Is Your Immigration Consultant Actually Licensed? How to Check in Under 5 Minutes
Every major immigration destination has a public register of licensed advisers. Most people never check it — here is exactly how, country by country.
"Immigration consultant" isn't a protected title everywhere, which means anyone can print it on a business card. What actually protects you is checking whether the specific person you're paying is on the actual regulator's public register — something that takes about five minutes and most applicants never do.
Where to check, by country
Canada — the ICCRC/CICC register. Canadian immigration consultants must be licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. A real licence number should match a real, active entry on the College's public register — not just a certificate photo on a website.
UK — the OISC register. Anyone giving immigration advice in the UK for a fee must be regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner, unless they're a qualified solicitor or barrister. The OISC publishes a public register searchable by name or firm.
Australia — the OMARA register. Registered migration agents must appear on the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority's public register, with a Migration Agent Registration Number (MARN) you can look up directly.
New Zealand — the licensed immigration adviser register. Immigration New Zealand maintains a public register of licensed advisers; giving paid immigration advice without a licence (or an exemption) is illegal.
What to actually check, not just whether they exist
A listing alone isn't the whole picture. Look for: whether the licence is current (not expired or suspended), whether there's a disciplinary history, and whether the name on the register matches the name and firm actually representing you — not a similarly-named entity.
Skip the search — here are the direct links
We don't run our own adviser directory. These are the four official registers themselves, one click each, so you can check in under a minute.
The real pattern behind most complaints
Regulator complaint data across these countries consistently shows the same shape: unlicensed operators charging upfront for guarantees no licensed adviser would make ("guaranteed approval," "skip the queue"), often disappearing once a deposit clears. A five-minute register check, before any money changes hands, is the single highest-leverage thing you can do.
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