OTTAWA, Ont. - People who pay for immigration or citizenship advice in Canada now face steep new penalties if they break the law, with fines of up to $1.5 million in total for the worst cases, under rules that came into force on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says the new penalties are meant to protect applicants from fraud and exploitation, and to hold dishonest paid representatives accountable. The rules apply both to authorized representatives, including licensed immigration consultants and lawyers, and to people who provide paid immigration or citizenship advice or representation without authorization.
Starting October 28, the government can impose a monetary penalty of $5,000 for providing paid advice or representation without authorization. A penalty of $15,000 applies 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 based on false or misleading information. Penalties also increase for repeat violations, up to a maximum of $1.5 million for all violations combined.
For Surrey’s immigrant communities, where many families rely on consultants and advisers for applications that decide where they can live and work, the message in the announcement is direct: check that a representative is authorized before paying for services. False or misleading information in an application can also have serious consequences for the applicant.
As penalties are issued, IRCC says it will publish the names of those penalized and the details of their violations on its website, to alert clients to dishonest representatives and increase transparency. The online registry is expected to launch in 2027, following the administration of the first penalties.
“Anyone hoping to build a future in Canada deserves access to trustworthy and accurate immigration and citizenship advice,” Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said. “These new measures will help protect people from fraud and misconduct and hold those who break the law accountable. While most people providing paid advice and representation follow the rules, those who do not will face consequences.”
Anyone considering paid help with an immigration or citizenship application should verify the representative’s authorization through IRCC’s own guidance before paying, and should keep copies of everything submitted on their behalf.
(Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada news release, October 28, 2026)
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