Catherine Sas, K.C. – Immigration Lawyer Vancouver, Canada

BlogPrediction: The Parents and Grandparents program won’t re-open any time soon! The numbers and history tell the story.

14 April 2026by Catherine Sas, K.C.

Among Canada’s varied immigration options, the Parents and Grandparents (PGP) category has been a cornerstone of Canada’s family re-unification program for decades. However the PGP has had its ups and downs over the past couple of decades. The program has been suspended, re-opened, levels have gone up and gone down, it has occasionally transitioned to a lottery system and in October 2020 it evolved into a re-vamped lottery system where sponsors registered an expression of interest (EOI) and then were drawn and offered an invitation to apply (ITA). From that initial EOI program in 2020, there have been no further openings to the program while IRCC continues to make annual draws from the backlog of 165,000+ registered sponsors in the pool. There is little likelihood that the program will re-open any time soon nor in any way similar to what the program has resembled in the past 20+ years. Let’s review the numbers to understand why.

BlogImmigration Minister Diab announces Mini TR-PR pathway: Ready, Set, Go!

10 March 2026by Catherine Sas, K.C.

Last November 2025, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Lena Diab, introduced the annual levels plan which featured an “In-Canada Focus” for permanent residence including a repeat of the popular “Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident” pathway specifically targeting 33,000 applicants. The TR to PR pathway was originally introduced in 2021 in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic which saw increased numbers of temporary residents in Canada and provided them with an opportunity to transition to permanent residency. See the Minister’s announcement here: CIMM – Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Pathways. With the levels of workers and students remaining at relatively high levels, IRCC’s “in-Canada focus” is good news for aspiring immigrants already working in Canada.

BlogFinally…Canada spreads out the welcome mat for foreign trained doctors!

17 February 2026by Catherine Sas, K.C.

As the first lawyer in a family of doctors - specifically family physicians - I have always been perplexed at the failure of our federal, provincial and territorial governments to come together to offer a solution to allow foreign trained doctors to integrate into the Canadian health care system as immigrants and ultimately as practitioners in their field. When I first started practice, (over 35 years ago) the rationale was that our provincial governments spent a lot of money educating our Canadian medical students and that any places at the employment table should be reserved for our own medical graduates and not others. It took less than a decade from starting my practice for federal, provincial and territorial governments, as well as the corresponding regulatory bodies, to realize that this restrictive approach was actually limiting the supply of doctors that Canada needed overall. It is no secret that the wheels of government turn slowly and finally on December 8, 2025, our federal government introduced an immigration program to be delivered in conjunction with the provinces and territories through the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) to facilitate permanent residence for doctors already working in Canada. Let’s examine how this new program is supposed to work.

BlogUnmasking the “D” word – Anatomy of a Deportation

2 February 2026by Catherine Sas, K.C.

There is an ugly word in immigration practice that no one really wants to speak about: deportation. Yet deportation is a fact of immigration life, and few clients really understand the practical steps of Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) effecting a deportation order. Let’s review this unfortunate reality.

BlogHeartwarming stories of compassion: When IRCC gets it right!

25 November 2025by Catherine Sas, K.C.

The past year has not been a year of good news in our blogs. Since at least December of 2024 our messages have been about restrictions, delays, limitations and refusals. However, three cases that we have had in our office in the past few months demonstrate that sometimes Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) does show compassion in times of crisis reuniting family members together in Canada. Let’s look at the circumstances of these cases and the steps that applicants took to earn IRCC’s trust to bring their family members to Canada.

Blog“Timing in Life is Everything”: Why timing matters in the Canadian immigration process!

23 September 2025by Catherine Sas, K.C.

In our immigration law practice, my partner Victor Ing and I are routinely surprised by the clients who contact us at the eleventh hour seeking our advice as to how we can solve their immigration problems. Whether it is extending a work or study permit, obtaining an LMIA to support a work permit application or submitting an H and C application for permanent residency or even making a Stay of Removal application to the Federal Court, it is remarkable how many people leave their immigration matters to the last minute. As the quote above from John Sculley clearly states, “timing is life is everything”. That may be even more true in the Canadian immigration realm where it can result in coming to or remaining in Canada. Let me share a few real-life examples with you.

BlogBaby it’s cold out there….and it’s going to get colder! Why the Humanitarian and Compassionate application is not always the answer.

26 August 2025by Catherine Sas, K.C.

The Canadian immigration world is not that welcoming these days and it hasn’t been for the past couple of years as our many blogs have discussed. Express Entry (EE) scores are higher than most applicants can meet, draws for EE applicants focus only on in Canada applicants, the business immigration programs have been either shut down (until the end of 2026 for self-employed (SE) applicants) or significantly reduced for Start Up Visa (SUV) applicants, and the TFW program and international students have had caps introduced. Overall there is a tightening of the belt in terms of immigration processing and prospective applicants are feeling the pinch. When people can’t get what they want, they turn to other options and the most obvious choice is the Humanitarian and Compassionate (H and C) application. Spoiler Alert: Here’s more bad news - the H and C application is not meant to solve everyone’s problems.

BlogEmbracing Canada: Accepting all of what Canada has to offer

29 July 2025by Catherine Sas, K.C.

As immigration lawyers we are frequently consulted by people who are frustrated by their inability to travel internationally due to a lack of a valid travel document. Whether it is a person who can’t obtain a passport or has an expired PR card, there are many individuals who come to consult with us about how they can travel internationally while their passport, PR card application or citizenship applications are sorted out. Often there is nothing we can do to facilitate or expedite the issuance of this identification or status. However, there is a lot that we can recommend in Canada to satisfy the travelling wanderlust of our clientele.

BlogThe Summer of Immigration Discontent: Troubling times for aspiring Canadian immigrants

15 July 2025by Catherine Sas, K.C.

It’s no secret that Canada’s immigration program has experienced considerable upheaval in the past couple of years. Indeed the vast majority of our blogs in 2024 were all discussing some aspect of change to virtually all of Canadian immigration whether temporary, permanent or to obtain citizenship. Last week my partner Victor examined the statistical data demonstrating the actual outcomes of these changes on the immigrant population in Canada and how the changes are not yet having the desired effect on our immigration levels that the government intended. When implemented changes don’t provide the desired results, the impact on Canada’s immigration community can be harsh. Let’s review some of the current realities facing prospective immigrants to Canada.

BlogImmigration Update for US Citizens: Now is the time to sponsor your family members

20 May 2025by Catherine Sas, K.C.

Following US elections there is always a spike in interest about the opportunities for immigration to Canada by our southern neighbours in the US. However, the current Canadian immigration lay-of-the-land does not provide a lot of opportunities for such standard categories of applicants as skilled workers or business applicants. Recently imposed reductions in immigration levels have made it challenging for prospective immigrants to qualify to come to Canada. Even temporary workers and international students are facing restrictions. One sector of opportunity for aspiring US immigrants to Canada is for family sponsorship and citizenship by descent to bring family members to Canada. Let’s review these potential opportunities.

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