Unlike Permanent Residence applications, where paid representatives generally must be authorized by the regulator now known as the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (successor to ICCRC), there is no equivalent legal requirement for someone helping with a parents' visitor visa in exchange for payment.
What group members said:- There is no formal licensing requirement for paid help with a visitor visa application, unlike the ICCRC/CICC requirement that applies to representatives on PR and other regulated immigration applications.
- Using an unlicensed or informal 'agent' carries real risk anyway. Because they don't have to follow any professional code of conduct, unlicensed agents are more likely to make false promises, cut corners, or in the worst cases, scam applicants outright.
- The group's practical takeaway is caution, not a green light. Even though it's technically allowed, members recommend being very selective about who you pay for visitor-visa help, and verifying their track record before handing over money or documents.
If in doubt, applying the visitor visa yourself directly through IRCC's website removes the risk entirely — the process for a visitor visa is generally simpler than PR and doesn't require professional representation.