WE MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Quebec is planning to regulate consultants
Public protection, immigration rules, and public services - Minister Yolande James presents the inaugural regulation respecting the work of immigration consultants in Québec
MONTRÉAL, February 18 /CNW Telbec/ - "Public protection, respect for immigration rules, and the integrity of public services provided to the population of Québec are among the priorities of our government. That is why I have tabled this inaugural regulation, which will strictly regulate the practice of immigration consultants in Québec", declared Yolande James, Québec's Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities.The Bill, which was unveiled this morning, stipulates that only the following persons may act as immigration consultants in dealing with the Ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles:
---lawyers and notaries who are members in good standing of their professional orders;
In addition, in the event that a consultant fails to comply with these obligations, or subsequent to an infraction pursuant to the Immigration Act, the Minister may suspend or revoke the consultant's accreditation. To this end, the regulation calls for the institution of a public registry of accredited immigration consultants, as well as those whose accreditation has been suspended or revoked.
Finally, in an effort to eradicate the practice of "phantom" consultants, any person who submits an application to Immigration-Québec to immigrate, either in Québec or abroad, will be required to declare whether or not he or she is using the services of an immigration consultant. Any false declaration may result in the application being rejected. The Minister may also pursue immigration consultants who carry out their activities without being listed on the government registry.
According to Mtre Jacques Frémont, who chaired the External Advisory Committee on guidelines for consultants, and who was present for the announcement along with Ms. James: "The Bill that the Minister presented today demonstrates a thorough approach and respects the spirit of the recommendations contained in the report by the Advisory Committee. It will definitely help to improve public protection and eliminate questionable practices.
Minister Yolande James concluded: "We cannot ignore the fact that people rely on the services of immigration consultants, nor can we ignore the fact that cases of malpractice have been reported by applicants and the media. From now on, all immigration consultants must comply with the rules in order to practice in Québec, and they will be held accountable. This regulation will make a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals who may suffer from the actions of underhanded consultants. It will also make a huge difference in terms of preserving the integrity of our immigration system and the public services provided in Québec."