International Students and Immigration Education Program (ISIEP)

If you are currently employed by a DLI, the ISIEP eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Employed at a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada. Note that all primary and secondary schools in Canada are DLIs;
• Professional working in the education sector* with international students; and
• Enrolls in ISIEP for the purpose of skills upgrading in their current institutional role.**

* The education sector includes DLIs, school boards and official membership organizations representing various DLIs.  This does not include private consultant firms or agents offering services to DLIs.

** If you meet the ISIEP eligibility criteria but have less than two years of experience working in international education, you may benefit greatly from taking the ISIEP prerequisite courses.

Please note that ISIEP eligibility criteria, including but not limited to employment criteria, differ from CICC’s requirements for becoming a licensed RISIA and can change without notice.

• What if I have previous experience working with international students but am not currently employed by a DLI?
• What if I currently work with international students as an agent, with a private consultant firm, or with another type of service?
• What if I would like to work in a DLI, but the RISIA designation is required to access the position?

If you are not currently an employee of a DLI in a position working with international students, you are not eligible to enroll directly into ISIEP. However, you can become eligible to enroll in ISIEP by completing three prerequisite courses prior to your ISIEP application.

The next offering of these prerequisite courses will be in the spring of 2025, allowing for an application to enroll in the Fall 2025 ISIEP cohort.

These prerequisite courses are offered by CBIE twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Each virtual course takes place over two weeks with three hours of online class time and additional time required for self-directed learning.

These standalone courses can be taken in any order; however, it is recommended to take them in the following sequence:

1. Fundamentals of International Education
2. Cultural Competence in International Education
3. International Education Areas of Practice

Individuals can advise students on any subject without special training except for immigration. Legally, anyone providing immigration advice in Canada must be a lawyer, an RCIC or a RISIA. The RISIA license focuses exclusively on students and is tied to designated learning institutions (DLIs), meaning the license is only valid when employed by a DLI in an advising capacity accepted by CICC. The RISIA license cannot be used to offer independent consulting or agent services to various DLIs.

If you are interested in the immigration field, you may wish to explore the Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC) license, which is also regulated by CICC. RCICs can provide immigration advice more broadly and open their own immigration consulting practice, whereas the RISIA license does not allow individuals to become independent consultants. Many RCIC also work in DLIs. For more information on the RCIC license, including institutions who offer the RCIC Entry to Practice Exam preparatory course, please consult the CICC website.

• The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) is the regulatory body for RISIA and manages the RISIA EPE and RISIA license.
• The RISIA license is designed for International Student Advisers (ISAs) and other professionals working in the education sector in Canada whose responsibilities include offering immigration advice to students.
• Successful completion of the ISIEP is a prerequisite for ISAs/working professionals who wish to take CICC’s Entry-to-Practice exam to become RISIAs.
• ISIEP eligibility criteria, including but not limited to employment criteria, differ from CICC’s requirements for becoming a licensed RISIA.
• For more information on who is eligible to challenge CICC’s Entry-to-Practice exam and obtain the RISIA designation, please visit the CICC website and RISIA Licensing Regulation.

Upon registration for ISIEP, you will need to provide your résumé and one of the following:

• A current letter of employment from your DLI employer that is:
  • signed by your supervisor or human resources;
  • dated from the last few days or weeks;
  • on official letterhead from your DLI; and
  • includes a detailed job description demonstrating that you work with international students.

OR

• Certificates of completion for all three prerequisite courses.

There is no specific language level requirement. However, to successfully complete the ISIEP, learners should have sufficient English language skills (spoken, written, reading comprehension) required at a post-secondary level education program.

• ISIEP (our program in English) is normally offered twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. Our program in French PEIEI is currently only offered once a year in the spring.
• Our fall sessions usually run from mid-August to early December, with registration opening in May.
• Our spring sessions usually run from mid-February to early June, with registration opening in October or November.
• If registration is currently closed, you can sign up to receive a reminder before registration opens for the next ISIEP cohort. The registration or reminder link is located here.

• The ISIEP comprises module-based learning over a span of 15 weeks.
• The program is entirely online and includes live recorded webinars, readings, discussion boards, assignments, knowledge checks, and exams.
• The program is based exclusively on reference materials that will be made available online and is available in English (ISIEP) and French (PEIEI).
• Students are expected to spend an average of 25-30 hours per week on the ISIEP to pass the course successfully.
• Live webinars are typically held on Thursday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 EST. The webinars are recorded for those that may be unable to attend.
• ISIEP uses a flipped learning or flipped classroom approach. This means that learning is initiated by the student with instructors as guides.
• For more information about the structure and delivery of ISIEP, please consult the ISIEP Handbook and ISIEP Course Outline.

Here are the current program fees, which include all course materials:

• $4,050 for CBIE Members
• $5,200 for Non-members

These fees may change without notice.

Please note that in order to qualify for the CBIE Member rate, your DLI employer must be a member in good standing at the time of your registration, and learners must be members for the entire period of the program. Please consult our membership page for more information about CBIE membership and a CBIE member list. Please note that the membership list on the website may not always be up to date.

For more information about the fee structure and withdrawal policy, please consult the ISIEP Handbook.

CBIE does not currently offer any scholarships for our program, nor is the program eligible for any bursaries or student aid. CBIE is a not-for-profit organization and is offering this program as a professional development opportunity to DLI professionals. CBIE is not a formal educational institution and does not offer payment plans (installments). Complete registration fees are required to reserve your seat in ISIEP.

Please note that CBIE is a not-for-profit organization and is offering this program as a professional development opportunity to DLI professionals. We are not a formal educational institution and, therefore, cannot issue tax return receipts.