IMMIGRATION CONSULTANTS OF CANADA REGULATORY COUNCIL PRACTICE MANAGEMENT EDUCATION REGULATION April 2013
Practice Management Education Regulation Table of Contents SECTION 1: PURPOSE... 3 SECTION 2: DEFINITIONS... 3 SECTION 3: INTERPRETATION... 3 SECTION 4: SCOPE AND EXPECTATIONS TO MEETING PME REQUIREMENTS... 4 SECTION 5: MANDATORY COURSES... 4 SECTION 6: COURSE REGISTRATION... 4 SECTION 7: IN-PERSON... 5 SECTION 8: REAL-TIME REMOTE... 5 SECTION 9: COURSE EXPECTATIONS... 5 SECTION 10: CANCELLATION OR NO-SHOW... 6 SECTION 11: PENALTIES... 6
Section 1 PURPOSE The purpose of practice management education is to provide Members with the appropriate education, tools and resources required for competent practice to ensure consumer and public protection. Under Article 5.6 of the Code of Professional Ethics, a Member of the Council has a responsibility to adapt to changing laws and policies affecting professional practice and to keep up to date on the skills and knowledge needed for competent practice. Section 2 DEFINITIONS In this Regulation: a. By-law means the By-law of the Council. b. Continuing professional development or CPD means the maintenance and enhancement of a Member s knowledge of immigration matters. c. Council means the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council/Conseil de réglementation des consultants en immigration du Canada. d. Director of Education means the person hired by the Council to perform the duties described herein. e. Mandatory course means a course identified by the Council as central to a Member s professional practice. f. Member means any individual who is admitted as a member of the Council in accordance with the By-law. A Member is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC). g. Physically present for a session means Members must attend and participate in the entire session to be credited for the course. This applies to both in-person and real-time remote delivery formats. h. Practice management education or PME means education offered by the Council to Members on how to meet the requirements of the Council, which affects professional practice. PME is not the same as CPD. i. Real-time remote means participating in a live, instructor-led session. j. Registrar means the person hired by the Council to perform the duties described herein. Section 3 INTERPRETATION If there should arise any conflict between this Regulation and any of the Council s By-law, the By-law will prevail. 3
Section 4 SCOPE AND EXPECTATIONS TO MEETING PME REQUIREMENTS i. Active Members Members in good standing must complete all mandatory PME courses within the specified timeframe. Members on Leave Members on leave, duly approved by the Registrar, are not required to complete the mandatory PME requirements for the duration of the leave. Upon application by a Member to be reinstated to active status, the Member will be required to complete all missed mandatory PME courses as specified by the Registrar. A written notice will be issued by the Registrar outlining the requirements and timeline for completion. Suspended Members Suspended Members are required to fulfill the PME requirements or submit a remedial PME plan to the Registrar for approval before reinstatement. New Members New Members are required to complete one mandatory PME course within six (6) months of becoming a Member and all remaining mandatory courses within one year of becoming a Member. Where a new Member cannot complete all of the mandatory courses within one year, he / she will consult with the Registrar to determine a plan of completion. Section 5 MANDATORY COURSES i. Members must complete all mandatory courses. All new mandatory courses are introduced and promoted by email, social media, and on the Council s website. Members must meet the requirements and obligations developed by the Council for each mandatory course. Members must respond to information requests from the Council on items covered in the practice management courses within the specified timeframe. Section 6 COURSE REGISTRATION i. Members are required to register online for a mandatory course before the registration deadline. When registering for a course, a Member must provide a valid telephone number that can be used in the event of an emergency or course cancellation. 4
Members are required to verify their registration details including date, time, contact information, participation format, address of the learning centre if completing the course in-person, and emergency telephone number before completing the registration process. Pursuant to Article 20 of the Code of Professional Ethics, Members must ensure the Council has their correct contact information to receive relevant course registration and confirmation information. Section 7 IN-PERSON i. Members who live or work within 100 kilometers of the nearest Learning Centre (as listed on the Council s website) are required to take the course in-person unless otherwise agreed upon by the Council. Section 8 REAL-TIME REMOTE i. Members who live or work more than 100 kilometers from the nearest Learning Centres may register to complete the course by real-time remote. Members must have the required equipment and capability as listed on the Council s website to complete the course by real-time remote. Members must test their computer at the request of the Council to ensure they can send and receive audio and video information. Section 9 COURSE EXPECTATIONS i. A Member joining a session after the start time, leaving before the session is over, or not physically present for the duration of the session will not receive credit for the course. The sharing of information and experiences of Members in a session must be treated as confidential. Members must respect diversity and demonstrate mutual respect for other Members and the Practice Management Instructor during a session. A Member who is deemed to be under the influence of alcohol or any other substance by the Practice Management Instructor and / or whose behaviour is in contravention of Section 4 of the Code of Professional Ethics will be asked to leave the session by the Practice Management Instructor and the Member shall comply with such request. v. A Member who is asked to leave a session will not receive credit for the course. vi. Further to subsections iii and iv, the Director of Education will follow up in writing with the Member after obtaining a report from the Practice Management Instructor to outline the terms and conditions of how the Member must fulfill the requirement of the course. 5
Section 10 CANCELLATION OR NO-SHOW i. A Member who registers for a course but cannot attend must provide written notice of cancellation no later than four (4) business days before the course is offered. The written notice must be sent by email to pme-fpp@iccrc-crcic.ca. A Member who does not provide advance written notification as required in subsection 10 (i) of his / her inability to attend the course will be subject to a cancellation fee of $150 plus applicable taxes. A Member who does not attend the course on the scheduled date is considered a no-show and will be charged with a no-show fee of $150 plus applicable taxes. In the event that a Member does not provide written notice within the required timeframe or is unable to attend due to illness or an emergency on the scheduled date, appropriate documentation is required to avoid the cancellation or no-show fee. Members must submit the required documentation within fourteen (14) calendar days of the missed session by regular mail to the attention of the Director of Education or email to pme-fpp@iccrc-crcic.ca. Section 11 PENALTIES i. A Member who does not complete the required PME course by the specified date will be fined $500 plus applicable taxes, and must complete the course within thirty (30) calendar days after the specified date. If the Member does not complete the course within such thirty (30) calendar days his / her name will be forwarded to the Registrar to have his / her membership administratively suspended. A Member who is fined once $150 for no-show or late cancellation and does not complete the course within the specified date will receive a fine totalling $500 plus applicable taxes. A Member who is fined multiple times for no-show or late cancellation and does not complete the course within the specified date will receive a fine totalling $750 plus applicable taxes. 6