How Immigration and Settlement Consultants can help you

Many people face rejections of their immigration applications because they are not compliant with the guidelines and requirements on immigration. This becomes more complicated when you are aiming at any of the European countries or USA and Canada. Some pertinent advice from immigration and settlement consultants can make life much easier for you. Such advice will provide the necessary assistance and make sure that you actually get to the country that you are aiming at. There are various facets of immigration in every country that differentiate it from the immigration of any other country. This is the reason that you need to hire consultants who specialize in the immigration of the country where you wish to immigrate.

The candidates for immigration are usually scaled against criteria of education, age, language, skills, abilities and professional experience. A consulting firm will be able to give you guidance on how to highlight your skills and abilities. Filling up the application containing the desired key points will not just enhance your chances of getting a visa but also enable you to get a good occupation. One thing that most countries are concerned about is the immigrant’s ability to communicate in the new country. For this purpose in USA, UK, New Zealand etc a candidate has to pass the TOEFL or IELTS tests. There are variations of the same in other countries as well. You have to qualify a test to ensure the authorities that you will be able to communicate without hitch in the new country.

Then again there are other requirements like basic qualification. Most western countries want to discourage unskilled people from other underdeveloped nations swarming into their countries. For this purpose the higher your education is the more likely you are to get an immigration visa to any of the countries mentioned above. If you have a letter of sponsorship from an employer in the new country it makes things even easier. This assures the authorities that you will not be a burden on their country and that you will instead contribute to their growth.

The same applies to students who wish to study in these countries. They have to prove that they have an admission into a reputable college or university and that they also have the means to survive during the course of their studies. All this information can be availed from immigration and settlement consultants, who will not just give you the advice, but also help in your transition to and final settlement in the new country. For any person immigrating to a new country getting the visa is only part of the battle won. The next set of ordeals includes, getting boarding and lodging at reasonable rates. Finding the right area to stay and also finding their way about the financial and other tasks that have to be accomplished. A good immigration consultant will help you tide easily through all these ordeals.

Consider Moving to Canada? First Choose a good Immigration Consultant

Immigration to Canada may be a very complicated procedure, no matter you are highly skilled and wanted by Canadian employees or not. Depending on your skills including profession, language, your country of origin and passport you have it will require lots of documentation and time spent in the various procedures to obtain a visa. Canadian Immigration consultants are there to handle that job by managing your documentation, preparing you for steps in the process and give you advice. Note that not all consultants are good enough. To make that clear here are five tips when you consider hiring a Canadian Immigration Consultant.

1. Look for their certification. Only a Regulated Canadian Immigration consultant may represent you with the authorities and the ICCRC certificate is a proof of that. Most aware Regulated Immigration Consultants will feature the ICCRC logo on their website and they will have to be powered with Immigration Consultant Program certificate, which features a white maple leaf on a background of five blue circles. This is the easiest way to recognize those Certified.If it's not featured it ought to be stated in introductory text on the website. If not, feel free to e-mail them with the question regarding it.

2. Look for a consultant which already processed immigrants from your profession. Immigration Consultants need to possess good knowledge of human resources and outlooks of the Canadian labor market. This way you should get the best information if there's actually some good opportunities to find job in Canada. Many consultants focus on work with immigration applicants from certain professions, such as medics or engineers.

3. Look for a consultant who has experience with processing immigration from your country. Some countries and regions may have bilateral agreements with Canada enabling holders of their passports for easier procedures or priority in finding work to immigrants from other countries. Also you should always look if there can be some country-specific restrictions.

4. Reserve some time for contacting more consultancy firms. The more you know, the more you should get. Some immigrants may be unreasonably expensive, some may not be skilled enough and some would not match your communication preferences. Some RCIC may speak your native language which can lead to a better communication, although you are required to be proficient in English or French if you want to settle in Canada.

5. Find out about their experience and success rate. Although your chances to get a work allowance in Canada depends mainly on your skills and experience, a good consultant would always increase your chance. Likewise, a non-committed and unskilled consultant may lead to rejection although you meet all requirements to qualify for immigration.

Why is it Good to become a Regulated Canada Immigration Consultant?

Canada is one of the most developed nations in the World. Each year, people from various parts of the world are looking o match their career goals and add value of their skills to an ever-growing economy of Canada. Vast areas of lands in Alberta, Manitoba and other provinces feature a plenty of natural resources and new business opportunities are welcoming immigrants from all parts of Earth. It can be doctors, welders, engineers, business consultants, truck drivers and many other professionals, but all of them need one person to make their way into Canada - they need a Regulated Immigration Consultant.

Academy of Learning College offers an accredited Immigration Consultants Diploma program which will best prepare you for Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) examination. The program is accredited by the ICCRC as a preparation program for obtaining Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) license.

Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants are able to practice in Canada or abroad, in countries which have a steady inflow of immigrants to Canada. Another career opportunity for you once you get a RCIC license is to find work with a law firm specializing in immigration consultancy or with an already established immigration consultancy firm. 

This is an accredited program, which means it guarantees that all questions and fields important for an Immigration Consultant are covered. Once all courses finish the applicant will have an exam and if pass they get an Immigration Consultant's Diploma, which makes them qualified for the final step - the ICCRC Full Skills examination which gets them the license to work. 70% of program average is needed to obtain the Diploma and qualify for the ICCRC exam.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

A University or a college diploma is required to attend the ImmigrationConsultant program , but it is also available for those who have three years of related work experience and individuals with English language proficiency, which can be proven with certificates such as IELTS and MELAB.

The job of a Canadian Immigration Consultant requires a communicative and open person, with strong analytical skills and ability to resolve issues quickly and fairly. A sense for business correspondence is also an advantage.

Methods of delivery include Integrated Learning™ System facilitated by AOL Toronto facilitators and instructor-led training. 

All the ICRC Courses in AOL Toronto are divided into two groups

·         Core business and office courses - which let you learn how to manage your consultancy office and familiarize you with business correspondence and writing skills required for running a firm.

·         Core Immigration Courses - all courses which cover the field of immigration consultancy, including legal, social, human resource and other important subjects related to immigration.

In addition there is a worksite externship course in which attendees are put to work within an immigration consultancy, which would give them touch of their future working environment.

Immigration Consultant Program – Gateway to Ocean of Career Opportunities

This is an immigration practitioner’s program accredited by the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC). This program will prepare students for both practical and theoretical aspects of their future profession. Once the applicant  fulfills all the requirements given by the ICCRC they may start practicing the business in Canada or abroad. One of the requirements to be admitted for an ICCRC exam is to graduate from a program like this. This program also enables students to work for other legal and advisory firms dealing with immigration affairs, as well as related government agencies.

With its large area and relatively low birth rate, Canada needs to rely on immigration to maintain its economic growth. Canadian government may  bring a list of professions in which workforce is lacking and immigrants are welcome to find jobs, but even those as well as most other applicants will need advisory. The only legal ways do advise and represent them is to become a Canada Registered Immigration Consultant (RCIC).

Immigration Consultants are expected to offer following legal services to their clients:
•    Represent people who apply for Canadian citizenships and other forms of stay permits.
•    Represent them before the Canadian immigration authorities.
•    Provide advices to clients, answers their questions and helps them prepare documentation
•    Represent individuals during the entire procedure
•    Represent clients in all other immigration related affairs, which includes negotiations over possible issues.
The program attendees are required to have one of the following:
•    Graduation from a university. Diplomas from foreign universities can apply, but will be further evaluated.

•    Diploma from a two or three years' college program
•    Three years of related work experience
•    Passed an English language proficiency test such as IELTS or similar.
The course is delivered by means of Integrated Learning™ System training and instructor-led training.

The Immigration consultant program offers two types of courses:  Core Business related and Core Immigration Consultant.
The Core Business courses consist of learning business skills, business correspondence, grammar for business writing as well as verbal communication for businesses

The Core Immigration Consultant courses part consists of nine subjects related to the practice, which are related to legal, ethical and economic aspects of immigration processes, such as immigration and refugee law and related legal framework, classification of Federal Skilled Workers, administrative laws, protection of refugees and asylum seekers, ethics, professional responsibility and client care. There is also a course on operating own practice specified by the profession.
Additionally there is Worksite Externship where students are exposed to a related business environment where they can apply classroom instructions in practice, linking theoretical knowledge with actual work procedures.

To graduate from the program, it is required to pass all the courses’ exams with a minimum of 70% program average. Full-time students will have hours-related requirements – minimum hours per week and per course schedule.

Note that graduating from this program does not mean that the applicant has become an Immigration Consultant. In order to obtain this, it is further required to pass the ICCRC Full Skills Examination, become their member and register a business.

How to begin an Immigration Consultant Business

Canada has a constant need for immigrants who will add value to its ever-growing economy. Every year thousands of people are moving to Canada and thousands of people prepare to move. Most of them seek assistance from Immigration Consultants who offer advice in all aspects of the immigration process.

An immigration consultant needs to possess a license from Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) and accredited as a Regulated Immigration Consultant. To obtain this, applicants are required to write and pass a Full Skills Exam (FSE).  It is required to submit an online application following instructions given on the website. When registrations close, the ICCRC will confirm exact locations of exam. In case there are not enough registrations for the nearest centre, so it would be needed to travel to the next closest exam centre. In cases where the applicant is required to take extreme travel to the exam centre, it is possible that Registrar may allow for writing the exam by remote invigilation.  One of the preconditions to access the exam is to have graduated from an accredited immigration practitioner’s program.

Required steps to access an exam are to:
•    Submit documents by required deadlines
•    Confirm the exam centre. List of exam centres will be e-mailed on time.
•    Pay exam fee online – the ammount is $400.00.
•    Download the FSE study guide with sample questions.

Exams are being held four times a year – February, May, August and November. After three weeks the results are sent to the applicant via e-mail.  If the exam is passed, the applicant has a deadline of 120 days to complete the registration process.

The first step is to submit the final documents requested in the e-mail:

•    Statutory declaration – Agreement to regulation – where the applicant  agrees to comply to the ICCRC regulation
•    Proof of Immigration Consultant Business Registration  – a proper business name and legal form would be needed
•    ICCRC Membership dues method of payment form – where a new member defines whether they will pay their membership annually or quarterly.

Upon reception of invoice, the applicant needs to pay initial membership dues. The annual ICCRC membership fee is $1809.25 plus applicable tax. Note that the fee can be changed without notice. For the first year the consultant will be due to pay only a pro-rate portion between the date of becoming a member and the year end.

Within 30 days of becoming a member, the new Immigration Consultant needs to submit a proof that they opened both the Business account and client (trust) account, where funds charged in advance are being held. It is required no matter the business has an intention to charge its clients in advance or not.

Each ICCRC member is due to maintain Professional Errors and Omissions insurance. The deadline for this is 30 days after becoming a member. After a new membership is signed, ICCRC notifies the insurance broker, who will e-mail the new member about all details needed regarding this insurance. Insurance premium is $235 (which can change without notice) and is paid directly to the broker.

How to become Certified Immigration Consultants?

Career Field on the Rise: Immigration Consulting

One of the most up and coming, glamorous career fields out there is immigration consulting. Recognizing the staggering number of skilled professionals in different fields worldwide, corporations needed to streamline the effort of bringing in this workforce. Since migration was soaring, the need arose for immigration consultants.Primarily involved in this process, the United States and Canada have strict guidelines for immigration. The immigration consultant is well versed in various aspects of the process, generally considered to be an expert in visa processing and immigration. They assist in gathering information and conducting research to complete the lengthy immigration process, and have the ability in their skill set to shorten the overall procedure of obtaining legal resident status.

How to Become an Immigration Consultant?

In Canada, the first step to become an immigration consultant is to complete schooling from an institution that offers the program. Next, an application for membership with the Canadian Society of immigration consultants (CSIC) is mandatory to be recognized by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). Included in the application should be a copy of your school transcript and graduation certificate. Working as an immigration consultant in Canada requires citizenship or permanent residency. The next step in joining with the CSIC is to take a language test, membership examination, and online course. The last step is to join a law society in the appropriate province and remain in good standing. If a law degree from an accredited institution has been achieved, CSIC membership is not necessary. However, you still must be licensed by the CIC and a member in good standing with the appropriate provincial law society. Public notaries need to fulfill the aforementioned steps but only need to be in good standing with the Chambre des notaires du Quebec.

In the U.S., a bachelor's degree in communications, foreign language, or business will bridge the path to law school. Upon completion of law school, one must reside in a state that allows immigration consulting. It is necessary to then study state regulations as well as U.S. guidelines. For example, California requires an immigration consultant to fill out and submit a disclosure form regarding any criminal violations, secure and post a $50,000 bond, and pass a thorough background check. In the U.S., the only way non-attorneys can conduct immigration consulting and charge a fee is if employed by a not-for-profit organization recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals. The BIA also must accredit the individual conducting such practices. The reasons non-attorneys are not allowed to partake in immigration consulting are many when dealing with multiple U.S. states, but simply put, it is largely considered to be unethical and 'unauthorized practice of law,' thus making it illegal. It is advised to contact the Secretary of State of the respective state to ensure all legal guidelines are followed.

Why to choose Immigration Consultant as occupation?

Perusing a career as an immigration consultant

Why would anyone choose to become an immigration consultant? Well, the answer is whether simple. The work is awarding in many different ways. An immigration consultant provides help to anyone who wishes to immigrate, to get a resident visa or to become a citizen. If you peruse this career, you will be able to choose different levels. Everything depends upon the country, and the immigration process as well. The work may vary, along with the responsibilities and abilities of the consultant.

It is not mandatory to have a legal background, in order to become an immigration consultant, but it may help, because the work includes some legal matters, such as the laws you need to obey. The knowledge of legal matters is very important, because you will have to answer questions about visa and citizenship process. Legal knowledge is desirable, but not mandatory. You will learn everything in a timely manner.

The work is not boring; it is very diverse despite what you may have heard. If you like dealing with documents, but most importantly people, you will love this job. The course will give you a certification and basic knowledge, and more. You will learn how to represent and advise potential immigrants. You will acquire knowledge in the legal sector, and learn how to apply that knowledge in practice.

To pursue a career in the immigration sector, you will need to adapt some skills, like:

•    You must have great communication skills

•    You must poses great people skills

•    You must be a good listener

•    You have an eye for details

•    You must be analytically oriented

Such a carrier can take you places. You will not be limited to just one country. You will be able to work in other countries as well; of course, if you finish the course. Carrier vise, you will not miss any job opportunities. The diploma enables you to pursue a career within law firms, government agencies and immigration consultant firms. So you see, there are a lot of reasons why to choose this particular career, and not to mention money opportunities. Immigration consultants make a decent living and their opportunities for making more money rise from day to day.

When thinking about your future career path, you should do your research well, and think about pros and cons. Every job has some specific requirements, and this one is no exception, but rewards are far greater. If you decide to follow this career, you will help many people to find their way and to become citizens.  In order to do so, you will need a certified diploma. A certified diploma will help you move forward and take control over your life.