One of the biggest challenges in my work as a Canadian immigration lawyer is to simplify the immigration process and make it easy to understand for somebody who has little to no experience with immigration matters. This can be difficult at times because there are many terms and phrases that exist in Canadian immigration law that have no meaning for the average person.
For many years Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced new programs and policies to attract international students to complete post-secondary studies in Canada. The result has been a dramatic increase in the number of international students living in Canada who are making significant contributions to the economy.
For the past two years I have delivered a presentation in December on the most interesting and influential immigration court decisions released during the calendar year. Preparing for these presentations has given me the opportunity to look at general trends in immigration cases rather than focus on specific issues for my clients as a Vancouver immigration lawyer.
Canadians and permanent residents who want to sponsor their parents and grandparents for permanent residence will have to wait longer this year for instructions on how to participate in the popular program. On December 30, 2019 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that they have postponed the launch of the parents and grandparents (PGP) sponsorship program for 2020 until further notice. New instructions may not be released about the implementation of the 2020 program until as late as April 1, 2020.
In my immigration practice I meet people everyday who are interested in coming to Canada or staying to study, visit or work, or to obtain permanent resident status. Some of my clients come very prepared and have done a lot of independent research, while others are just beginning to learn about the available options to meet their immigration goals.
We are more and more frequently being consulted by individuals seeking advice as to how to remedy their situations in Canada where they have received improper or even illegal advice from immigration professionals. Frequently, the circumstances facing the individuals coming to see us are due to unreasonable expectations about how to remain in Canada or obtain status that is not generally permitted.
As an immigration lawyer I am frequently asked about what the best strategy is to obtain Canadian permanent residence. It is no secret that each year Canada welcomes more “economic” immigrants, who qualify for permanent residence based on their work experience and skills, compared to any other category of immigration.
The number of international students that have come to Canada to complete post-secondary education has increased significantly in recent years. Unfortunately, while many international students are successfully obtaining student visas to Canada, many of them are not successfully achieving their long-term goals of becoming Canadian permanent residents.
One of the most important aspects of my work as a Vancouver immigration lawyer is to help clients plan an efficient pathway to achieve their immigration goals. While most of my Canadian immigration clients have a good understanding of which immigration programs they might be eligible to apply under, many clients do not have a good understanding of how their past criminal history can affect their eligibility to immigrate to Canada.
At the same time as the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) re-launches its popular Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship program, the fate of another popular program – the Inland Spousal Open Work Permit (“OWP”) pilot program for spouses and common-law partners living in Canada – remains in limbo merely days before it is set to expire on January 31, 2019.
Sas and Ing Immigration Law Centre LLP
A partnership between Catherine Sas Law Corporation and Victor Ing Law Corporation
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