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RCIC EPE: free guide and 50 questions

Study guide, revision checklist and 50 original sample questions with answers and explanations. No account or purchase required.

These 50 samples are separate from the 700 paid assessment questions. English and French are versions of the same questions, counted once.

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Original teaching exercises, not official or recalled exam questions. No independent subject or French-language review is claimed. Check the official requirements for your sitting.

Know the exam

The College’s RCIC Entry-to-Practice Exam is closed book: 135 multiple-choice questions, including case-based questions, in three hours. Ten questions are unscored and are not identified during the exam.

This edition uses July 23, 2026 as its reference cutoff, calculated 90 days before the October 21, 2026 sitting. Confirm your own sitting and any specific instructions directly with the College.

The College sets the exam standard using the Bookmark method. Your practice percentage is feedback for study, not an official pass prediction. Preparation here does not replace the College’s education, eligibility or registration requirements.

Study all nine competencies

Build connections between legal knowledge, case management, research and professional judgment. Review low-scoring areas without neglecting the rest of the blueprint.

Foundational Knowledge · 17.6%
Case Management · 19.2%
Legal Research and Informatics · 8.8%
Business Management and Leadership · 12.8%
IRB and Administrative Tribunals · 8.8%
Professionalism · 8.8%
Cultural Competence · 6.4%
Communication, Counselling and Advocacy · 11.2%
Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Evidence-Based Practice · 6.4%

A five-step method for cases

Keep the shared scenario in view, but answer each question on its own facts. A correct answer to one question does not automatically answer the next.

Map the situation.
Identify the client’s goal, the decision-maker and the stage of the process.
Sort the facts.
Separate established facts, missing information and assumptions. Note dates and status.
Identify the task.
Read the exact task: the first step, the best advice, the legal issue or the evidence needed.
Apply the rule.
Compare each option with the applicable rule, procedure and professional duty.
Choose and review.
Choose the best supported response. After submission, explain why the other options fail.

Make reading active

Open a reference, identify the governing test and write a short rule in your own words. Then apply it to a new set of facts without looking at your notes.

For each missed question, record whether the gap was knowledge, interpretation, evidence, professional responsibility or pacing. Use the linked provision and the explanation to plan the next study session.

References are study aids. Some external publications are available only in English; resource links identify the available language. Check the version and effective date before relying on any source for a different sitting or a real client matter.

Practise your pacing

Mocks 1 and 2 are untimed, saved and resumable during your access period. Use them to build a careful method. Mocks 3 and 4 run for 180 continuous minutes; signing out does not stop the clock.

Three hours for 135 questions averages about 80 seconds per question. Reserve time to revisit flagged items and unanswered questions. Work through complete case groups without repeatedly rereading every detail.

Mock 4 draws from the entire 700-question assessment bank, so questions from earlier mocks may reappear. Complete fresh attempts and study your explanations; repeated exposure is practice, not proof of readiness.

Reasoning checklist

Identify the decision-maker, stage and exact issue.
Separate established facts, assumptions and missing information.
Check the official source, applicable date and exceptions.
Explain why the best choice fits and why the alternatives fail.
Record the error and revisit that competency after a break.

For revision only. This guide is not an authorized aid during the official closed-book examination.

50 questions to get started

Choose an answer, then open the explanation. This is a teaching exercise, not a mock exam or a prediction of success.

Question 1 / 50 · Foundational Knowledge

Mina hopes to immigrate permanently, but asks to visit her sister for three weeks first. She says she will leave when required if permanent residence is not granted. Which issue should the RCIC examine?A. Whether her evidence supports compliance with the authorized temporary stay.B. Whether she can abandon every future intention to immigrate.C. Whether her sister can guarantee approval of permanent residence.D. Whether permanent-residence plans automatically extend a visitor’s stay.

Show answer and explanation

Answer A: Whether her evidence supports compliance with the authorized temporary stay.

Dual intent is permitted. The officer must still be satisfied that the applicant will leave at the end of the authorized stay. The statement needs supporting assessment; it is not an automatic approval.

B. The rule allows permanent and temporary intentions to coexist.
C. A relative cannot guarantee the immigration decision.
D. A plan for permanent residence does not itself extend temporary status.

Approach: Name the rule, identify its remaining condition, then connect that condition to the evidence.

IRPA / LIPR 22(2)
CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 1

Question 2 / 50 · Foundational Knowledge

An intake note calls IRCC and the IRB the same organization. Before explaining a refugee claim’s route to a client, what should the RCIC do?A. Explain fees first and leave institutional roles until after a refusal.B. Distinguish the organizations and identify who makes the decision at each stage.C. Keep the combined label because both operate federally.D. Let the client choose which organization will decide every stage.

Show answer and explanation

Answer B: Distinguish the organizations and identify who makes the decision at each stage.

Sound advice starts with an accurate map of the responsible bodies. Federal organizations can have different statutory roles and decision-making functions.

A. Waiting leaves the client with a false understanding of the process.
C. A shared level of government does not make their powers identical.
D. Jurisdiction is determined by law, not a client’s preference.

Approach: Ask: who receives the matter, who decides it, and what process governs that decision?

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 1

Question 3 / 50 · Case Management

Before signing a service agreement, a new client supplies two spellings of their surname. What is the best next step?A. Ask an assistant to choose the spelling that is easiest to pronounce.B. Leave the name blank until the application is filed.C. Clarify the full name with the client and seek corroborating identity information.D. Use whichever spelling appears in the first email.

Show answer and explanation

Answer C: Clarify the full name with the client and seek corroborating identity information.

Resolve the discrepancy before it spreads through the file. Code 24(2)(a) requires confirmation of client information, including full name, with corroboration sought where possible.

A. Convenience is not an identity-verification method.
B. Postponement allows avoidable errors to enter the file.
D. Email order does not establish legal identity.

Approach: Spot inconsistent identifiers; verify them before drafting downstream documents.

Code of Professional Conduct / Code de déontologie 24(2)(a)
CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 2

Question 4 / 50 · Case Management

Two team members each believe the other is monitoring an approaching filing deadline. The file has no assigned task owner. What best addresses the immediate risk?A. Add a third person to the email without assigning responsibility.B. Assume shared access to the file means the task is covered.C. Wait until the deadline to see who submits the application.D. Verify the deadline, assign responsibility and confirm a follow-up checkpoint.

Show answer and explanation

Answer D: Verify the deadline, assign responsibility and confirm a follow-up checkpoint.

A deadline needs a verified date, a responsible person and a reliable check. Visibility alone does not create accountability.

A. More recipients can preserve the same ambiguity.
B. Access and ownership of a task are different.
C. This discovers the failure only when corrective time is gone.

Approach: Choose the action that closes the operational gap now and leaves a checkable record.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 2

Question 5 / 50 · Legal Research and Informatics

A search engine summary says a requirement has changed. The linked official page gives a different rule. What should the RCIC do before advising?A. Read the controlling authority and check the official rule’s date and scope.B. Rely on the summary because it appears first in the results.C. Average the two requirements to produce a compromise.D. Ask the client to select the interpretation they prefer.

Show answer and explanation

Answer A: Read the controlling authority and check the official rule’s date and scope.

A summary is a discovery aid, not a substitute for checking the underlying authority. Verify whether the source applies to this category and date.

B. Search ranking is not legal authority.
C. Conflicting rules cannot be resolved by averaging them.
D. The adviser must research the rule; preference cannot determine it.

Approach: Check authority, currency and applicability before relying on a statement.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 3

Question 6 / 50 · Legal Research and Informatics

A colleague sends a useful policy extract without its page address or date. What should be added to the research note?A. A new title that makes the extract sound binding.B. The identifiable source, relevant passage and dates needed to verify its application.C. Only the colleague’s initials, because the extract is enough.D. A statement that all future files must use the extract.

Show answer and explanation

Answer B: The identifiable source, relevant passage and dates needed to verify its application.

A second reader should be able to find the authority, understand the proposition and check its applicability. Traceability helps detect stale or out-of-context extracts.

A. A title cannot change the legal force of a document.
C. Attribution to a colleague does not identify the primary source.
D. Applicability must be assessed for each matter.

Approach: Leave a research trail that another professional could independently verify.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 3

Question 7 / 50 · Business Management and Leadership

An invoice contains a single line: ‘services and costs, $900.’ The client cannot tell what was done or paid on their behalf. What should the RCIC provide?A. A receipt instead of explaining the invoice entries.B. A larger lump sum to include the time spent answering.C. A full description of the services and disbursements covered by the invoice.D. Only a payment deadline, since the total is already stated.

Show answer and explanation

Answer C: A full description of the services and disbursements covered by the invoice.

Code 33(2) requires a full description. An invoice explains the charge; a receipt records payment and serves a different purpose.

A. A receipt does not replace the required invoice description.
B. Increasing an unexplained amount does not correct the omission.
D. A due date does not explain services or disbursements.

Approach: Identify which document or duty the question actually asks about.

Code of Professional Conduct / Code de déontologie 33(2)–(3)
CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 4

Question 8 / 50 · Business Management and Leadership

A small practice stores its only filing calendar on one employee’s laptop. That employee becomes unexpectedly unavailable. Which improvement best reduces recurrence?A. Ask the employee to remember every deadline while absent.B. Post client deadlines and names on a public website.C. Remove deadlines from the workflow to avoid dependency.D. Maintain a secure shared calendar with assigned backup coverage and access checks.

Show answer and explanation

Answer D: Maintain a secure shared calendar with assigned backup coverage and access checks.

Continuity requires usable, secure access and a designated substitute. The solution should reduce single-person dependency without exposing client information.

A. This keeps the same single point of failure.
B. Public disclosure creates a new confidentiality risk.
C. Removing a control does not remove the legal deadline.

Approach: Test both sides of the answer: does it preserve service, and does it preserve confidentiality?

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 4

Question 9 / 50 · IRB and Administrative Tribunals

Three weeks before an RPD hearing, a claimant who previously requested no interpreter explains that they need interpretation in a particular dialect. What is the appropriate procedural step?A. Notify the Division in writing, specifying the language and dialect, within the rule’s deadline.B. Wait until testimony begins to mention the need.C. Treat the earlier answer as an irrevocable waiver.D. Change only the law office’s internal language setting.

Show answer and explanation

Answer A: Notify the Division in writing, specifying the language and dialect, within the rule’s deadline.

RPD Rule 19(2) allows a claimant to indicate a later need for an interpreter. Written notice must identify the language and dialect, if any, and reach the Division at least ten days before the next proceeding.

B. Delay loses the available time for timely notice.
C. The rule provides a way to notify a later need.
D. An internal setting does not notify the tribunal.

Approach: Extract the forum, the change, the required recipient and the deadline.

RPD Rules / Règles de la SPR 19(2)
CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 5

Question 10 / 50 · IRB and Administrative Tribunals

During preparation for a tribunal appearance, a client asks the RCIC to invent a date that would make the timeline look cleaner. What is the best response?A. Treat a neat timeline as more important than reliable testimony.B. Clarify what the client actually remembers and prepare truthful treatment of any uncertainty.C. Choose the date closest to the desired outcome.D. Supply a date and tell the client to memorize it.

Show answer and explanation

Answer B: Clarify what the client actually remembers and prepare truthful treatment of any uncertainty.

Preparation can organize genuine recollection and identify supporting records. It cannot turn an invented fact into testimony. Uncertainty should be handled honestly.

A. Appearance cannot replace accuracy.
C. A favourable date is not evidence that it is true.
D. Memorization cannot make fabricated information reliable.

Approach: Reject answers that improve presentation by changing the underlying facts.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 5

Question 11 / 50 · Professionalism

A client’s neighbour phones for an update on the client’s application. There is no client consent or applicable disclosure exception. What should the RCIC do?A. Disclose the information if the neighbour sounds helpful.B. Confirm the file details in exchange for the neighbour’s address.C. Protect the information and obtain appropriate client authorization before sharing it.D. Disclose only the result because it is a short answer.

Show answer and explanation

Answer C: Protect the information and obtain appropriate client authorization before sharing it.

Confidentiality is not measured by the length of the disclosure or the caller’s friendliness. Code 28 protects client information, subject to its specified exceptions.

A. Good intentions do not establish authorization.
B. Knowing the caller’s address does not supply client consent.
D. A short response can still disclose confidential information.

Approach: Identify whose information is involved and the lawful basis for disclosure.

Code of Professional Conduct / Code de déontologie 28
CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 6

Question 12 / 50 · Professionalism

An RCIC discovers that advice already sent to a client omitted a material limitation. What is the best professional response?A. Silently edit the office copy and leave the client’s copy unchanged.B. Wait for the client to detect the omission.C. Blame the client for not asking about the missing limitation.D. Assess the impact, promptly clarify the advice and address any resulting client risk.

Show answer and explanation

Answer D: Assess the impact, promptly clarify the advice and address any resulting client risk.

The response should address the client’s actual reliance and risk. Hiding an omission does not correct the advice the client received.

A. The client may still rely on the uncorrected advice.
B. Delay can increase the consequences.
C. Responsibility for professional advice is not transferred by blaming the client.

Approach: Choose the response that restores accurate advice and protects the client, rather than merely protecting appearances.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 6

Question 13 / 50 · Cultural Competence

A client avoids eye contact during intake. The RCIC has no other reason to question the account. What is the best approach?A. Avoid inferring dishonesty from that behaviour and use respectful, open questions.B. Record dishonesty as an established fact.C. Require constant eye contact before continuing.D. Assume everyone from the client’s background behaves identically.

Show answer and explanation

Answer A: Avoid inferring dishonesty from that behaviour and use respectful, open questions.

Communication behaviour can have different explanations. Cultural competence means reflecting on assumptions while learning about the individual.

B. The conclusion goes beyond the evidence.
C. Imposing one communication norm may obstruct the interview.
D. Replacing a negative stereotype with a universal assumption is still stereotyping.

Approach: Separate observed behaviour from the meaning you are assigning to it.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 7

Question 14 / 50 · Cultural Competence

A client says important family decisions are usually discussed with an elder. What should the RCIC clarify?A. That all family information can now be shared without further discussion.B. The client’s wishes about participation, consent and who gives instructions.C. That the elder automatically replaces the client as decision-maker.D. That family involvement is always forbidden.

Show answer and explanation

Answer B: The client’s wishes about participation, consent and who gives instructions.

Respectful service can accommodate a client’s chosen support while confirming authorization and preserving the client’s own instructions.

A. Support participation is not unlimited disclosure consent.
C. A family custom does not automatically transfer authority.
D. A blanket ban ignores the client’s preferences.

Approach: Ask rather than assume; distinguish support, disclosure consent and authority to instruct.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 7

Question 15 / 50 · Communication, Counselling and Advocacy

After a detailed explanation, a client nods but cannot describe what they need to send next. Which response best checks understanding?A. Treat the nod as proof of full understanding.B. Ask only whether the client agrees with the RCIC.C. Explain the next steps plainly and invite the client to describe them in their own words.D. Repeat the same technical paragraph louder.

Show answer and explanation

Answer C: Explain the next steps plainly and invite the client to describe them in their own words.

A respectful teach-back checks the explanation’s effectiveness. Agreement and comprehension are different; use the response to clarify the next action.

A. Nodding can have many meanings.
B. Agreement does not demonstrate practical understanding.
D. Volume does not resolve unfamiliar terminology.

Approach: Look for evidence that the client can apply the explanation.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 8

Question 16 / 50 · Communication, Counselling and Advocacy

Two lawful strategies have different costs and risks. A client asks which one they must choose. What best supports an informed decision?A. Present only the option that earns the higher professional fee.B. Say both outcomes are guaranteed so the choice is simple.C. Avoid explaining risks because they may worry the client.D. Explain the trade-offs in relation to the client’s goals and confirm their instructions.

Show answer and explanation

Answer D: Explain the trade-offs in relation to the client’s goals and confirm their instructions.

Explain meaningful alternatives, uncertainty and consequences in accessible terms. Advice supports a client’s informed instructions; it does not remove uncertainty.

A. The adviser’s revenue is not the client’s decision criterion.
B. A lawful strategy does not guarantee its outcome.
C. Withholding material risks undermines informed choice.

Approach: Compare options against the client’s objectives, not the adviser’s convenience.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 8

Question 17 / 50 · Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Evidence-Based Practice

An employment letter and a pay record show different start dates. What should happen before the RCIC relies on either date?A. Explore the discrepancy and seek evidence that can explain or resolve it.B. Choose the earlier date because it creates more experience.C. Discard the less favourable record without documenting why.D. Assume the documents must be fraudulent.

Show answer and explanation

Answer A: Explore the discrepancy and seek evidence that can explain or resolve it.

A discrepancy is a reason to investigate, not permission to select a convenient fact or to jump straight to fraud. Check possible explanations against reliable records.

B. Benefit to the application does not establish accuracy.
C. Selective omission can conceal the unresolved issue.
D. The discrepancy alone does not establish dishonesty.

Approach: List plausible explanations, identify the evidence that distinguishes them and reassess.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 9

Question 18 / 50 · Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Evidence-Based Practice

An RCIC favours a strategy based on an initial fact summary. A newly obtained document undermines a key assumption. What is the best next step?A. Keep the strategy solely because time has already been spent on it.B. Reassess the strategy using the new evidence and explain any necessary change.C. Ignore the document to keep the original advice consistent.D. Search only for materials supporting the original assumption.

Show answer and explanation

Answer B: Reassess the strategy using the new evidence and explain any necessary change.

Evidence-based practice requires revisiting assumptions. A reasoned change can improve the advice; consistency with an unsupported assumption is not a virtue.

A. Past effort cannot justify a strategy contradicted by current evidence.
C. Ignoring material evidence preserves an error rather than quality.
D. This is confirmation bias.

Approach: Ask what would change your conclusion, and respond when that evidence appears.

CICC Essential Competencies 2026-002 (English)* Unit 9

Question 19 / 50 · Foundational Knowledge

A temporary-resident applicant also hopes to become a permanent resident. Which question remains essential to the temporary-resident assessment?A. Whether the officer is satisfied the person will leave at the end of the authorized stayB. Whether any permanent-residence ambition existsC. Whether the person promises never to apply for permanent residenceD. Whether the consultant can guarantee permanent residence

Show answer and explanation

Answer A: Whether the officer is satisfied the person will leave at the end of the authorized stay

Dual intent is recognized by IRPA. A future permanent-residence objective does not remove the need to satisfy the temporary-resident requirement about leaving when required.

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 22(2)

Question 20 / 50 · Foundational Knowledge

A client asks whether a study permit by itself guarantees admission after travel abroad. Which distinction should the consultant explain?A. A school’s enrolment letter guarantees admission at the borderB. A study permit and the documents and conditions for entry serve different purposesC. A study permit replaces every travel documentD. An airline ticket establishes immigration status

Show answer and explanation

Answer B: A study permit and the documents and conditions for entry serve different purposes

A study permit is not a visa. Travel advice must consider the person’s passport, visa or eTA requirements where applicable, and the entry examination rather than promise admission.

IRCC: Entry requirements Foreign workers and students / Travailleurs et étudiants étrangers

Question 21 / 50 · Foundational Knowledge

A client wants to omit a previous refusal because the form asks about refusals but the event feels unimportant. What is the appropriate advice?A. Disclose only refusals issued by the same officeB. Let the consultant choose the answer that seems most favourableC. Answer the question truthfully and clarify any uncertainty about what it asksD. Omit the refusal if it occurred several years ago

Show answer and explanation

Answer C: Answer the question truthfully and clarify any uncertainty about what it asks

An applicant must answer questions truthfully. The consultant should clarify the question and facts, not treat the client’s assessment of importance as permission to omit responsive information.

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 16(1)

Question 22 / 50 · Foundational Knowledge

A client assumes that admission to a Canadian school is the same as approval of a study permit. What is the best correction?A. School admission automatically extends immigration statusB. Paying tuition removes every immigration requirementC. Only the school decides whether immigration conditions are metD. School admission and immigration authorization are separate decisions

Show answer and explanation

Answer D: School admission and immigration authorization are separate decisions

An institution’s admission decision is not an officer’s permit decision. The study-permit requirements must still be assessed for the individual application.

Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations 216

Question 23 / 50 · Case Management

During intake, a client supplies two passports with different name spellings. Which next step best supports accurate preparation?A. Clarify the identity history and document the explanation before completing the formsB. Use whichever spelling produces the shortest formC. Destroy the older passport to avoid confusionD. Submit one spelling and conceal the existence of the other

Show answer and explanation

Answer A: Clarify the identity history and document the explanation before completing the forms

Competent intake resolves material inconsistencies through accurate information. The consultant should not conceal an identity document or guess from convenience.

Code of Professional Conduct 6, 19

Question 24 / 50 · Case Management

The client approves a draft, then reports a material change before submission. What should happen next?A. Ask the client to report the change only after a decisionB. Assess the change, update the relevant material and obtain informed final instructionsC. Submit the earlier draft because approval cannot be revisedD. Ignore changes received after the initial consultation

Show answer and explanation

Answer B: Assess the change, update the relevant material and obtain informed final instructions

Draft approval does not justify knowingly submitting outdated material. The relevant effect should be assessed before the application is finalized.

Code of Professional Conduct 6, 19

Question 25 / 50 · Case Management

A consultant receives an urgent request for evidence while the assigned employee is on leave. Which office control best protects the client?A. Assuming the client will see every message firstB. Marking the email read without assigning actionC. A monitored backup process that assigns the deadline and confirms responsibilityD. Waiting until the employee returns

Show answer and explanation

Answer C: A monitored backup process that assigns the deadline and confirms responsibility

Reliable administration requires continuity when a staff member is absent. Reading a message is not the same as assigning and tracking the required work.

Code of Professional Conduct 37-38

Question 26 / 50 · Case Management

A client gives written authority to retain an original certificate while an identified requirement is completed. That requirement is now satisfied. What should the consultant do?A. Keep it until the client purchases another serviceB. Treat the authorization as permanent ownershipC. Discard it after uploading a copyD. Return the original when the authorized purpose ends

Show answer and explanation

Answer D: Return the original when the authorized purpose ends

Written authority for a stated purpose is not indefinite permission to retain an original. The Code requires return when the permitted purpose ends.

Code of Professional Conduct 14

Question 27 / 50 · Case Management

A client asks which facts are still missing before a recommendation can be made. What is the most useful response?A. List the unresolved facts, why they matter and how they can be verifiedB. State a firm conclusion and collect the facts laterC. Send every available form without explaining the issueD. Promise the same outcome as another client’s file

Show answer and explanation

Answer A: List the unresolved facts, why they matter and how they can be verified

A competent recommendation separates known facts from assumptions. Explaining the information gap helps the client participate without creating false certainty.

Code of Professional Conduct 6, 19

Question 28 / 50 · Legal Research and Informatics

A search result repeats advice from an old policy, while the current official instruction has changed. Which research step is strongest?A. Choose whichever policy produces approvalB. Check the current authority, effective date and any rule preserving the earlier policyC. Use the first search result because it ranks highestD. Assume archived guidance applies to every pending file

Show answer and explanation

Answer B: Check the current authority, effective date and any rule preserving the earlier policy

A search ranking is not legal authority. Dates and transitional treatment may change which instruction applies to a particular application.

Code of Professional Conduct 19

Question 29 / 50 · Legal Research and Informatics

A colleague’s template cites a statutory exception but omits its conditions. What should be done before advising a client to rely on it?A. Delete the conditions from the client explanationB. Rely on the exception whenever the client requests itC. Read the complete provision and verify each condition against the factsD. Treat the template’s heading as proof of eligibility

Show answer and explanation

Answer C: Read the complete provision and verify each condition against the facts

Exceptions operate within their conditions. Research must establish whether those conditions are met rather than infer eligibility from a template label.

Code of Professional Conduct 19

Question 30 / 50 · Legal Research and Informatics

An online discussion describes a successful application without disclosing the applicant’s material facts. How should the consultant use it?A. As binding authority on the processing officerB. As a substitute for reviewing the client’s documentsC. As a guarantee if the same fee is paidD. As a possible lead for research, not proof that another client qualifies

Show answer and explanation

Answer D: As a possible lead for research, not proof that another client qualifies

An anecdote does not establish the rule or the complete factual basis for a result. It can suggest a question to investigate, but cannot prove eligibility.

Code of Professional Conduct 19

Question 31 / 50 · Business Management and Leadership

A firm’s intake assistant starts giving individualized immigration advice without appropriate authorization or review. What is the licensee’s priority?A. Stop the unauthorized advice and restore appropriate supervision and escalationB. Label all advice administrative after the factC. Allow it whenever the client does not complainD. Transfer professional responsibility to the website disclaimer

Show answer and explanation

Answer A: Stop the unauthorized advice and restore appropriate supervision and escalation

A licensee must supervise those assisting with professional work. Relabelling individualized advice or adding a disclaimer does not establish authorization or competence.

Code of Professional Conduct 19, 38

Question 32 / 50 · Business Management and Leadership

A client pays in advance for work not yet performed. Which issue must be addressed before the firm treats the funds as earned revenue?A. Whether the engagement letter uses a colourful logoB. The applicable trust-account obligations for advance paymentsC. Whether the firm’s monthly revenue target has been metD. Whether the client paid by card rather than bank transfer

Show answer and explanation

Answer B: The applicable trust-account obligations for advance payments

Section 32 addresses advance payments for services not yet provided. Payment method or revenue targets do not determine whether money has been earned.

Code of Professional Conduct 32

Question 33 / 50 · Business Management and Leadership

The agreed fee covers one application. The client requests a separate additional application. Which approach best supports transparent billing?A. Assume the original signature covers any future feeB. Begin unnecessary work to justify a larger invoiceC. Explain the additional scope and obtain the required written fee agreementD. Invoice the additional work under the original government-fee label

Show answer and explanation

Answer C: Explain the additional scope and obtain the required written fee agreement

Additional fees require written agreement. Transparent scope and billing also help distinguish professional fees from actual disbursements.

Code of Professional Conduct 31

Question 34 / 50 · Business Management and Leadership

A consultant offers pro bono advice and assumes professional standards therefore do not apply. Which correction is accurate?A. Only confidentiality applies to free servicesB. Free services cannot create a professional relationshipC. All standards depend on the amount chargedD. The Code applies to pro bono services as well

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Answer D: The Code applies to pro bono services as well

The Code expressly applies to pro bono services. Providing advice without charge does not eliminate professional duties.

Code of Professional Conduct 3

Question 35 / 50 · IRB and Administrative Tribunals

An EPE candidate with no IRB practice authorization is asked to represent someone at a Board hearing. What should guide the response?A. Representation must remain within actual licensing and authorization limitsB. Preparing for EPE itself authorizes Board representationC. The client’s written consent creates an expanded licenceD. A free retainer removes the authorization requirement

Show answer and explanation

Answer A: Representation must remain within actual licensing and authorization limits

Exam preparation and client consent do not grant a professional licence or expand its scope. Work must remain within the authorization actually held.

Code of Professional Conduct 19

Question 36 / 50 · IRB and Administrative Tribunals

An adult in a Board proceeding cannot, in the Division’s opinion, appreciate its nature. Which safeguard may be required even if counsel is retained?A. A guarantee that the underlying case succeedsB. Designation of a representative under IRPAC. Automatic conversion to a citizenship applicationD. Removal of the person’s opportunity to participate

Show answer and explanation

Answer B: Designation of a representative under IRPA

Section 167(2) requires a designated representative where its incapacity test is met. That safeguard is distinct from counsel and does not decide the merits.

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 167(2)

Question 37 / 50 · IRB and Administrative Tribunals

A client equates an informal tribunal process with the absence of fairness obligations. What is the best explanation?A. Fairness applies only when both parties have lawyersB. Administrative efficiency eliminates the right to respondC. Informality must remain consistent with fairness and natural justiceD. Informality means the decision-maker can ignore either party

Show answer and explanation

Answer C: Informality must remain consistent with fairness and natural justice

IRPA connects the Board’s efficient and informal process to fairness and natural justice. These requirements coexist rather than cancel one another.

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 162(2)

Question 38 / 50 · Professionalism

A prospective client reasonably believes a consultant has agreed to provide advice after a consultation, but no service agreement is signed. What assumption is unsafe?A. That the consultant should clarify the scope promptlyB. That professional duties can arise during an initial consultationC. That the consultation record mattersD. That no client relationship can exist without a signed agreement

Show answer and explanation

Answer D: That no client relationship can exist without a signed agreement

The Code’s definition of client is not confined to a signed service agreement. Clear intake communication matters, but cannot erase a relationship that meets the definition.

Code of Professional Conduct 1, definition of client / définition de client

Question 39 / 50 · Professionalism

A consultant can disclose confidential information only to the extent necessary to defend an allegation about their conduct. Which approach respects that limit?A. Limit disclosure to information necessary for that permitted purposeB. Publish the complete client file to demonstrate transparencyC. Add unrelated family information to make the account persuasiveD. Treat one exception as permission for all future disclosures

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Answer A: Limit disclosure to information necessary for that permitted purpose

An exception to confidentiality is purpose-limited. It does not authorize unnecessary disclosure or publication of the entire file.

Code of Professional Conduct 28

Question 40 / 50 · Professionalism

A financially vulnerable client hesitates to buy an unnecessary additional service. The consultant threatens an immigration consequence that has no factual basis. Which duty is directly engaged?A. The duty to guarantee every applicationB. The prohibition on coercion and threats of unfounded negative consequencesC. The duty to maximize service salesD. The right to replace consent with a warning

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Answer B: The prohibition on coercion and threats of unfounded negative consequences

The Code prohibits coercive conduct and unfounded threats. Vulnerability must not be used to pressure a client into services.

Code of Professional Conduct 8, 11

Question 41 / 50 · Professionalism

A consultant’s financial interest would prevent objective advice about a proposed course of action. What does a signed conflict consent change?A. It transfers all regulatory responsibility to the clientB. It removes confidentiality obligationsC. It does not cure an inability to maintain objectivityD. It necessarily permits the representation

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Answer C: It does not cure an inability to maintain objectivity

The Code limits the circumstances in which conflict consent is effective. A client signature cannot cure every conflict, including one that prevents objective representation.

Code of Professional Conduct 15

Question 42 / 50 · Cultural Competence

A client uses a family naming convention unfamiliar to the consultant. What is the most appropriate intake approach?A. Replace the names with a familiar Western patternB. Assume the documents are inconsistent without askingC. Use the naming pattern of a different client from the same countryD. Ask respectfully how the names appear in records and verify rather than assume

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Answer D: Ask respectfully how the names appear in records and verify rather than assume

Respectful, individualized inquiry improves accuracy. A cultural assumption or an unrelated client’s records cannot establish this person’s legal identity.

Code of Professional Conduct 10, 19

Question 43 / 50 · Cultural Competence

A client asks for a different communication format because a disability makes long phone calls difficult. Which response best supports competent service?A. Discuss an accessible format suited to the client’s needs while protecting confidentialityB. Refuse because every client must use the same formatC. Ask the client to disclose the whole file publicly insteadD. Assume the disability prevents informed instructions

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Answer A: Discuss an accessible format suited to the client’s needs while protecting confidentiality

Accessible communication can address the actual barrier without assuming incapacity. The format should also preserve the confidentiality of the exchange.

Code of Professional Conduct 10, 19, 28

Question 44 / 50 · Cultural Competence

A client defers frequently to an accompanying relative. What is the best way to confirm the client’s own instructions?A. Treat cultural background as proof the client cannot decideB. Create an appropriate opportunity to speak directly with the client and check understandingC. Assume the relative automatically has authority to decideD. Ask only the relative because it is faster

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Answer B: Create an appropriate opportunity to speak directly with the client and check understanding

The consultant needs informed instructions from the appropriate client or authorized decision-maker. Family presence alone does not establish authority or incapacity.

Code of Professional Conduct 5, 19

Question 45 / 50 · Communication, Counselling and Advocacy

A client asks whether approval is certain. The evidence is promising, but the decision is not the consultant’s. What is the clearest accurate answer?A. State a percentage invented from intuitionB. Promise approval if the client pays a higher feeC. Explain the strengths, unresolved risks and limits on predicting the decisionD. Guarantee approval to reduce the client’s anxiety

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Answer C: Explain the strengths, unresolved risks and limits on predicting the decision

Honest advice distinguishes a supported assessment from a guarantee. Uncertainty should be explained in useful terms rather than concealed or quantified without a basis.

Code of Professional Conduct 6, 19

Question 46 / 50 · Communication, Counselling and Advocacy

A client has difficulty understanding the phrase “material inconsistency.” Which explanation best supports informed participation?A. Repeat the phrase more loudlyB. Send a statute without identifying the relevant issueC. Tell the client the meaning is irrelevantD. Identify the specific difference and explain why it could affect this application

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Answer D: Identify the specific difference and explain why it could affect this application

Plain language should connect a concept to the client’s facts. Repetition or an unexplained legal text does not demonstrate understanding.

Code of Professional Conduct 19

Question 47 / 50 · Communication, Counselling and Advocacy

The consultant advises against a risky option. The client asks for time to compare lawful alternatives. What is the appropriate response?A. Explain the alternatives and real deadlines so the client can give informed instructionsB. Invent an immediate deadline to obtain agreementC. Withhold every alternative until a larger fee is paidD. Treat the question as permission to decide without the client

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Answer A: Explain the alternatives and real deadlines so the client can give informed instructions

Candid advice helps the client understand choices and genuine time constraints. Pressure based on invented deadlines is not informed decision-making.

Code of Professional Conduct 6, 11, 19

Question 48 / 50 · Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Evidence-Based Practice

A consultant reaches a favourable preliminary conclusion but later receives contrary evidence. What best demonstrates evidence-based practice?A. Describe the earlier opinion as a binding decisionB. Reassess the conclusion and explain the effect of the new evidenceC. Exclude the evidence to preserve consistency with the first opinionD. Assume new evidence is unreliable whenever it is unfavourable

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Answer B: Reassess the conclusion and explain the effect of the new evidence

A preliminary assessment must remain responsive to evidence. Revising a conclusion after material information changes is part of competent practice.

Code of Professional Conduct 6, 19

Question 49 / 50 · Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Evidence-Based Practice

An eligibility checklist is marked complete, but one answer rests only on an unverified assumption. What should happen before advice is finalized?A. Replace the missing fact with a typical client’s circumstancesB. Hide the uncertainty in an appendixC. Verify the assumption or identify the unresolved limitation in the adviceD. Treat every checked box as an established fact

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Answer C: Verify the assumption or identify the unresolved limitation in the advice

A checklist organizes inquiry; it does not prove its entries. Competent advice distinguishes verified facts from unresolved assumptions.

Code of Professional Conduct 19

Question 50 / 50 · Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Evidence-Based Practice

A practice error log shows repeated mistakes about who makes a decision. Which study activity best targets that pattern?A. Reread only the correct answer lettersB. Study unrelated definitions for the same number of hoursC. Assume all immigration decisions are made by one tribunalD. Map each process to the responsible body, source of authority and decision sought

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Answer D: Map each process to the responsible body, source of authority and decision sought

An improvement plan should address the observed reasoning weakness. Mapping authority and process is more useful than memorizing answer letters.

Code of Professional Conduct 19

Sources and revision tasks

Examstead is an independent preparation provider, not affiliated with or endorsed by the College. These are original practice materials, not official or recalled exam questions. No independent subject or French-language approval is claimed.

Objectives and responsibilities
IRPA, 3, 4 Read the immigration and refugee objectives and the allocation of ministerial responsibility.
Match a visa, enforcement and refugee-hearing issue to the responsible institution.
Applications and truthful disclosure
IRPA, 11, 16 Connect the application requirements with the duty to answer truthfully and provide relevant evidence.
List the missing facts you would clarify before submitting a client’s application.
Dual intent
IRPA, 22(2) Read both subsections: permanent-residence plans coexist with the temporary-resident requirements.
Explain what a visitor must still establish when a permanent-residence application is pending.
Temporary resident permits
IRPA, 24 Study the discretionary permit mechanism and distinguish it from an ordinary temporary resident visa.
Describe why a TRP request and a TRV application answer different legal problems.
Humanitarian relief and public policies
IRPA, 25, 25.1, 25.2 Compare the grounds, restrictions and decision-making powers in these provisions.
Distinguish an H&C submission from reliance on a specific public policy.
Permanent-resident residency obligation
IRPA, 28 Read the calculation framework and qualifying circumstances for time outside Canada.
Draw a five-year timeline and identify which absences need supporting evidence.
Inadmissibility: choose the correct ground
IRPA, 33–43 Start at section 33, then compare security, criminality, health and misrepresentation provisions.
Separate a program-eligibility problem from an inadmissibility issue and identify missing evidence.
Misrepresentation and material facts
IRPA, 40 Read the statutory ground and consequences; examine what makes information material.
Explain why checking an agent’s work and correcting an inaccurate record matter.
Arrest, detention and review
IRPA, 55–58 Identify the grounds for detention, review sequence and release considerations.
Make a checklist for a detention review that includes a realistic alternative to detention.
Appeal rights and statutory limits
IRPA, 63–65 Read who may appeal, to which division, and which statutory bars or limits apply.
Identify the appeal route before discussing the merits of a refusal with a client.
Leave and judicial review
IRPA, 72 Locate the leave requirement and statutory filing timelines. Court representation has separate authorization rules.
Explain the difference between an appeal and judicial review, including when to refer to counsel.
Authorized representation and advice
IRPA, 91 Study who may provide representation or advice for consideration and the relevant exceptions.
Identify what work an assistant may perform and what requires an authorized professional.
Refugee protection: definitions and exclusion
IRPA, 96–98 Compare Convention refugee status, persons in need of protection and exclusion.
Link each alleged risk to the correct legal test instead of treating all hardship as persecution.
Application completeness
IRPR, 10 Read the prescribed application requirements and compare them with the current program checklist.
Create a completeness check that distinguishes mandatory documents from helpful supporting evidence.
Economic immigration class requirements
IRPR, 75, 76, 87, 87.1, 87.2 Compare FSW, provincial nominees, CEC and skilled trades; consult applicable Ministerial Instructions as well.
Build a comparison of threshold eligibility and selection without confusing eligibility with an invitation.
Family relationships and sponsorship
IRPR, 4, 117, 130–133 Begin with genuine relationships, then read family-class membership and sponsor requirements.
Assess relationship evidence without assuming that an unfamiliar cultural practice proves bad faith.
Temporary resident visa requirements
IRPR, 179 Read the visa criteria alongside IRPA 22(2) and the evidence supporting departure at the end of authorized stay.
Explain how purpose, resources and ties interact without treating one factor as automatically decisive.
Restoration of temporary resident status
IRPR, 182 Identify eligibility, the application window and the conditions that can be restored.
Distinguish restoration from an extension filed while status was still valid.
Maintained status and authorization to work or study
IRPR, 183(5), 186(u), 189 Separate permission to remain from the distinct conditions for continuing work or studies.
Use a timeline to decide which activities may continue while an extension is processed.
Work permits: LMIA and exemptions
IRPR, 200, 203–205 Read the general issuance criteria before comparing labour-market assessment and exemption routes.
Identify the legal authority for a proposed exemption rather than relying on a job title alone.
Study permit requirements and financial resources
IRPR, 216, 220 Read the issuance test and resources requirement; check current program guidance for supporting documents.
Separate statutory requirements from a school’s admission decision.
Citizenship: status, grants and prohibitions
Citizenship Act, 3, 5, 22 Distinguish citizenship by operation of law, a grant application and statutory prohibitions. Check commencement and transitional provisions.
Identify which provision and version govern a client’s circumstances before preparing a checklist.
Integrity, candour and respectful service
Code, 4–12 Read the general conduct duties, including honesty, trust, discrimination and coercion.
Rewrite an overpromising client message so it is accurate, respectful and clear.
Conflicts and recruitment relationships
Code, 14–18 Read the conflict rules and the specific conditions for employment or student recruitment.
Explain when disclosure and consent may be insufficient to continue acting.
Competence, scope and referral
Code, 19–21 Examine competence, assistance from another authorized professional and ongoing learning.
Decide whether to accept, obtain assistance or decline a matter outside your experience.
Diligence, communication and interpreters
Code, 22 Read the requirements for deadlines, client updates, cultural sensitivity and interpreter instructions.
Write an interpreter briefing and a plain-language update for a client.
Consultation and service agreements
Code, 23–26 Compare consultation and service agreements, required terms and limited exceptions.
Explain scope, fees, communication and complaint procedures before a client signs.
Advice when a matter has little prospect of success
Code, 27 Read the written-opinion and acknowledgement requirements for a matter assessed as futile or unfounded.
Draft a short options-and-risks explanation that leaves the decision with an informed client.
Confidentiality and complaints
Code, 28–30 Read the confidentiality duty, permitted disclosures and response to client complaints.
Identify what can be shared, with whom and on what authority when a third party asks about a client.
Fees, client accounts and invoices
Code, 31–33 Read the rules for fees, advance payments, client-account withdrawals and invoicing.
Trace an advance payment from receipt to earned fees and explain the records required.
Ending services and transferring files
Code, 34–36 Compare optional and mandatory termination, completion duties and transfer deadlines.
Plan a file transfer that protects an approaching deadline even where fees remain unpaid.
Office systems and supervision
Code, 37, 38 Read the duties concerning reliable records and responsibility for assistants’ work.
Design a handover checklist that prevents a missed deadline when the responsible consultant is absent.
Accurate marketing and endorsements
Code, 44–46 Read the advertising provisions and limits on claims about services or affiliations.
Review a proposed advertisement and remove claims that could mislead a prospective client.
IRCC: assessing dual intent
IRCC program delivery instructions Follow the assessment factors and read the linked statutory provision.
Explain a temporary-stay plan without promising approval.
IRCC: maintained status during processing
IRCC program delivery instructions Follow the distinctions between status, work or study authorization and travel outside Canada.
Map an extension, expiry, departure and return on one timeline.
IRCC: restoration of status
IRCC program delivery instructions Check eligibility, filing requirements and activities permitted while a restoration request is pending.
Explain why filing a restoration request does not by itself restore authorization to work.
IRCC: submitting a complete application
IRCC program delivery instructions Read the current submission and completeness instructions alongside IRPR 10.
Explain the difference between a returned incomplete application and a refusal after assessment.
IRCC: procedural fairness
IRCC program delivery instructions Study notice, opportunity to respond, impartiality and the distinction between process and outcome.
Turn a fairness letter into a list of allegations, evidence gaps and response deadlines.
IRCC: making and recording a decision
IRCC program delivery instructions Follow the steps from legal requirements to evidence, standard of proof and recorded reasons.
Separate standard of proof from standard of review in a short case analysis.
IRCC: working with interpreters
IRCC program delivery instructions Read interpreter selection, impartiality and the handling of communication difficulties.
Prepare three checks that help a client understand an interview without coaching their answers.
IRCC: use of representatives
IRCC program delivery instructions Follow the instructions for authorized representation, consent and communication with IRCC.
Explain who remains responsible for the accuracy of a represented application.
IRCC: humanitarian and compassionate considerations
IRCC program delivery instructions Use the subject index to examine the applicable factors and procedural restrictions for an H&C request.
Build an evidence plan connecting each claimed hardship to supporting material.
IRB: acts, regulations and division rules
RPD, RAD, ID and IAD rules Select the rules for the correct division; locate filing, disclosure and application requirements.
Explain why a deadline from one division cannot be assumed to apply to another.
IRB Guideline 2: detention
Guideline 2, grounds, alternatives, evidence and procedure Read the treatment of detention grounds and alternatives alongside IRPA 55–58.
Identify the evidence needed for a realistic release plan.
IRB Guideline 3: proceedings involving minors
Guideline 3, parts 1 and 2 Focus on best interests, designated representatives and child-sensitive evidence gathering.
Explain how a designated representative’s role differs from counsel’s role.
IRB Guideline 4: gender considerations
Guideline 4, gender, trauma and evidence Examine how gender-related factors can affect the presentation and assessment of evidence.
Identify a stereotype in an interview assumption and replace it with a neutral question.
IRB Guideline 8: accessibility and accommodations
Guideline 8, procedural and substantive considerations Distinguish procedural accommodations from the legal test for deciding the merits.
Draft an accommodation request that identifies the barrier and a practical response.
IRB Guideline 9: SOGIESC proceedings
Guideline 9, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, sex characteristics Read the guidance on respectful language, disclosure barriers and avoiding stereotyped expectations.
Explain why delayed disclosure should be explored in context rather than judged through a stereotype.
IRB: assessing credibility
Legal paper, credibility in refugee protection claims Use the topic headings and cited judgments to examine inconsistencies, explanations and corroboration. Check later case treatment.
Distinguish a material contradiction from a peripheral difference in recollection.
IRB: weighing documentary evidence
Weighing Evidence, chapter 6 Compare authenticity, reliability, relevance and weight rather than rejecting a document on one label.
Explain what a country report supports and what it cannot prove about a particular claimant.
IRB National Documentation Packages
Country evidence, current package and document dates Choose the relevant country and compare individual sources, publication dates and the client’s circumstances.
Record one corroborating source and one limitation of the country evidence.
Baker: contextual procedural fairness
Baker v. Canada / Baker c. Canada, [1999] 2 SCR/RCS 817 Focus on the factors shaping the duty of fairness. Read later authorities for the current standard-of-review framework.
Explain why fairness does not require an identical procedure in every administrative decision.
Vavilov: justified and coherent reasons
Canada v. Vavilov / Canada c. Vavilov, 2019 SCC/CSC 65 Read the reasonableness framework and the role of legal and factual constraints.
Identify a missing link between evidence, the legal test and a refusal’s reasons.
Kanthasamy: humanitarian discretion
Kanthasamy v. Canada / Kanthasamy c. Canada, 2015 SCC/CSC 61 Study the approach to H&C discretion and the assessment of children’s interests; pair it with current IRPA 25.
Explain why a humanitarian analysis needs a contextual assessment of the evidence.
Ward: refugee definition and state protection
Canada v. Ward / Canada c. Ward, [1993] 2 SCR/RCS 689 Examine state protection and particular social group reasoning; trace subsequent treatment before applying a proposition.
Separate persecution, a Convention ground and the availability of state protection.
Mavi: sponsorship debt and fair process
Canada v. Mavi / Canada c. Mavi, 2011 SCC/CSC 30 Read the sponsorship-undertaking and collection context. Distinguish deferring collection from cancelling a debt.
Explain what information a sponsor could present about recovery without promising debt forgiveness.
Privacy Commissioner: fair information principles
PIPEDA, ten fair information principles Study accountability, consent, collection limits, safeguards and access. Identify whether federal or provincial privacy law applies.
Design a minimal client-intake record and explain how you will protect it.
College essential competencies
Essential Competencies for RCIC Practice, units 1–9 Read the indicators within your chosen unit and connect each to a concrete professional task.
Choose one indicator you find difficult and name the evidence that would demonstrate competence.
College Code interpretation guide
Code interpretation guide, read alongside SOR/2022-128 Use the examples to explore professional dilemmas, then verify the wording of the binding Code.
For one example, identify the duty, the risk and the next defensible action.
IRCC operational instructions index
Current instructions, updates and archived manuals Use the subject index and update history to find the current instructions; distinguish archived manuals.
Record a source’s title, date, legal authority and relevance before relying on it.
IRB legal research library
Legal resources, refugee definition, evidence and credibility Start with a legal concept, follow cited judgments and check their date and later treatment.
Trace a legal proposition from a summary to the original decision.

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