Canada’s new penalties of up to $1.5 million for fraudulent and unauthorized immigration representatives took effect on October 28, 2026. They apply to anyone paid to give immigration or citizenship advice, anywhere in the world. They penalize the representative. They do not remove your own responsibility for what is in your application.
Every figure here comes from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Our sources are its October 28 news release and its page on what happens if you break the rules, both dated October 28, 2026. Misrepresentation rules come from section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Key takeaways
- IRCC can impose $5,000 for paid advice without authorization and $15,000 for knowingly giving false or misleading information.
- The total can reach $1.5 million for all violations combined in a single notice.
- The rules apply no matter where the representative is located, including outside Canada.
- IRCC will publish the names of penalized representatives. The registry is expected in 2027.
- You can still be found inadmissible for misrepresentation, so check your representative before you pay.
Worried about a representative you are thinking of hiring? Book Your Strategy Consultation with Amir Ismail, RCIC #R412319.
What are the new penalties for immigration representatives?
IRCC can now impose penalties of $5,000 for paid advice without authorization and $15,000 for knowingly giving false or misleading information. Penalties rise for repeat violations, up to $1.5 million for all violations combined in a single notice. IRCC says more penalties may apply if an application is approved based on false or misleading information.
The rules cover paid representatives of every kind, including licensed consultants and lawyers. They also cover people who give paid advice without any authorization.
IRCC’s penalty page lists these baseline amounts:
- $5,000 for practising without authorization.
- $15,000 for knowingly being involved in misrepresentation. That includes telling someone to give false, incomplete or misleading information, helping them do it, or doing it for them.
- $10,000 for refusing to provide documents required in an inspection.
IRCC calculates each penalty with a formula. It adds the baseline amount, an amount for any harm to the file and any money the representative made. It then multiplies the total by 0.5 for a first violation, 1 if there is one past violation, or 1.5 if there are two or more.
How does an IRCC penalty case work?
An officer can start an inspection, send a preliminary notice, and then issue a notice of violation. The representative has 30 days to respond to a preliminary notice. After a notice of violation, they have 30 days to pay or ask for a review by a reviewer appointed by the Governor in Council.
IRCC will publish the representative’s name, business, violation type, penalty amount and whether it was paid. The online registry is expected to launch in 2027, after the first penalties are administered.
The Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMP) regime applies strictly to violations committed on or after October 28, 2026 under section 91.1 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and sections 27(1)(k.6) and (k.7) of the Citizenship Act. The final regulations appeared in Canada Gazette, Part II, on November 4, 2026: SOR/2026-220 for the immigration rules and SOR/2026-221 for the citizenship rules. The drafts for the immigration rules and the citizenship rules were published in Canada Gazette, Part I, on December 21, 2024.
Does a penalty on my agent protect me if they lied?
No. The penalty targets the representative, and your own file can still be judged for misrepresentation. Section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act makes a person inadmissible for misrepresenting or withholding material facts directly or indirectly. The inadmissibility period is five years, and a foreign national cannot apply for permanent residence during it.
Whether a case counts as misrepresentation depends on its facts, and IRCC decides. Amir Ismail & Associates does not provide legal opinions. Our page on misrepresentation in Canadian immigration covers the basics.
Read every form before you sign it. Never sign a blank page. Ask for a copy of everything filed for you.
How do you check that a representative is authorized?
Search the representative’s name on the official register before you pay anything. IRCC says that if a person is not a member in good standing, you should not use their services.
- Consultants must be members of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC).
- Lawyers and notaries must be members of a provincial or territorial law society, or the Chambre des notaires du Québec.
- Paralegals, Ontario only, must be members of the Law Society of Ontario.
Here is a simple check you can run in ten minutes:
- Ask for the representative’s full name and licence number.
- Look the person up on the CICC register or the right law society directory.
- Confirm they are a member in good standing.
- Ask for a written agreement that names the services and the fees.
- Keep your own copy of every form, receipt and message.
While IRCC’s public verification page focuses on checking license status (Steps 1 to 3), requiring a written service agreement (Step 4) is mandatory for all licensed consultants under sections 23 and 24 of the CICC Code of Professional Conduct, and retaining full copies of your submitted forms (Step 5) protects you against unauthorized alterations. If something looks wrong, IRCC has a page to file a complaint against a representative. Its page on finding out if your representative is authorized lists each law society directory.
Have questions about your own file or a representative you already hired? Book Your Strategy Consultation with Amir Ismail, RCIC #R412319.
Amir Ismail & Associates is led by Amir Ismail, RCIC #R412319, and you can confirm that licence on the CICC register. For more, read our guides on how to find authorized consultants, how to verify an RCIC and why to hire a regulated adviser. If you are in the UAE, read our report on Canadian visa scams in Dubai.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the penalty for unauthorized immigration advice in Canada?
IRCC can impose a penalty of $5,000 for providing paid immigration or citizenship advice or representation without authorization. Penalties rise for repeat violations, up to $1.5 million for all violations combined in a single notice. IRCC will publish the names of those penalized.
Do the new penalties apply to agents outside Canada?
Yes. IRCC says the rules apply to anyone who gives advice or representation for payment, no matter where they are located. IRCC will still issue penalties to people outside Canada, and it will publish their names and details online.
When will IRCC publish the registry of penalized representatives?
IRCC expects the online registry to launch in 2027. It will come after the first penalties are administered. The final regulations appeared in Canada Gazette, Part II, on November 4, 2026, as SOR/2026-220 (immigration) and SOR/2026-221 (citizenship).
Can I be banned from Canada if my representative lied on my application?
You can be found inadmissible for misrepresentation, and that lasts five years. Section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act covers misrepresenting or withholding material facts directly or indirectly. IRCC decides each case on its facts, so check every form you sign.
How do I check if my immigration consultant is licensed?
Search for the consultant on the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants register. Lawyers are listed with their provincial or territorial law society, and Quebec notaries with the Chambre des notaires du Québec. Only use a representative who is a member in good standing.
Need advice from a regulated consultant you can verify? Book Your Strategy Consultation with Amir Ismail, RCIC #R412319.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Amir Ismail & Associates does not provide legal opinions. Rules change, so check the IRCC pages linked above before you act.
