Immigration Consultant Diploma
Program Overview
The objective of the program is to enable students to satisfy the educational requirements for licensing as a Canadian Immigration Consultant with the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC). Created in the Fall of 2003, the Society is responsible for the activities of all Immigration Consultants who provide immigration advice for a fee. CSIC has accredited this program.
Who should take this program
Any student who wants to become a Certified Immigration Consultant and provide immigration advice for a fee.
Program Formats
4 months: Classes meet Mondays to Fridays between 8.30a.m. to 12.30p.m. OR 1.00p.m. to 5.00p.m. OR 5.00p.m. to 9.00p.m.
6 months: Classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays between 6.00p.m. and 9.00p.m. AND on Saturdays between 9.00a.m. and 4.00p.m.
Curriculum Format
Students are required to complete the following eight courses:-
IMCD 01- Principles of Immigration Law and Policy
This course provides an introduction to the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Students will explore the history of immigration to Canada, the historical and constitutional views. They will study the constitutional and judicial framework applied to Canadian immigration policy, the structure, regulations and the policy making process of Citizen and Immigration Canada (CIC), the sources of the Immigration Law, and trade agreements
IMCD 02- Economic and Family Classes
(Pre-requisite IMCD 01)
This course is to train students in the application of the requirements, criteria and procedures to process applications for economic and family classes
IMCD 03- Temporary Residents
(Pre-requisite IMCD 02)
During this course students will have the opportunity to explore and analyze the different types of permits, rules, requirements, and applications for temporary resident visas.
IMCD 04- Refugee Classes
(Pre-requisite IMCD 03)
This course deals with the study process for making a refugee claim. Students will analyze the principles, legal characteristics and requirements established to assist and represent a client as Convention Refugee or as a Person in Need of Protection. Students will develop aspects and issues concerning removal orders. The course will allow the students to analyze the Refugee Protection Division Rules.
IMCD 05- Client Representation
(Pre-requisite IMCD 04)
This course provides students with useful information and skills related to practical client services. It develops the concepts and applications of effective communication skills and interpersonal skills as fundamental strengths to interact with clients. Students are trained in assisting applicants applying under any immigration class, determining admissibility; use of different forms; research references and resources using traditional and electronic sources; represents clients at appeals, admissibility hearings, examinations, judicial reviews, refugee hearings, and pre-removal risk assessment applications.
IMCD 06-Professional Practice Management
(Pre-requisite IMCD 05)
The course is designed to guide students in the preparation of a business plan, providing information about a business operation, financial aspects of consulting immigration, and the human resources management. Students will also develop knowledge about the characteristics of a learning organization, the use of technology and its impact on communications, the organization communication and the marketing process of the immigration consulting practice. The skills and knowledge developed by students will allow them to apply the principles of business management to the profession.
IMCD 07- Professional Conduct and Ethics
(Pre-requisite IMCD 06)
Students will develop the concepts of ethics and the conflicts and process of ethical decision making. They will emphasize the analysis of the rules of professional conduct for immigration consultants providing case studies and examples, according to the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC).
IMCD 08- Immigration Consulting Research and Application
(Pre-requisite IMCD 07)
This course will allow students to develop information about the existence of professional organizations and government committees that may influence or may be related with the practice of immigration consulting; students will determine sources of data relevant to practitioners.
Students will experience real issues faced by immigration practitioners in the field work. This professional practicum allows the students to be in contact with a related job environment and assess or value the immigration practice
Students will also present a research project that will be used to evaluate the student's knowledge and skills in designing a research, taking into account the steps, procedures, methods and techniques to collect and analyze information. They will meet with instructors to discuss the research project and to submit their papers for discussion and review
Requirements
To gain membership of the Society, an applicant must have graduated from an accredited program and fulfill the other requirements of the CSIC. For further details see www.csic-scci.ca.
Applicants must be:
- University graduates; or
- College graduates (graduates of a two or three year program); or
- Individuals with two years of post-secondary education and one year of related work experience; or
- Individuals with three years of related work experience; and
- Individuals who are proficient in the English Language.
- Canadian citizens or landed immigrants.
Click here to view the Immigration Consultant Diploma - IMCD brochure!
Success Stories
Dear Francis,
I would like to thank you for all the help you have given the class during your teaching time.
I especially appreciate the information and advice you have provided, and the contacts you have shared with us. In my opinion, your assistance has been invaluable to me during this process. Again, thank you so much. I greatly appreciate your generosity, dedication and cooperation.
Best regards,
Luz Stella Arrogate
Immigration Program Student
Ashton College
Dear Francis,
It was a great pleasure and honor to have you at the dinner last Friday, August 10th on conclusion of our ICDP. For the first time I may allow myself to talk on behalf of my colleagues and say that we are lucky to have you as instructor for many modules. Besides a lot of knowledge we acquired and fun we had, the single most important aspect we learned from you is how to deal with clients in an ethical-professional way.
This would put a human face on our profession and guide us through our career life.
Our heartfelt appreciation to the administration of Ashton College, especially the kind Jane, Josephine, Sheila, Grace, and Jelena. We are looking forward to participate in the graduation ceremony soon.
Ali
“……This is to inform you that I have passed the CSIC Exam held in Jan08.I am thankful to you for the guidance and instructions provided by you. The exam.was very tough one although I was able to control the time management. ………. Once again thank you very much."
With regards,
Balbir Hothi.