CICC Licensing Process (after EPE) and other ongoing requirements: Step-by-Step Guide.

We have developed this article to provide a general overview of the overall process, along with some additional tips that may be helpful.

We have made every effort to validate the information in this article with multiple recently licensed RCICs who wrote their EPE in February 2026 and received their Letter of Authority (LOA) around June–July 2026. However, individual experiences and requirements may vary, and processes, timelines, or instructions may change over time.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you carefully follow all instructions and communications from CICC and regularly check the CICC website and email communications to ensure you do not miss any important steps, deadlines, or requirements.

Please note that any additional tips or suggestions provided in this article are optional and should be considered at your own discretion.

The key steps in the process are as follows:

1. Initial Portal Setup

Access the CICC portal and locate the “Initial Licensing”
The first three steps are typically already marked green (pre-EPE steps).

2. Apply for Licensing, Police Clearance Certificates (PCC) and Business Name Registration

These three steps can be done simultaneously to save time. The College will allow a period of 120 days to complete the licensing process and an additional 182 days if you are missing with any documents like PCC.

A. Apply for Licensing

Submit your application form through the CICC portal.
Include a letter of explanation if you’re still waiting for documents (e.g., PCC). It will help you to bypass the step for now and go ahead with other steps in parallel. Later, a tab will appear on the portal’s home page for uploading pending documents. Once you receive the PCC, you will be able to upload it there.

Caution: Based on recent licensees’ experiences, submitting an incomplete application (e.g., while waiting for a Police Certificate) with an explanation may allow the process to begin by skipping that step, but CICC will eventually hold final approval until the application is completely submitted with all the required documents.

B. Obtain Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs)

Required for all countries where you lived 6+ months after age 18.
Plan ahead: You may obtain police certificates from other countries before taking the licensing exam or while waiting for your EPE result, especially if a country takes a long time to issue one. Just make sure the PCC is valid when you apply. An expired PCC will not be accepted, even if you have not returned to that country since it was issued.
If you cannot obtain a PCC: Provide a detailed explanation with evidence showing the efforts you made to obtain it and why it was not possible.
Canadian PCC must beRCMP with fingerprints (select “Employment-Private Industry”).
List of Fingerprinting companies accredited by the RCMP in Canada. Please click here.
Upload the PCC yourself even if the institution can send it directly.

C. Business Name Registration

Click “Start Business Name Selection Application.”
No confirmation will be shown after submission; wait for it to turn orange (“under review”).
Use unique or non-English names to avoid rejection.
Choose a business name that goes with Business Name and Business Registration Regulation of the College.

Pro tip: According to CICC guidance, the first word of a business name should be unique. Using a common first name with a unique second word may not meet this standard. Select a business name that complies with CICC requirements

The use of business names containing words that imply guaranteed success in obtaining immigration services through the company, or that suggest superiority or comparison with other service providers, may also not meet CICC’s requirements. Examples include terms such as Prime, Royal, Fast, Easy, Superior, and Excellent.

If you are confident about your preferred business name, you may reserve it with the appropriate provincial or federal business registry before submitting it to the College. This may help avoid back-and-forth later. You may also secure your preferred website domain name early, as it costs very little and can help with future branding and website development. ImmiMentor also provides website development services to help you build a professional website that is both RCIC-friendly and client-friendly. Please check this link to explore all the services we offer to RCICs.

College may seek explanation of business names containing foreign language words, characters or acronyms, therefore business names should be clearly thought out.
Once approved, register federally and/or provincially if you are in Canada. Our honest recommendation is to register both Federally and provincially that may help you gaining some loan / grant from both federal and province later if you want to expand your business and qualify for the loan / grant. If your business is based on outside of Canada then do what the country’s business registration rules are.
If your business name is approved (up to 3 business name options), they are only held for 30 days for you to complete the registration and upload the Articles of Incorporation; if those 30 days are passed, the business name becomes invalid.

Note: A business name is not mandatory if you want to enrol yourself as an employee while working under any DLI or any Canada Immigration service providing business entity. In such a situation, they will need an employment reference letter instead of business name approval. If you are wondering about the employment reference letter sample, please follow this link.

3. Upload Business Documents

Upload Articles of Incorporation or proof of sole proprietorship.
Wait for CICC approval — business details will show under “Professional Information” > “Employment.”

4. Pay Licensing Fee

Wait for the request for Licensing Fees.
Fee is prorated based on your billing preference (quarterly or annually).
Contact CICC if billed incorrectly
Use this waiting time to: Build a website, prepare intake forms, service agreements, logos, business email/domain but you cannot share publicly unless you are fully authorized to do so.

5. Wait for Letter of Authority (LOA)

Usually, as soon as the fees is paid, LOA is generated within 24 hours or so.

6. Get Listed as an RCIC

Once payment is processed:

Your name appears on the CICC “Find a Representative”
Right after the approval, your and your firm’s name start appearing on the Public Register page of the College.
You’ll receive your LOA by email (usually within 24 hours).
You can now officially practice.
Save next steps and the deadlines mentioned in the LOA email

7. Final Administrative Requirements

Purchase Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance. Here is the link.
Register for PME courses (1st PME course must be registered within 3 months and all PME courses need to be finished within 12 months of your LOA).
Register an Authorized Representative (must be a RCIC/Lawyer) or Responsible Person (can be a family member).
Complete the Mentorship Program within your first two invitations from CICC. Although you may continue practising without completing the program initially, failure to complete it within your first two invitations will result in your licence being downgraded from Class L3 to Class L1. Once downgraded, you will not be permitted to practise until you successfully complete the Mentorship Program. if you want to know more about the Mentorship program, please read this article.

Ongoing Administrative Requirements

Need to complete your required CPD hours as required yearly (16 hours due June 30th of each term licensed).
Pay membership fee yearly
Pay insurance premium yearly

Other pro tips for successful registration to become RCIC

Double-check document validity: Police certificates and ID documents must be current and valid.
Be honest: Disclose any past legal or disciplinary matters—omissions can lead to rejection.
Follow deadlines: Submit documents and payments promptly to avoid processing delays.
Watch your email: CICC may communicate about missing documents or further steps.
Stay organized: Keep a dedicated folder for all your RCIC registration documents.
Plan for first year costs: Total initial costs for the first year is likely to exceed $3,000 CAD (application fee, insurance, membership fee, CPD, Mentorship program fee, etc.). In addition to the above, there may be initial setup costs such as developing a professional website, purchasing client management software, and other related expenses.
Be very careful:Please be cautious and do not use or include anything indicating the RCIC insignia before its official