In this edition:
The College Portal
The College Portal is an all-in-one platform designed to simplify licensees’ regulatory tasks. With a single sign-on, licensees will access their annual renewal, courses and programs, report CPD activities, pay their annual fees and more.
Licensees can expect an intuitive experience with user-friendly dashboards and simplified processes that enable timely communication with the College.
Convenient reminders for renewals, exam dates and payments will also be visible and accessible directly from the dashboard, helping licensees stay on top of key regulatory dates.
The College Portal will support licensees with tasks such as:
- Applications
- Registration
- Renewals
- And more!
More details will be shared in the coming weeks.
Policy Updates
All licensees are encouraged to carefully read the following 3 updated policies, which can be accessed on the College website.
You will note that language in the policies now refers to the College, rather than Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) and licensees, rather than learners. Additional updates are highlighted below.
1. Academic Integrity Policy
• Additional guiding documents and 4 new definitions.
• Requirements to strengthen the integrity of assessments and exams.
• Requirements for violations, remedies, and penalties for misconduct.
2.
Assessment and Grading Policy
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Additional guiding documents and 3 new definitions.
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Additional requirements for medical documentation.
3.
Withdrawal Policy
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Removal of penalties associated with PME course withdrawals.
Your compliance is vital to upholding the profession’s values and professional standards.
RISIA Entry-to-Practice-Exam (EPE) Format Update
On July 1, 2023, the College implemented the new RISIA Entry-to-Practice-Exam (EPE) format, which will be applicable to the upcoming September 13, 2023, exam.
Candidates should be aware of the following:
- Duration – The RISIA EPE will now be a 3-hour exam.
- Questions – The exam will now consist of 125 multiple-choice questions, which will include both independent and case-based scenarios.
- References – It remains a closed-book exam.
- Attempts – Candidates are allowed a maximum of 4 attempts.
- Assessment – The exam is a competency-based assessment aligned with the Essential Competencies for RISIA Practice.
This new RISIA EPE format aligns with best practices in psychometric assessment, which measures knowledge, abilities and personality traits.
For inquiries and clarifications about the exam format, please contact us at
sp@college-ic.ca.
Specialization Program Updates
The Specialization Program ensures that RCICs have the required knowledge, skills, and judgement to practise before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) safely and ethically in the public interest.
For those interested in obtaining their RCIC-IRB class of licence, please be advised that all 2023 application deadlines for the Specialization Program have passed. Enrolment will re-open for Education Pathway courses in 2024 at a reduced frequency.
As a reminder, the Education Pathway will remain the only Specialization Program route to obtaining the RCIC-IRB class of licence in 2024. Both PLAR and Hybrid Pathways have been discontinued.
We are committed to helping you achieve your goals. Additional information on the RCIC-IRB class of licence is available on our
website.
Update on amendments to the College Act
Amendments to the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act (College Act) were included under Division 18 of Bill C-47 which received royal assent on June 22, 2023. The College Act has since been modified accordingly.
The amendments to the College Act add new powers that were missed during its creation under the 2019 Budget Implementation Act and help clarify provisions of the original legislation. These include:
- clarifying that the College may provide training and development programs for licensees
- allowing the College to enforce disciplinary orders through the courts
- protecting directors, officers and employees from liability for actions taken in good faith
- clarifying elements of the discipline process and the penalties that may be imposed
- allowing the College to assume custody of a licensee’s business in certain circumstances to ensure client interests are protected, including by identifying another licensee to take on active matters, or by returning client documents and funds
- allowing the College to enter into formal information-sharing agreements with other agencies and governments
- expanding the College Board’s ability to make by-laws to regulate in certain areas.
Join us for an information session in Edmonton and earn one CPD hour
The College is hosting an in-person information session for licensees on the afternoon of Thursday, September 28, 2023.
The event is being held at the Marriott Edmonton Centre Suites in Edmonton, Alberta.
The information session will include representatives from the College and also the Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants (CAPIC).
Attendees at the afternoon’s Managing Clients, Complaints, and Navigating the College Complaints Process session will be eligible for one Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hour.
It is open to all licensees, but spaces are limited. We recommend those who are interested to register as soon as possible, and by September 12 at the latest.
Event schedule
- 2:30 pm – The Role of the College. Panel discussion featuring:
Stan Belevici, Chair, College Board of Directors – Marjorie Newman, E&T Vice-Chair/Lobbying, Vice-Chair, CAPIC
John Murray, College President & CEO and Registrar – Dory Jade, CEO, CAPIC
- 3:30 pm – Networking Break
- 3:45 pm – Managing Clients, Complaints, and Navigating the College Complaints Process
Discussion led by College Director, Professional Conduct, Michael Huynh
- 5 pm – Meet the College Board of Directors Reception
This is an in-person only event. Please register online at https://iccrc-crcic.site-ym.com/page/Edmonton_registration1977264.
The College is looking for some talented professionals to join our team.
Do you or someone you know want to be part of a team that protects the public by overseeing regulated immigration and citizenship consultants and international student advisors?
Interested in any of these opportunities? Submit your resume and a brief cover letter indicating why you feel you are a fit for the role.
For more information on these positions and the most up-to-date College career postings, visit the College's Career page.
The College’s Tribunal Committee is an independent adjudicative committee that hears and decides regulatory cases about licensees in accordance with the College’s core values of fairness, transparency, and public protection.
Below is a summary of the most recent decision of the Tribunal Committee. Full decisions are available, without charge, on the Canadian Legal Information Institute’s (CanLII) website at:
https://www.canlii.org/en/ (please enter “ICCRC” or “College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants” in the “Document text” field).
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Discipline Committee Decision
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Licensee
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Simon Chelat; R408839
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Company Name/Location
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Noaisys Immigration Inc.
Delta, BC |
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Proceedings
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Motion in writing |
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Findings
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The licensee brought a motion to stay (stop) the proceedings due to delay and to introduce 3 new pieces of evidence at the late stage of the proceedings.
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| Outcome |
The panel dismissed the motion for a stay of proceedings on the basis that the College had proceeded promptly once the Complaints Committee had referred the matter to the Discipline Committee.
The panel refused the licensee’s request to introduce 2 of the 3 new pieces of evidence. The panel allowed the third piece, subject to the College having the opportunity to cross-examine the licensee on this new evidence and make further submissions.
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Costs
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Costs of this motion to be determined at the close of the proceedings.
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