File complaints against RCICs (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) directly with the CICC
• Request compensation through the indemnity fund maintained by the CICC
• Access the disciplinary history of any consultant for free on the CICC website

How Brazilians can protect themselves

Before hiring any immigration consultant:

1. Check their CICC registration: go to college-ic.ca and search by name — if they're not there, they're not a legitimate RCIC
2. Check active status — suspended or expelled professionals appear in the history
3. Ask for a written contract with scope of service, timelines, and fees
4. Never pay in cash or to the consultant's personal account
5. Keep all communication — emails, messages, receipts
6. Be wary of "guaranteed approval" — no serious consultant promises that
7. Suspiciously low prices or "a friend recommended them" — check the CICC anyway

Alternatives to a paid consultant

Not every application requires a consultant. You can do it yourself if:

• Your case is straightforward (standard Express Entry, direct PNP)
• You have enough English to read the regulations
• You have no admissibility issues (crime, health, prior issues)

Free tools that help:

• ImmigraCan eligibility quiz — finds your program
• CRS calculator — estimates your Express Entry score
• Document checklist — what to gather
• IRCC's official forum and Brazilian communities (Facebook, Reddit)

If you were wronged

If you believe you were wronged by a consultant between 2021 and today:

1. Gather all documentation: contract, proof of payment, communications
2. File a formal complaint with the CICC
3. Also consider reporting to the authorities of the province where the consultant operates
4. Consult a Canadian lawyer — many offer a free first consultation

Next steps

Before spending money on consulting, take the free quiz to understand your options — many Brazilians discover the path is more direct than it seemed.

Conclusion

IRCC policy changes affect Brazilians differently depending on their profile, application timing, and current status. This is just a snapshot of an update from July 15, 2026 — for the full picture of your case, take the ImmigraCan free eligibility quiz.

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*This content is informational and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. ImmigraCan is not affiliated with the Government of Canada or IRCC. Always confirm official data on canada.ca and, for your specific case, consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or a specialized lawyer. Source: CIC News.*