I AM LOOKING TO MIGRATE TO CANADA,
SHOULD I PICK AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER OR AN IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT? AND HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT?
Both of them can help applicants for filing and processing the Canadian Immigration applications with different powers in which Canadian Immigration lawyer have more powers as compare to ICCRC Consultants.
WHY AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER ?
an immigration lawyer/attorney has more legal experience than consultants. They attend law school, have a law degree which takes 3 years and have to pass the bar exam to become legally registered to practice law. A lawyer also has some years of post-secondary education, and usually has interned at a law firm at some point. If you choose an immigration lawyer, they are able to accompany and legally represent you in interviews, and can advocate for your application in a Canadian court.
WHY AN IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT (ICCRC)
An immigration consultant on the other hand does not have a law degree and usually has undergone a one-year certification to get registered. Although they cannot represent you legally, they can advocate on your behalf in federal court, if it is ever required. Consultants are not required to have an undergraduate degree. Immigration consultants are regulated by the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) they receive a unique 7 digit that shows that they are certified by the ICCRC, therefore you should make sure that the number is valid before proceeding with them.
On the other hand, a lawyer is governed and regulated by provincial law societies. It is important to remember that lawyers do not have an ICCRC number and are instead registered under the bar and province.
If someone tells you that your Immigration Lawyer requires an ICCRC number, it may be a Fraud Red Flag for Immigration.
Written By:- Ms. Farha Abdallah