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| Subject: credential eval |
[19-11-2007,03:15]
[***.22.21.50]
Lisa |
(in reply to: credential eval)
does anyone know the credential evaluators in vancouver BC
[19-11-2007,03:16]
[***.22.21.50]
Lisa |
(in reply to: credential eval)
www.bcit.ca/ices
[19-11-2007,05:43]
[**.93.40.3]
JP |
(in reply to: credential eval)
PUBLIC CONFUSION ABOUT WHO IS LICENCE TO PRACTICE IMMIGRATION- Due to high calls to our help centre, CSIP took this intuitive and post this explanation to the public / Consumers.
If you need help with your immigration status, be careful who you see. Only lawyers licensed to practice in Canada or federal courts can give legal advice. Lawyers or representatives accredited by the immigration court can represent you in immigration court. In Canada, accredited representatives and immigration consultants are not permitted to represent in any federal court, and they can screw up your Appeal .
It is against the law for an immigration consultant to give legal advice. An immigration consultant can only give you non-legal help, like translating your answers to the questions on Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Services forms, getting copies of supporting documents, and, if you ask them to, submitting the forms to the CIC. Only an attorney can give you legal advice, such as advising you about what forms to file with the CIC.Check CIC website before you pay any lawyer. Scam artists can cause you to lose thousands of dollars and harm your immigration status. If you need an Immigration lawyer or Practitioner Call CSIP and will refer you to their members, check with local bar associations. An immigration consultant may cost as much as an attorney in the end with failing result.
Some common scams:
Making false promises and implying he or she has special influence with the CIC or he or she was former CIC officials. Nobody can guarantee you a work permit or any other immigration benefit.
Posing as a recognized CSIC immigration consultant or disbared lawyer but he or she is CSIC member.
Taking a consumer´s money and not delivering any services.
Persuading a consumer to lie on an application or to an CIC agent.
Keeping a consumer´s original documents and charging money to get the documents back.
Filing a frivolous application. For example, filing an application for political asylum on behalf of a consumer who does not qualify for asylum. Mr. Dakakini of CSIC Member in Toronto is well known scammer in this field for Palestinian residence in Saudi Arabia. We have the evidence to prove it.
Charging the consumer a total price for all services up front, then demanding more and more money to continue doing work for the consumer.
Will immigration consultants require a licence In Ontario? Immigration consultants are not licence by any authorities in Canada. The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) is responsible for regulating the activities of immigration consultants in Ontario under their Ontario corporate registry or to their members only. CSIC do not licence members but regulate them. However, CSIC does certify its own members which CSIP undermines the kind of certificate CSIC has been providing to its members due to the fact CSIC is acting in conflict of interest as they mark their own member?s exams or exempt members from writing exams as it wishes. CSIC regulates members only in Ontario who are CSIC members and provide immigration advice for a fee in Ontario only. They do not require a licence under Bill 14 in Ontario. However, Immigration Practitioners are permitted to practice Immigration under CSIP membership prior- during and after submission under different category of service for a fee or under Pro-bono service or for a fee prior to submission, CSIP membership covers all immigration practitioners across Canada and globally and regulate its own members. CSIP licensed its own members under CSIP membership and under the BC corporate registry of BC as part of the CSIP mandate and bylaws.
CHECKLIST FOR WORKING WITH A LAWYER OR IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT
Is the person offering legal services a lawyer licensed by the State Bar of any province in Canada? The person must give you his or her State Bar number. Check with the State Bar. Ask if the lawyer has ever been disciplined or disbarred and working as CSIC member.
Immigration consultants must have a $50,000 bond and provide you evidence of the bond. Keep the bond number for your records.CSIC members insurance is not enough to protect you.
Check references. Talk to other people who have used the services of the CSIC immigration consultant or lawyer; check with reputable community groups. Don´t be fooled by fancy titles or documents hanging on the wall.
Get a written contract signed and dated by the immigration consultant or lawyer, but do not sign the contract unless you understand it.
Consult a person you trust before signing anything or paying any money. Be suspicious of anyone who wants you to act immediately.
Make sure the contract lists the services you were promised and how much you must pay.
The immigration consultant contract must be written in both English and your language.
You can cancel a contract with an immigration consultant and get a refund at any time. You have the right to a full refund within 72 hours of signing the contract. You must cancel the contract in writing.
Get a dated receipt showing what you paid for and how much you paid. Make sure the consultant or lawyer signs the receipt.
Keep a copy of the contract, receipt and forms being filed on your behalf. Take detailed notes and keep for your records.
Give only copies of original documents to the immigration consultant or lawyer. Keep your originals in a safe place.
Never sign any immigration document you do not understand. You could be committing a crime if you sign INS or other official documents that contain false statements. Ask someone to translate documents for you if you cannot read English.
An immigration consultant or lawyer should not file any documents with the CIC if they are too complicated for you to understand or if you do not understand why you are filing the documents.
Do CIC Immigration process representatives require a licence? NO
?Immigration consultants,?who?prepare, submit Immigration applications or serve Immigration?Appeal?and are not providing legal Immigration services are not licence members by any authorities?or any regulatory body in Canada.
Immigration?Consultants Process submitters who submit or serve Immigration application?for their employers or working under?any lawyer supervisory can continue to do so without obtaining?an immigration certificate or any type of?licence, as long as they are not making decisions about what documents to submit or where to serve without the consultation and approval of the Immigration lawyer on how to submit application or serve an Appeal. CIC representatives?who perform these actions are providing legal services are lawyers only,?and will require a licence from the law society of Upper Canada if they practice in Ontario?or any other law society in Canada, bare in mind that any other person can prepare-submit-serve in any immigration process without being member of CSIC or any member of?law society in Canada for non legal services for a fee prior to submission- during submission and after submission with conditions set in IP9 of IRPA. ALL CSIC Members are not allowed to provide any type of legal service if they do not hold a law degree or a paralegal of Ontario.
[20-11-2007,14:43]
[**.83.70.59]
CSIP |
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