Know Your Rights
Free, plain-English guides to hiring an immigration professional safely in Australia and Canada — how to verify a licence, spot fraud, understand fees, and use your rights if something goes wrong.
35 guides · written in plain English and kept current against the official regulators (CICC in Canada, OMARA in Australia).
Verifying a Professional
How to Verify an Immigration Consultant Is Licensed in Canada (2026)
Only RCICs, immigration lawyers, and Quebec notaries can legally charge for immigration advice in Canada. To verify an RCIC,...
AustraliaHow to Verify a Migration Agent Is MARA Registered (Australia 2026)
Only OMARA-registered migration agents and Australian lawyers can legally charge for migration assistance in Australia. To...
AU & CA10 Red Flags of an Unlicensed Immigration Consultant
The three most important red flags of an unlicensed immigration consultant: (1) they cannot give you a college ID (Canada) or...
AU & CAWhat Is a Ghost Consultant? (And How to Protect Yourself)
A ghost consultant is an unlicensed person who charges for immigration advice or assistance without being registered with CICC...
Understanding the Regulators
What Is an RCIC? Canada's Licensed Immigration Consultants Explained
RCIC stands for Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant. An RCIC is a licensed professional, regulated by the College of...
AustraliaWhat Is a Registered Migration Agent (RMA)? Australia's Licensed Immigration Professionals
A Registered Migration Agent (RMA) is a licensed professional, regulated by the Office of the Migration Agents Registration...
CanadaRCIC vs Immigration Lawyer — Which Should You Hire in Canada?
For most standard immigration applications in Canada — Express Entry, work permits, study permits, spousal sponsorship — an...
AustraliaYour Rights When Hiring a Migration Agent in Australia
When you hire a registered migration agent in Australia, you have rights under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct. These...
CanadaHow to Complain About an Immigration Consultant in Canada
If your immigration consultant is a licensed RCIC, you can file a formal complaint with CICC at college-ic.ca. If they are...
AustraliaHow to Complain About a Migration Agent in Australia
If your migration agent is OMARA-registered, lodge a complaint at portal.mara.gov.au — it is free and OMARA must investigate...
Visa Safety Guides
Express Entry Fraud — How Ghost Consultants Target Skilled Immigrants
Express Entry is Canada's most popular skilled immigration pathway and a prime target for ghost consultants. Common fraud...
AustraliaStudent Visa Fraud in Australia — Warning Signs for International Students
International students applying for Australian student visas are disproportionately targeted by unregistered migration agents,...
AustraliaPartner Visa Scams — What to Watch Out For (Australia)
Partner visa applicants are emotionally invested and time-pressured (offshore partner waiting). Fraudsters exploit this with...
AustraliaEmployer-Sponsored Visa Fraud — Protecting Workers in Australia
Workers on TSS (482) visas are uniquely vulnerable — they cannot easily change employers without losing status, making them...
CanadaWork Permit and LMIA Fraud in Canada
Fraudulent LMIA schemes are a well-documented fraud vector where fake or corrupt employers charge workers thousands of dollars...
AU & CARefugee and Asylum Claim Fraud — Protecting Vulnerable Claimants
Refugee claimants are the most vulnerable group — limited resources, language barriers, catastrophic consequences if claim...
RCIC Licence Types
L1, L2, and L3 RCIC — Which Licence Type Do You Need?
There are three RCIC licence classes: L1 (restricted to study permits and temporary resident permits only), L2 (standard —...
CanadaFind an RCIC-IRB Representative — Immigration and Refugee Board Counsel
The Immigration and Refugee Board has four divisions: RPD, RAD, IAD, and Security. Only RCIC-IRB (L3 licence) holders and...
CanadaRefugee Claim (RPD) — Can an RCIC Represent You, or Do You Need a Lawyer?
An RCIC-IRB (L3) holder is equally qualified to represent you at an RPD (Refugee Protection Division) hearing as a lawyer....
CanadaImmigration Appeal Division (IAD) — What an RCIC-IRB Can Do for You
The Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) hears appeals when your visa has been refused or a deportation order has been made. An...
CanadaAdmissibility Hearings and Detention Reviews — Your Representation Options
Admissibility hearings are held when immigration authorities determine you may be inadmissible to Canada (security, health,...
Contracts, Fees & Trust Accounts
What Must Be in Your RCIC's Service Agreement? (CICC Requirements)
A legitimate RCIC must provide a written service agreement before starting work. It must include your scope, fees, payment...
AustraliaWhat Must Be in Your Migration Agent's Client Agreement? (OMARA Requirements)
Under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct, an OMARA-registered agent must give you a written service agreement before...
AU & CADo Immigration Consultants Have to Keep Your Money in a Trust Account?
A legitimate immigration consultant will either direct you to pay government fees directly to the relevant authority (IRCC in...
AU & CARed Flags in an Immigration Consultant Contract — 8 Signs to Walk Away
If your consultant's contract includes approval guarantees, conditional fees, vague scopes, excessive upfront payments, or...
AustraliaCooling-Off and Refund Rights When Hiring a Migration Agent (Australia, 2026)
Australia does not have a fixed statutory cooling-off period for migration agent agreements. Under the current Migration...
AU & CACan You Get a Refund If Your Immigration Application Fails?
No legitimate consultant can charge fees only if your visa is approved. Consultants charge for services — not results. If they...
AU & CAHow Long Must an Immigration Consultant Keep Your Files?
In Canada, RCICs must keep files for 6 years after services end. In Australia, RMAs must keep files for 7 years. Both must...
Fees & Reference
Immigration Consultant Fee Guide — What You Should Pay in Canada (2026)
CICC sets guidelines on how much RCICs can charge for different services. No fixed maximum, but RCICs must justify fees as...
AustraliaMigration Agent Fee Guide — What You Should Pay in Australia (2026)
OMARA sets maximum fees for each visa type. RMAs must provide a written fee disclosure upfront. Fees above the maximum or not...
CanadaRCIC Licence Number vs Member Number — How to Verify
All RCICs have a licence number — this is what you search in the CICC register. Some also have a member number from a...
CanadaWhat the CICC Discipline Register Means (And Why It Matters)
The CICC Discipline Register is public. It shows RCICs who have had complaints filed against them, are under investigation, or...
Community Guides
Immigration Fraud in South Asian Communities — What to Know (Canada)
Brampton and Surrey have the highest concentration of immigration professionals in Canada AND the highest documented rates of...
AU & CAImmigration Fraud Targeting Filipino Communities (Canada and Australia)
Filipino workers are heavily targeted in Canada (LMIA fraud in caregiver and farm worker programs) and Australia...
AU & CAHow to Find a Legitimate Migration Agent in China (Before You Pay)
Chinese nationals and residents face heavy targeting from unlicensed agents due to visa complexity and high upfront costs....