New immigration-representative penalties take effect, with combined maximum of $1.5 million

New federal administrative penalties for fraudulent and unauthorized immigration and citizenship representatives are now in force.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says the rules apply to licensed lawyers and consultants as well as unauthorized people who provide paid advice. An unauthorized person can face a $5,000 penalty for paid advice, while knowingly providing false or misleading information—or helping an applicant do so—can carry a $15,000 penalty.

Higher amounts can apply where an application is approved or violations are repeated. The department says combined penalties can reach $1.5 million.

IRCC expects to launch a public registry of enforcement decisions in 2027. Final regulations are scheduled for publication in the Canada Gazette on November 4.

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announcement, published October 28, 2026.

Image: Illustrative stock photo of a passport and paperwork by Nicole Geri on Unsplash, used under the Unsplash Licence. It does not show an enforcement case. Cropped/resized by WordPress.