Planning to Immigrate to Canada or Australia? Before immigrating abroad, you need to consult a reputable Immigration consultant to help you through everything. But how do you know the consultant is competent enough to be of help to you? Here’re some questions to ask the Immigration consultant to clear your doubts.
How experienced are you?
- The Immigration Consultant will tell you:
- Since when they have been licensed
- Their past Immigration-related experience
- Their specialisation areas
- Types of clients they have served
If they have experience in similar cases like yours, they might be able to tell you:
- Time taken for the process
- Hurdles you may face in the application process
- Possible results
My application to immigrate has been refused in the past, can you help?
Let your Immigration Consultant know about past refusals and the reasons for the refusal. This will help you to get the best service possible. The Immigration Consultant will be able to explain how your history of refusals may affect the chances of success. He might be able to provide a new strategy on how to submit your application.
What services am I paying for?
You will be signing a contract (retainer agreement) with the Immigration Consultant on:
- What work they will do
- The fees you will have to pay and when to pay (i.e., in advance or on completion of service)
- Any deposits and if any part are refundable
- Services and cost of other professionals hired (lawyers, translators etc.)
If you are in doubt about anything in the retainer agreement, ask for more explanation in writing. There should not be any “hidden” fees that occur after signing your retainer agreement & you should clearly understand every service you are paying for.
Who will be working on my application?
During the process of immigration to Canada or immigration to Australia, you should know other people apart from your Immigration Consultant who might be working on your file.
You should know about your main contact, the staff, agents, Immigration Consultants or lawyers working on your file. Their roles and responsibilities should also be known.
Is there any need to pay for all my applications up front?
The Immigration Consultant should furnish a list of each type of application, its cost and the payments due at each stage of the application.
If an application depends on the success of another application you should not be required to pay in full. Apart from that, if you are on a monthly payment plan, ensure to pay only the service fees due at that time.
Can I pay you by the hour?
Some Immigration Consultants may offer the option of a per hour rate service. The rate per hour will be clearly mentioned in your contract agreement.
The Immigration Consultant will provide a rough estimate of the number of hours dedicated to preparation, submission, monitoring and ongoing communication, based on your individual case.
Can you help me find a job?
In most cases, finding a job and immigration to Australia or Canada are often connected but they may require different representatives. Apart from your Immigration Consultant, you may need the help of a licensed recruiter. The employer, recruiter or the Immigration Consultant should not charge you fees for finding a job.
In case you land a job, your future employer may need to submit a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application. Once approved, the LMIA is then presented by the Immigration Consultant along with your work permit application. Some foreign nationals may get exemption from the LMIA or a Work Permit requirement depending on eligibility.
Do you receive a commission working with the employer?
A code of Professional Ethics binds all Immigration Consultants. By this Code Immigration Consultants should reveal to you:
- If they are receiving money or benefits from other people to work on your immigration application
- If their business interests might oppose your interests
What happens if I cancel my contract? Will you refund my money?
The refund policy in your signed contract agreement will decide when you can get your money back. In general:
- A refund may not be reasonable if your application has been submitted and you are awaiting a decision.
- You have chances of receiving a partial refund for work not yet completed if your application has not yet been submitted.
The Immigration Consultant is bound to return your original documents and provide any information that you may require to continue with your application.
In case you have retained a new representative, you can sign a new IMM 5476 Use of a Representative Form. With this you can have your new representative request your documents and details for accessing your immigration application.
Why are your fees more expensive?
Factors like experience, number of working hours dedicated to your file, complexity of your case or other professional services needed may influence the fees of an immigration consultant to immigrate to Canada or Australia.
Contact us at MilkyWay Immigration Consultants to know more on Canada Immigration and Australia Immigration.
