Consultants, lawyers and scams: who can represent you to immigrate to Québec?

There is no shortage of offers to help you immigrate to Québec, and not all of them come from serious professionals. Before you pay anyone, find out who is allowed to represent you, how to check, and what governments say they never do. Here are the essentials, based on the Québec.ca and Canada.ca pages we checked on November 5, 2026.

First: nobody is mandatory

Québec is clear about it: you may be represented, but you do not have to be, and hiring an immigration professional will not get you any priority or special treatment. The expression of interest in Arrima is free and can be filled in without paid help.

IRCC says the same: its forms and guides are free, and a representative does not draw special attention to your application or guarantee its approval.

Who can be paid to represent you before Québec

You can get free help from a relative or a friend. If you pay someone, only these people are authorized:

• a lawyer who is a member in good standing of the Barreau du Québec;
• a notary who is a member in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec;
• a person holding special authorization from the Barreau du Québec or the Chambre des notaires (for example, a lawyer from another province or from abroad);
• an immigration consultant recognized by the minister and listed in the Registre québécois des consultants en immigration (RQCI), Québec's register of immigration consultants.

One important nuance: a licence from the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (the federal College) is not enough to act as a consultant in Québec. The consultant must also be recognized by the Ministère de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration (MII, formerly MIFI). Recognition requires, among other things, a College licence in good standing, French at level 7 or higher, passing an exam on Québec's rules and a business establishment in Québec. Acting as a consultant without recognition can lead to prosecution.

Whether or not you pay them, you must declare to the ministry that someone represents you and send a representation mandate. For the PSTQ, this is done in Arrima. Failing to declare it can lead to your application being rejected and to a fine.

And for the federal application

For IRCC, a paid representative must be:

• a lawyer or paralegal who is a member in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society (paralegals in Ontario only);
• a notary who is a member of the Chambre des notaires du Québec;
• a consultant who is a member in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.

IRCC will not deal with an unauthorized paid representative: if you use one, your application may be returned or refused. Even an authorized representative cannot open an account in your name, sign for you or log in with your credentials.

How to check, in practice

• Consultant, Québec side: search for the name in the Registre québécois des consultants en immigration on Québec.ca, and look at the list of consultants whose recognition was suspended or revoked.
• Consultant, federal side: IRCC points to the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants' register.
• Lawyer or notary: use the directories of the Barreau du Québec and the Chambre des notaires.
• Identity: make sure the person is who they claim to be and that their business exists, with proof.
• Fees: compare what you are charged with the government fees, which are all published online. Refuse to pay anyone who is not listed with the RQCI, the Barreau or the Chambre des notaires.

Warning signs

Be wary if someone:

• guarantees approval, a job or a visa;
• offers faster processing, or a quicker biometrics appointment, for money;
• charges you to access forms or a platform;
• asks for a transfer to a personal bank account, or payment through a private money transfer service (Western Union, Wise, PayPal), a prepaid card or cryptocurrency;
• advises you to lie, to add false details to improve your chances, or to sign a blank or incomplete form;
• asks for your Arrima username and password (you must be able to access your account at all times);
• advertises free services, then asks for fees;
• writes from a Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook or Proton address while claiming to be a government agent.

IRCC also warns about AI-generated fake videos in which bogus officials promise fast immigration. Its advice sums it up: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

What governments say they never do

According to IRCC, its employees will never ask you to deposit money into a personal account or use a private money transfer service, will not threaten you, will not offer discounts and will not write from a free email account. IRCC never asks for payment over the phone, never starts a conversation on social media and does not send visas by email.

In Québec, the ministry only charges fees to process your application. It will never ask you to enter your file number on its website, except on its secure platforms. The address of an official Québec site contains www.quebec.ca or .gouv.qc.ca.

You remain responsible for your file

Even if someone else fills in the application, you answer for every piece of information. In Québec, false or misleading information or documents can lead to the rejection of that application and of all your other pending ones, a refusal to examine any new application for five years (for you and everyone included) and a fine of up to $25,000. Québec also points out that there is no compensation fund for victims of immigration fraud.

Victim of or witness to fraud? Report it through the form on Québec.ca and file a complaint with your local police.

Frequently asked questions

Can a consultant licensed by the federal College handle my PSTQ file?

Not with that licence alone. For a procedure with Québec, the consultant must also be recognized by the ministry and listed in the RQCI, unless they are a lawyer or notary belonging to the Québec professional order.

Does paying a professional speed up my file?

No. Both governments state that there is no priority processing.

Track your file with CSQ Tracker Pro

CSQ Tracker Pro is an independent app, not affiliated with the Government of Québec, and it does not replace an authorized representative. It offers an estimated PSTQ score simulator, a list of Arrima invitation rounds taken from Québec.ca, a step-by-step journey tracker, chat rooms for candidates invited on the same date (with automatic translation) and a PEQ eligibility checker.

Official sources

• Getting represented in your immigration procedures (Québec.ca)
• Trouver un consultant en immigration, in French (Québec.ca)
• Consultants whose recognition was revoked or suspended, in French (Québec.ca)
• Who must obtain recognition as a consultant, in French (Québec.ca)
• Conditions for recognition, in French (Québec.ca)
• Immigration fraud and its consequences (Québec.ca)
• Filling out an expression of interest (Québec.ca)
• Learn about representatives (IRCC)
• Find out if your representative is authorized (IRCC)
• How to apply: Quebec-selected skilled workers (IRCC)
• Online and phone immigration scams (IRCC)

Information checked on November 5, 2026. Rules can change: always check Québec.ca before acting.