The government of Canada has declared setting up of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants College to ensure no frauds across the immigration sector. This November 23, the College is poised to begin and is being lauded as a means to end fraudulent transactions and falsities immigrants face while entering the country.
This College is a new regulatory body that will be better equipped both technologically and financially to cover the lapses in the process of immigration. Until now, there have been myriad instances of losses faced due to consultants demanding absurd amounts for assistance with immigration.
The primary benefits of introducing the new body for consultants are-
- Eventual transparency across all immigration cases or issues
- Well-trained body that ensure lesser corruption
- Ease of applications for new immigrants
- Protection of enthusiasts willing to settle in Canada
- Overall boost to the immigration system in Canada
- Maintaining integrity of system
- Regulating all categories of advisors for immigration
- Ensuring accurate and trustworthy guidance during the immigration process
- Professionalizing of immigration industry
- Ease of management of the growing consultants’ community size
Is this a “different” Body?
The new body is set to change the way consultants operates and it definitely is a different body from IRCC, set up in 2011. The regulatory body will guide immigration applicants to better understand and tackle issues specifically related to –
- Compliance
- Regulation
- Professional development
- Professional conduct
What is New as part of “Powers”?
Among the strengthened benefits that the regulator sees vesting in it are investigations on the disciplinary premises and misconduct. The body will have powers such as-
- Ability to enter offices of consultants in case of suspected wrong doing’
- Ability to conduct a detailed investigation into the above
- Ability to summon witnesses for testifying before a Discipline Committee
- Ability to suspend any consultant when incompetence or misconduct is proven
- Ability of revoking or suspension of consultant licenses
New chapter post Temporary Foreign Workers Act Amendments
The setting up of a body or college regulating the immigration procedure ensures transparency comes as a continuation of the efforts of the government to ensure protection of immigrant rights.
The Canadian Department of Citizenship and Immigration amended the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations or the Temporary Foreign Workers Act this August itself.
With the amendments workers who are working on a seasonal or non-permanent basis get to enjoy better rights, better understanding of working conditions, wages and gradually stand benefited from the compliances their employers will vow to, thanks to the government.
Top amendments announced include-
- Better protection of labor’s rights
- Ensuring better employer responsibility
- Better oversight of government for protocols related to LMIA or the Labor Market Impact Assessment
- Ensuring authority of ESDC or Employment and Social Development Canada for deferred processing of any LMIAs that are not complaint
- Availability of rights for gathering information of employers during processes to monitor compliance, via third party investigation
Summing up
Finally, thanks to Covid-19, Government of Canada believes has reflected upon and accepted the Labor Market Assessment process-related vulnerabilities that stem over to overall employment concerns.