CIMM – CIMM 71.3 – CICC Complaints since 2019 – October 24, 2023

IRCC’s response to a request for information made by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration on June 14, 2023 

Question 

Mr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe: Do you receive any information when applicants file complaints with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants in Canada? 

Ms. Christiane Fox: Do you want to know whether we receive it directly from the Department? 

Mr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe: Do you receive information when the college receives complaints? 

Ms. Christiane Fox: Yes. 

Mr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe: Alright. Do you know how many complaints were received last year? 

Ms. Christiane Fox: I don’t have those figures with me right now. 

Mr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe: Would it be possible for you to get that information and provide it to the committee? 

Ms. Christiane Fox: Yes, absolutely. I’ll follow up on that. 

Response 

Below are the numbers of licensees who received complaints and the numbers^{Footnote 1} of complaints received by both the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (the College) since November 2021, as well as its predecessor, the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) from 2019 to November 2021. 

While the numbers generally show an increase in complaints, it should be taken into account that the number of licensees in that time period has more than doubled (from roughly 5000 to 13000 licensees). Both the total number of complaints from 2019-2023 and the number of complaints per 100 licensees are provided below. 

It is also worth noting that the College’s 2022 Annual Report states that of the 429 complaints that were closed in fiscal year 2021-22 (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022), 76 (18%) were resolved by the College’s 

Discipline Committee, while the remaining 353 complaints (82%) were less serious in nature and were addressed at earlier stages. 

The 2022 Annual Report also notes that the 1% of licensees with the most complaints (107 RCICs) are responsible for 45% of open complaints, suggesting that discipline issues are concentrated among a small group of licensees.