Effective / Last Updated
August 28, 2026
This policy applies generally to services provided by SIA Immigration Solutions Inc. The signed consultation agreement, service agreement or retainer for a particular matter remains important because it defines the scope, milestones, professional fees, disbursements and payment arrangements for that file.
No approval guarantee: government decisions, processing times, invitations, nominations, visas, permits and admissions outcomes are outside SIA's control. A refusal or delay does not automatically mean professional fees are refundable. However, fees that are genuinely unused or unearned must be dealt with according to the service agreement, applicable professional rules and law.
Core Rule
Refund = what remains unearned after the file is accounted for
1. Identify paymentsProfessional fees, taxes, government fees and third-party costs are separated.
2. Review milestonesDetermine which agreed services/milestones have actually been completed.
3. Account for earned feesProfessional fees earned for completed work are identified according to the agreement.
4. Return unearned balanceUnused/unearned client funds are refunded as required, with an accounting where applicable.
What Is Usually Refundable vs Not
Different payment types are treated differently
Potentially Refundable
- Professional fees paid in advance for services/milestones that were not performed or earned
- Unused client funds remaining after a retainer is terminated
- Government/third-party funds still held by SIA that have not been remitted and are not otherwise owed
- Any other amount that the signed agreement, professional rules or applicable law requires to be returned
Generally Not Refundable
- Professional fees already earned for work actually performed
- Consultation/assessment fees after the consultation or assessment has been delivered
- Government fees already paid where the government does not refund them
- Third-party charges already incurred or paid, such as credential, translation, medical, courier, school or other outside-provider costs, subject to that provider's rules
Application Refusal / Withdrawal
A refusal is not the same as “no work was done”
If a government application is refused
Professional fees are for the agreed professional services, not the promise of a positive government outcome. A refusal by itself does not create an automatic right to a refund of fees already earned. Any unearned balance is still handled separately.
If the client withdraws or ends the retainer
SIA will review the work completed, funds received, disbursements and remaining unearned amount. Client property/documents and any required account summary should be returned/provided in accordance with the professional obligations that apply.
Consultations & Appointments
Consultation fees are normally earned when the consultation is delivered
Cancellation, rescheduling, no-show or late-arrival terms may be stated at the time of booking or in the consultation agreement. If SIA cancels a paid consultation and no acceptable rescheduled service is provided, the paid consultation amount should be reviewed for refund or credit as appropriate.
Government & Third-Party Charges
SIA cannot promise a refund that the outside provider will not return
Government Fees
Refundability depends on the government authority and stage of processing. Once remitted, those rules control.
School / Admission Costs
Application fees, deposits or tuition refunds are subject to the institution's own policy and any applicable law.
Other Providers
Medical exams, biometrics, translations, couriers, insurance, credential assessments, tests and similar costs are governed by the provider's policy.
Client Conduct
False information or failure to cooperate can affect the service—but does not erase the accounting obligation
SIA may be unable to continue acting if a client provides false or misleading information, withholds material facts, fails to provide required documents/instructions, fails to pay agreed fees or asks SIA to act improperly. In any termination, the file should still be accounted for: earned fees and incurred costs are identified, and any remaining unearned client funds are handled according to the agreement and applicable rules.
Errors / Service Concerns
If you believe there was an error, raise it promptly
We review the actual impact and the work performed
Contact SIA with the file details and concern. Depending on the circumstances, the response can include correcting a document where possible, explaining the file history, providing an accounting, reviewing unearned fees, or another remedy required by the service agreement, professional obligations or law. Nothing in this policy limits a client's rights under applicable law or the rules governing a licensed immigration consultant.
Requesting a Refund Review
What to include
Send
- Client name and file/application type
- Invoice or payment details
- Reason for the request
- Any relevant cancellation/termination date
- Supporting documents if needed
What SIA reviews
- Signed agreement and milestones
- Work already performed
- Invoices/accounting records
- Government/third-party payments
- Any unused or unearned client funds
Important Priority Rule
The signed service agreement and professional obligations cannot be replaced by a website paragraph
Where a signed retainer/service agreement contains file-specific fee milestones or refund terms, those terms are read together with this website policy. No website policy can remove a refund right or accounting obligation required by applicable law or the College's professional requirements.
Professional-conduct basis used for this rewriteCollege guidance emphasizes clear service agreements, milestones, accounting, return of client documents and refund of unearned fees when a professional relationship ends.
This policy does not guarantee that any particular payment is refundable. Each request depends on the agreement, work completed, funds held/remitted and applicable legal/professional rules.
