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 2026
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.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) released new data on January 9, 2026 showing that Metro Vancouver’s unemployment rate fell below 6%. This is a pivotal threshold for employers looking to obtain permission through a Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) to hire low-wage foreign workers, which includes any foreign worker being paid a wage of $36.60 or less per hour. In this blog we’ll discuss why this development is so important and what employers and foreign workers alike need to know over the next few months and beyond.
BlogThe Repercussions of Immigration Program Changes- 2025 in review and what’s in store for 2026
16 December 2025
I have repeatedly said in the past year or so that in my many years as a Canadian immigration lawyer, I have not seen so many changes to our immigration program in so short a period of time as in 2024 and 2025. As the changes have taken effect, we are now seeing the outcomes on applicants. Let’s review some of the most significant effects on immigration processing and the implications.
On October 8, 2025 the Minister of Public Safety introduced to Parliament Bill C-12, entitled the Strengthening of Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act. Bill C-12 providessweeping powers to the government to control all facets of immigration processing, affecting both potential immigrants as well as those already living in Canada. Suffice it to say there has been no shortage of concern over exactly how the government plans on using these incredible powers, but in this blog we will provide an overview of what the buzz is about and why some of the concern may be overblown.
BlogHeartwarming stories of compassion: When IRCC gets it right!
25 November 2025
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.
BlogCanada’s New Normal: Temporary and permanent immigration to Canada will stay low and flat for years to come
18 November 2025
On November 7, 2025 the Honourable Lena Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, released her department’s annual report on immigration admission levels, setting out key immigration objectives for the next three years. Like all previous reports, this one features concrete data regarding last year’s (2024) immigration levels in Canada, while setting new admission targets for the next three years from 2026 through to 2028.
BlogBracing for a long, long wait: The harsh effects of the 2024 immigration levels plan.
21 October 2025
In the aftermath of the introduction of last year’s immigration plan in November 2024, the government made clear that there were going to be tougher times for prospective immigrants to Canada. The proposed targets of 500,000 immigrants per year for 2025/26 set just a couple of years earlier in 2023, were being slashed to 395,000 for 2025 and 380,000 for 2026.
BlogExpectation Overload: Employers now subject to more scrutiny when hiring foreign workers under Labour Market Impact Assessments
14 October 2025
In September 2025, Service Canada introduced a new rule applicable to employers who wish to hire foreign workers through Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) stream. The rule requires employers to use the “Direct Apply” feature on the Canadian Job Bank – a previously optional feature that allows job seekers to digitally submit their resumes to a hiring employer on the Canadian Job Bank platform, rather than only through traditional methods such as email or mail. Employers who do not use the Direct Apply feature can expect to receive a negative LMIA result, so read on to find out more about this new requirement.
Blog“Timing in Life is Everything”: Why timing matters in the Canadian immigration process!
23 September 2025
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.
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