RCIC errors and omissions are governed by section 30 of the CICC Code. If you are responsible for an error or omission that causes or may cause prejudice to a client and cannot be readily corrected, you must promptly tell the client, your professional liability insurer and the Registrar, promptly recommend that the client get legal advice, confirm to the Registrar that your insurer was told, and decide whether you can keep providing services.
- Section 30 applies when you are responsible for an error that causes or may cause prejudice and cannot be readily corrected.
- You must promptly tell the client, your insurer and the Registrar, and recommend that the client get legal advice.
- You must also confirm to the Registrar that the insurer was told, and decide whether you can keep acting.
- Under SOR/2026-68, knowingly failing to report a claim to your insurer, or reporting it late, is a “dishonest act.”
- Preserve the record, write everything down and review the cause once the file is safe.
Every practice will eventually miss something: a deadline in a document request, a wrong box on a form, a fee paid for the wrong stream. What the Code judges is not only the mistake, but what you do in the first days after you find it. This guide explains when section 30 applies, the four things it requires, how the 2026 regulations connect to your insurer, and an incident routine your office can follow.
Sources, checked 9 November 2026: the CICC Code of Professional Conduct (SOR/2022-128), current to 19 October 2026, sections 19, 20, 22 and 30; and the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Regulations (SOR/2026-68), current to 19 October 2026, sections 1, 4 and 28. We did not read the College by-laws or any insurance policy, so this guide does not cover coverage amounts, deductibles or your insurer’s claim procedure. The incident routine is our practical suggestion, not a College template.
When does section 30 apply?
Section 30(1) applies when three conditions are met together:
- You are responsible for the error or omission. This includes work done under your supervision; see RCIC supervision of staff.
- It causes or may cause prejudice to the client. Actual harm is not required; a risk of harm is enough.
- It cannot be readily corrected.
Our reading, for your reviewer to confirm: a slip you can fully fix before it affects the client, such as a typo caught before submission, does not trigger the section 30 reports. You should still fix it, note it on the file and keep the client informed as section 22(3) requires. When you are unsure whether something can be “readily corrected,” treat it as a section 30 matter.
The four steps section 30 requires
| Step | What the Code says you must do | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Tell everyone who must know | Promptly inform the client, your professional liability insurer and the Registrar of the error or omission | s. 30(1)(a) |
| Recommend legal advice | Promptly recommend that the client obtain legal advice about the error or omission | s. 30(1)(b) |
| Confirm the insurer was told | Promptly confirm to the Registrar that you informed your insurer | s. 30(1)(c) |
| Decide whether to keep acting | Decide whether you can continue to provide services to the client | s. 30(1)(d) |
“Promptly” has no fixed number of days. If you work for an employer whose liability insurance covers you, section 30(2) reads that insurer in place of your own professional liability insurer. Section 30 is one of several reports the Code requires; for the full list and the 30-day reports under section 39, see RCIC reporting obligations.
Errors and omissions insurance and the 2026 regulations
The new College regulations, in force since July 2026, connect directly to how you handle a claim:
- Failing to report a claim is a “dishonest act.” Section 1 of SOR/2026-68 defines a dishonest act to include knowingly failing to report a claim to your professional liability insurer, failing to report it in a timely manner, or knowingly failing to cooperate with the insurer.
- Dishonest acts feed the compensation fund. Section 4 makes a person who suffers financial loss because of a dishonest act eligible for compensation from the College’s fund, and section 6 lets the College recover compensation it pays from the licensee.
- No insurance is a ground for Registrar action. Section 28(b) lists contravening the professional liability insurance requirement in section 42(1) of the College Act or in the by-laws.
Read your policy’s notice clause today, before you need it, and keep the insurer’s claim contact where the whole licensee team can find it. For an overview of the regulations, see CICC regulations 2026.
Can you keep acting for the client?
Section 30(1)(d) leaves the decision to you, but other duties shape it. Once a mistake may have harmed the client, your interest in limiting the damage can pull against the client’s interest in knowing exactly what happened. That is the kind of situation covered in RCIC conflict of interest. Points to weigh, as our suggestion:
- Has the client had a real chance to get independent legal advice before deciding?
- Can you still act competently on the fix, or do you need help? Under section 20, with the client’s consent, you may get help from another authorized representative who is competent, disclosed to the client in writing.
- Does the client still trust you? Record their decision in writing.
If you stop acting, follow the termination and handover steps in RCIC client file transfer.
An incident routine for your practice
- Preserve the record. Do not edit, back-date or delete anything. Save what was sent, when, and by whom.
- Tell the licensee the same day. Staff should know that reporting a mistake early is expected, not punished.
- Apply the three tests. Responsible? Possible prejudice? Readily correctable? Write down the answer and why.
- Write to the client. Explain what happened in plain language, what it may mean, and recommend that they get legal advice.
- Notify your insurer following your policy’s notice terms, and keep proof of the notice.
- Notify the Registrar and confirm that the insurer has been informed. Keep proof of when the College received it.
- Record the decision on whether you continue, and the client’s instructions.
- Review the cause within a month: missed task, unclear handoff, missing checklist item, or a competence gap.
Preventing the most common causes
The Code’s quality duties point to where errors come from. Section 22(1) requires you to meet deadlines and communicate with clients in a timely way, and section 19 bars you from providing services you are not competent to provide. In our experience the usual causes are missed dates, unclear handoffs between counsellor and filing team, and documents nobody checked. A written service agreement that sets out scope and responsibilities also helps; see manage retainer agreements.
General information about running an immigration practice — not legal advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with official sources and your regulator.