Can I find out if my immigration representative is actually licensed to represent me?

Yes, and checking this directly is straightforward. Lawyers and licensed paralegals can be verified through the relevant provincial law society — in Ontario, that is the Law Society of Ontario, which maintains a public register of licensed members in good standing. Immigration consultants can be verified through the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, which similarly maintains a public register of licensed consultants authorized to represent people in immigration and citizenship matters for a fee.

Anyone who charges a fee to represent or substantially advise you on an immigration application, and who does not appear as a licensed member in one of these registers, should be treated as a serious red flag, regardless of how experienced or credible they present themselves as being. Being unlicensed does not simply create a professional standards concern; it can also expose your own application to misrepresentation risk if the person's involvement is not properly disclosed or if inaccurate information ends up in your file.

Checking a representative's status before engaging them, and periodically afterward, is a simple step that meaningfully reduces the risk of relying on someone who is not actually authorized to help you.