What changed on October 28
IRCC announced on October 28, 2026 that new administrative penalties for people who give paid immigration or citizenship advice or representation are now in force. The rules cover licensed consultants, lawyers and other authorized representatives, and also people who are not authorized but charge for advice. Where the representative is located does not matter: IRCC's instructions say penalties and publication apply even if the person is outside Canada.
The draft regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on December 21, 2024. IRCC says the final regulations will be posted in the Canada Gazette, Part II on November 4, 2026.
The penalty amounts
Starting immediately, the government can impose:
- $5,000 for providing paid advice or representation without authorization.
- $15,000 for knowingly providing false or misleading information on an applicant's behalf, or helping an applicant do so.
Additional penalties may apply if an application is approved on the basis of false or misleading information. Penalties increase for repeat violations, up to a maximum of $1.5 million for all violations combined. IRCC's detailed instructions also list a $10,000 base penalty for refusing to provide documents required for an inspection.
The instructions explain how a penalty is calculated: a base amount for the provision violated, plus an impact amount where the violation caused an error in a decision ($15,000 for the misrepresentation provisions), plus any financial advantage the representative gained, multiplied by a factor that depends on past findings: 0.5 for a first finding, 1.0 for a second and 1.5 for a third or later. Penalties apply only to misconduct that happens after the regulations came into force.
How a penalty is issued and reviewed
- InspectionAn officer with reasonable grounds to suspect a violation can ask for documents. The representative must provide them by the deadline; privileged material can be identified in an affidavit.
- Preliminary noticeThe representative has 30 days from receipt to respond in writing or ask for an extension.
- Notice of violationWithin 30 days the representative must pay, or request a review by an independent reviewer appointed by the Governor in Council. The reviewer can find no violation, uphold the penalty, or raise or lower it. The notice of decision explains how to apply for judicial review.
Names will be published
As penalties are issued, IRCC will publish on its website the name of the person and their business or employer, the date of the notice or decision, the type of violation, the penalty amount and whether it has been paid. IRCC says the online registry is expected to launch in 2027, after the first penalties are administered.
What this means for applicants
The penalties are aimed at representatives, not applicants. But the rules only work if you know who is representing you. Before paying anyone for immigration or citizenship help, confirm that they are a member in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, a Canadian law society, or the Chambre des notaires du Québec. IRCC does not deal with representatives who charge a fee without being authorized, and using one can lead to your application being returned or refused. You also remain responsible for everything in your own application, even when someone else fills it in.
If you believe a representative has broken the rules, IRCC's complaint page explains where to report it: the College for consultants, the law society for lawyers and Ontario paralegals, and IRCC's web form and the Canada Border Services Agency for suspected fraud.