Use of representatives: Entering the required information into the Global Case Management System (GCMS)

Processing officers, the Client Support Centre, and other Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) offices need to be able to view relevant information to respond correctly to enquiries from representatives and take necessary actions while not breaching applicant privacy.

For this reason, upon receipt, properly completed Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) forms and Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual (IMM 5475) forms must accompany both paper and online applications, with the data documented in GCMS.

If it is unclear based on the submitted form who the representative for the application is, the IMM 5476 is to be returned to the applicant for clarification. If an IMM 5476 is submitted to appoint a representative on an existing application, but is rejected (i.e. incomplete), the contact reverts to the existing representative (if available), or remains as the applicant if no other representation is established.

On this page

• Party ID
• Searching a Party ID
• Multiple Party IDs
• Details to be documented
• Contact and confirmation
• Change in status of a representative
• Change to identity information
• Subsequent withdrawal of an authorization

Party ID

A Party ID is used to identify a third party associated with an application, such as

• a representative
• a family member
• a friend
• a service organization employee or volunteer

For representatives, it is a unique identifier in GCMS. In GCMS, the representative should be entered as a “Party” and associated to the applicable application when an IMM 5476 is received.

This system-generated value is created for paid representatives when the following information is entered into GCMS:

• surname
• given name
• governing body
• membership ID
• business/mailing address
• telephone #
• email address

Searching a Party ID

Officers can search for a representative’s Party ID in two ways: 

• Integrated search: Enter the representative’s first name, last name and select “Party” under “client/Party” column. Review the results:
  • Compare the information for each Party to the information on the IMM 5476.
  • If the Membership ID (name, etc.) match, a new Party should not be created; the existing Party ID must be used.
• Party ID Tab search: In the Party ID, scroll down the page to “party details,” and under the “Party ID” tab, enter “>0”. In the name or the membership # field, enter the representative’s name or membership ID, then click “Go.” This should generate the Party IDs associated to the representative.
  • If there is a match, a new Party shouldn’t be created; use the existing Party ID.

Multiple Party IDs

To verify a match: If the search reveals multiple Party IDs associated to the same representative, follow these steps:

1. Click “Associations” and “Households” in one of the Party IDs.
2. In this tab, you will see the Party IDs associated to this representative.
3. Use the Party ID that is check-marked as the “Primary.”
4. Ensure that the information (i.e. contact information) in the Party ID has been updated to reflect the current IMM 5476.
5. DON’T change or modify the primary checkmark in the household.
6. Don’t change the information in existing Party IDs; if there is a close match you believe to be a true match, refer it to the Immigration Representative Coordination Unit (IRCU).
7. If there are multiple Party IDs, but there is no household for the representative, refer to IRCU to have the Party IDs householded, and the primary selected.
8. Occasionally a Party ID appears to be associated to more than one representative; these should also be reported to IRCU so that the program expert may complete a more comprehensive review. IRCU will forward the issue to Integrity Risk Management, if required.

If there are very slight differences, such that the officer is unsure that there is a match, they may contact IRCU for assistance.

Details to be documented

Only certain fields for representative information are present in GCMS. Where information is needed but there are no specific GCMS fields, the information should be recorded in “Notes” for the application.

As the IMM 5476 and IMM 5475 forms are application specific, all of the following information must be entered in the application in GCMS:

• Include the type of authorization submitted by applicant, either
  • the Use of a representative IMM 5476 form, showing that the representative is Paid or Unpaid or
  • the Authority to release personal information to a designated individual IMM 5475 form
• Identify articling students (students at law) and their supervising lawyer’s contact information and ID, as well as the firm’s contact details.
• Indicate all contact details, including the name of the representative or designated individual, address, telephone number, email address, governing body, membership number (ID) and company name (if applicable).
  • Don’t enter the date of birth.
  • Gender is to be left blank.

Don’t enter personal information into GCMS that’s not provided on the IMM 5476 or the IMM 5475 form.

Contact and confirmation

When a representative is acting on behalf of a client, for example making a request for information on an application, asking to change information in the application or seeking to assist an applicant during an interview, their status, email address and other contact information should be verified in GCMS.

Change in status of a representative

When the applicant is compensating the representative, or using a pro bonolicensed representative, the representative must be in good standing with their governing body. IRCC will only work with licensed representatives who are in good standing.

The representative’s status must be confirmed. If it’s determined that the representative is no longer in good standing, the representative must be disassociated from the application, and the applicant should be informed that representation has ceased. Report the status to the IRCU; the contact information is on the left sidebar.

Status could be reinstated in as little as a few days, or the suspension could be or become permanent. Once disassociated, the representative can not be re-associated in GCMS until a newly completed IMM 5476 is received.

To protect IRCC clients and ensure program integrity, it’s important to be aware of the current status of the designated representative on file. Verify the status of CICC members using the searchable list. Individual law societies also have searchable member lists.

Change to identity information

IRCC doesn’t record the same identity information for representatives as it does for applicants, and the process for updating representative information is slightly different. The representative information on an application may not update automatically from the representative’s Party ID and may need to be “pulled in” manually.

When entering the required representative information into the Party ID tab of GCMS, record the name of the representative based on the information provided in the Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) form when it matches the name appearing on the representative’s governing body website (either the CICC, a provincial/territorial law society or the Chambre des notaires du Québec).

Legal name change: If a representative notifies IRCC that they have obtained a legal change of name, officers must verify the change on the representative’s governing body website.

While the Gender field is mandatory in GCMS, officers should always enter “Unknown,” as IRCC does not collect this information on the Use of a Representative [IMM 5476] (PDF) form.

Similarly, the representative’s date of birth is not to be captured, regardless of whether the information is available. Substitute dates should never be used for representatives.

Once confirmed, officers must update the name record in the Party ID of the representative where the new name will be entered as the “primary” name type. The previous name will automatically be marked as the “former.”

The primary name of the representative may not automatically populate in the open application or when adding the Party ID to an application; therefore, officers must also verify that the open application associated to the IMM 5476 reflects the correct primary name record of the representative by “pulling in” the updated name into the representative’s record captured on the application’s Clients & Parties tab.

The representative must submit a new Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) form for every open application where they are identified as the representative. Multiple applications on one form are permitted only when they are for the same applicant.

For more information on representatives, please contact IRCU, using the contact information in the left sidebar.

For more information on identity management, please contact Integrity Risk Management: ID Management, using the contact information in the left sidebar.

Subsequent withdrawal of an authorization

When an applicant withdraws authorization, the representative should be disassociated from the application in GCMS. Any applicable background information should be noted.

Occasionally, a representative may seek to withdraw from an application, and once the process of attempting to secure client agreement has been completed, the representative should be disassociated from the application in the same way.