This Privacy Policy explains how RCICMASTER ("we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal information when you visit our websites or use the RCICMASTER consultant dashboard, client portal, mobile apps, and LMS courses (the "Service"). We handle personal information in line with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and other applicable privacy laws.
This policy covers information about our consultants, their team members, website visitors, and learners. When consultants upload information about their own clients, the consultant decides why and how that information is used, and RCICMASTER processes it on the consultant's behalf under our Data Processing Addendum.
1. Information we collect
We collect the following types of information:
- Account information: name, email address, phone number, password (stored in hashed form), profile photo, language preference, and sign-in details if you use Google sign-in.
- Professional information: RCIC number, licence verification details, firm name, firm logo, address, city, province, website, biography, and team member details.
- Billing information: plan, purchase history, invoices, and billing address. Card details are collected and stored by our payment processor (Stripe); we do not store full card numbers.
- Client and case information uploaded by consultants: such as client names, contact details, identity and immigration documents, questionnaire answers, case notes, agreements, trust ledger entries, payment requests, and messages.
- Communications: messages you send us, contact form submissions, support tickets, and connection requests sent through the public consultant directory.
- Learning information: course enrolments, progress, quiz results, and certificates.
- Technical and usage information: IP address, device and browser type, pages viewed, actions taken in the Service, log files, and error reports.
- Cookies and similar technologies used to keep you signed in, remember your language, secure the Service, and understand how it is used.
2. How we use information
- To create and manage accounts, verify licences, and provide the Service and its features.
- To process payments, subscriptions, renewals, and course purchases, and to prevent fraud.
- To send transactional messages such as sign-in links, invitations, receipts, reminders, meeting invites, and security or service notices.
- To provide support, answer contact form messages, and route directory requests to the right consultant.
- To secure the Service, detect abuse, and keep audit and activity logs.
- To analyse usage and improve, test, and develop the Service.
- To send product updates and marketing about RCICMASTER, where permitted. You can unsubscribe at any time.
- To comply with legal obligations, enforce our Terms, and protect our rights and the rights of others.
3. Consent
By using the Service or giving us your information, you consent to its collection, use, and disclosure as described in this policy. Consultants who upload client information confirm that they have obtained the consent or other legal authority needed to do so. You may withdraw consent, subject to legal and contractual limits, but doing so may mean we can no longer provide some or all of the Service.
5. Where information is stored
Our primary application servers and databases are hosted in Canada (Amazon Web Services, Canada Central region). Some of our service providers, such as payment, email, sign-in, and AI providers, may process information in the United States or other countries. When information is outside Canada, it may be accessed by courts, law enforcement, and national security authorities of that country under its laws.
6. How long we keep information
We keep personal information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the Service. After an account closes, we keep information for up to 30 days so it can be exported, and then delete or de-identify it from active systems, except where we must keep it longer for legal, tax, accounting, fraud-prevention, or dispute purposes. Backups are overwritten on their normal schedule. Consultants are responsible for their own record-keeping obligations to the CICC and their clients.
7. Security
We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including encryption in transit, access controls and role-based permissions, secure hosting, and activity logs. No method of storage or transmission is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for keeping your password and devices secure and for managing your team's access.
8. Your rights
You may ask to access the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, or withdraw consent, by emailing info@rcicmaster.ca. We may need to verify your identity, and we will respond within the time required by law. If you are a client of a consultant who uses RCICMASTER, please contact that consultant first, because they control your information; we will help them respond.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
10. Children
The Service is intended for professionals and is not directed at children. Consultants may store information about minors who are part of an immigration application; in that case the consultant is responsible for obtaining the required consent from a parent or guardian.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. We will post the new version on this page and update the date above. For material changes, we will notify account holders by email or in the dashboard.
12. Privacy Officer
Our Privacy Officer can be reached at:
- Email: info@rcicmaster.ca
- Phone: +1 431 814 0549
- Mail: Privacy Officer, RCICMASTER, 145 Church Street, Unit 5, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1Y4, Canada