In this edition:
A closer look at the College Portal with President & CEO John Murray
Coming this Fall, the College Portal will be an all-in-one online platform designed to simplify regulatory tasks, allowing licensees to access annual renewal, courses and programs, report CPD activities and pay annual fees with a single sign-on.
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President and CEO John Murray shares his thoughts on the benefits of the College Portal and answers frequently asked questions.
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What do you think is the most exciting feature of the College Portal? |
| John: |
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For me, it is the single sign-on. This new feature will make it quicker and easier for licensees to access the information they need and complete their regulatory tasks. Currently, licensees must log into multiple applications. The College Portal will be a user-friendly one-stop shop. |
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How will the College Portal improve communication between the College and licensees? |
| John: |
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The College Portal will serve as a hub, where licensees can easily access the information, tools and resources they need.
Through a new dashboard, licensees can keep track of their progress on obligations like PME courses and licence renewal. Licensees will have access to all of their own data and will be able to view a repository of their past communications with the College. |
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How will licensees be trained on how to use the College Portal? |
| John: |
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The new platform will be very intuitive for users, offering visual guides and instructions to help navigate tasks. Additionally, licensees can access troubleshooting tips and tools that are accessible 24/7. The College will also offer licensees technical support, should it be required. |
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Will the implementation of the College Portal lead to higher licensing costs? |
| John: |
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No, the College Portal will not lead to higher licensing costs. In fact, the College Portal will help both staff and licensees save valuable time. |
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How will licensees be kept informed about the College Portal rollout? |
| John: |
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The College will continue to share regular updates to licensees through our monthly bulletin, e-blasts and social media channels. Please follow us on social media! Our handles are:
• X: @College_IC
• Instagram: collegeicc
• Facebook: College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants
• LinkedIn: College IC – Collège IC |
Licensees are also encouraged to stay informed by visiting https://college-ic.ca/whats-on/college-portal.
Save the Date – The College’s 2023 Annual General Meeting
In accordance with the By-laws, the Board of Directors approved the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held on November 30, 2023, at 10 am, ET, at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre, 200 Coventry Road, Ottawa, Ontario.
Only licensees (RCICs and RISIAs) in good standing on November 1 , 2023 are eligible to attend or vote at the AGM.
A buffet lunch will follow the meeting.
Registration opens online on November 3, 2023. More details on how to register will be shared during the month of October.
Meeting the new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
College President & CEO, John Murray, met with new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Honourable Marc Miller, in Ottawa in early September.
The minister was appointed to the role in July from his previous position as Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.
This early meeting was an opportunity for Mr. Murray to brief Minister Miller on the work that the College does to regulate the immigration consulting profession in the public interest.
Specialization Program for RCIC-IRB Class of Licence
As a reminder to licensees, applications for the Education Pathway program and course enrolment have closed for the year. The College will share enrolment details for 2024 in the coming months in the Bulletin, across our social media channels and on our
website.
Currently, the Education Pathway is the only Specialization Program route to obtain the RCIC-IRB class of licence. PLAR and Hybrid pathways have been discontinued.
For more information about the program or if you require an assessment accommodation, send an email to
sp@college-ic.ca.
Autopay Reminder for Quarterly Payments
October 1, 2023, is the next payment date for licensees who pay annual fees on a quarterly basis.
On FreshBooks, you can select the option to “pay future invoices automatically” when making a payment, and your future payments will be automatically billed to your credit card.
If you have further questions, please contact bookkeeper-comptable@college-ic.ca.
If you have previously selected this option, you will be automatically billed on October 1, 2023, at 12:01 am ET.
If you no longer wish to be billed automatically, you must de-select the “Pay future invoices automatically” option.
To update your payment information, follow these steps:
1. Open any invoice previously received from your email, or log into your Client Account if you have been saving your invoices in FreshBooks.
2. On the invoice that is automatically billed, saved payment information will appear here (or you can click on ”Manage Payments” ).
3. Click on ”Update Credit Card” or remove the Credit Card information to remove autopay.
4. Re-enter your new payment information or click the trash can icon to remove and click on “Save Card”.
5. Your new details will be saved for future recurring payments.
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 are summaries of the most recent decisions 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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Parvinder Sandhu; R418407
Devinder Sandhu; R418415
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Company Name/Location
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Global Strategic Business Consultancy & Worldwide Immigration Consultancy Services Canada Inc.
Brampton Ontario & Mohali, Punjab, India |
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Proceedings
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Motions in writing |
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Findings
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Two RCICs are facing a disciplinary proceeding involving 26 complaints. The evidence and submissions have been filed with the Discipline Committee but the decision on the merits has not yet been issued.
The RCICs filed two motions that the Discipline Committee addressed before deliberating on its final decision:
Motion to Stay Proceeding for Delay
The Discipline Committee found that the delay was not inordinate and did not prejudice the right to a fair hearing or the RCICs.
Motion to Halt Proceedings
The RCICs raised 9 concerns. The Discipline Committee addressed each and found they lacked sufficient details, were incorrect, attempted to re-litigate decided issues, could be addressed in the Discipline Committee’s decision on the merits of the case, or were premature. |
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Both motions were dismissed.
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Costs
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Each RCIC must pay costs in the amount of $2000 to the College. |
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Discipline Committee Decision
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Licensee
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Rajesh Randev; R422455
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Company Name/Location
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Get Visa Immigrations Inc.
Vancouver BC |
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Proceedings
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Motion in writing |
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Findings
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The RCIC filed a motion seeking to delay disciplinary proceedings to accommodate health issues and their desire to obtain legal representation.
The College contested the motion noting that the RCIC could not demonstrate why counsel had not been retained in the 6 months preceding the hearing.
The Discipline Committee ordered the Parties to set a new adjudication timetable within one week, noting that it would set the timetable if the parties cannot agree.
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The motion was dismissed.
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Costs
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Costs reserved to be considered in the main proceeding.
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