We offer legal services for individuals and families seeking to immigrate to Canada, or wanting to visit Canada on a visa or work/study permit. We are committed to excellence in immigration. We offer personalized attention, responsive service, and will always keep you up-to-date on your application status. We represent a diverse client base with emphasis on family reunification, permanent residence applications and citizenship matters.
We can help you in the following areas:
- Applications for Permanent Residence under the Express Entry system, suitable for a wide range of applicants including:
- Highly-skilled immigrants (education, work experience, and language proficiency);
- Applicants with a Pre-Arranged employment with a Canadian employer; or
- Applicants who have been nominated by a province under the Provincial Nomination Program (insert link to website’s Provincial Nomination Program page here)
- Investor or Business-class Immigration Programs which are typically processed within 10 months
- Applications for Permanent Residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds
- Applications for Permanent Residence for Spouses and dependent children
- Applications for Permanent Residence for Family Class for other
- Super visas for Parents and Grandparents
- Work/Study Permits for individuals and their dependents
- Business Visa/US Visa, Sponsorship, Visitor Visa invitations
- Temporary Resident Permits - Visitor Visas
- Applications for Canadian Citizenship/Permanent Residence Card
- Federal Court Appeals
In order to better help us understand your situation, please complete our free Immigration Assessment Form
If you or your loved ones are interested in immigrating to Canada, contact us today!
A short introduction to the three most common methods of immigrating to Canada are provided below.
Provincial Nominee Program
What is it?
The Provincial Nominee Program allows Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals who wish to become Permanent Residents and are interested in settling down in a particular province. Each province has their own Program which allows them to select immigrants who can fill their specific labor needs and desire to live in that province. Note that even though applicants must demonstrate their desire to live in the province they applied for, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms generally allows Permanent Residents the freedom to move from one province to another.
Provincial Nominee Programs are further subdivided into various categories. For instance, some provinces have one category for applicants with Canadian work experience, while others are appropriate for applicants looking to start a business in a particular province. To be eligible, applicants must first complete the provincial nomination process, which is different for each category and province.
Applicants are then usually scored based on various factors, such as age, education level, work experience, and net worth.
If an applicant is successfully nominated by a province, they will be given a nomination certificate that is to be submitted with their application to the federal government for Permanent Residence. Please contact our office to learn more about the various Provincial Nominee Programs offered by each province or if you need any assistance completing your application. We can provide you with the very best advice on how to take advantage of each and every Nominee Program to maximize your chances of receiving a nomination.
Express Entry
What is it?
Express Entry is the process by which skilled immigrants can apply for Permanent Resident status with Canada. This process is suitable for applicants who have strong credentials (language proficiency, highly-educated, etc.), Canadian work experience, a Provincial Nomination, or arranged employment with a Canadian employer. Applicants submit their application to Citizenship Immigration Canada (CIC) and are placed in a pool with other applicants – the most competitive applicants receive an invitation to apply. The applicant must then submit their invitation to apply, along with all supporting documentation, to CIC, who will grant Permanent Resident status to successful applicants.
The Process
First, the applicant should complete an Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA) and take a language proficiency test, such as the IELTS or CELPIP. Next, applicants will need to become eligible members of one of the following four economic immigration programs:
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program;
- The Federal Skilled Trades Program; and
- The Canadian Experience Class
Alternatively, the applicant can skip this step by becoming eligible for one of the Provincial Nominee Programs (insert link to PNP on RLPC website here) provided by the different provinces of Ontario.
Assuming that the applicant qualified for one of the above programs, the next step is to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) application. Applicants are placed in a selection pool and they are assessed based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Approximately every two weeks, the CIC will draw the highest-scoring applicants from the pool. The CIC selects anywhere from 750 to 2,000 applicants per round, and the typical cut-off is around 480 points. If selected from the pool, successful applicants are given an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Permanent Residence. This invitation is valid for 60 days, meaning that the online application for Permanent Residence must be submitted within 60 days of receiving the Invitation.
The CRS awards points to candidates based on the following:
- Arranged employment (with a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment) OR a Provincial Nomination –600 points
- Language proficiency – 160 points
There is a significant drop in points from CLB 9 to CLB 8, from CLB 8 to CLB 7, and onwards. Language proficiency is also one of the few factors that can be improved upon. - Education level – 150 points
Those without the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree get 120 points while those with a high school diploma or no education receive 30 or 0 points, respectively. - Age – 110 points
Those aged 20 to 29 get the maximum points. Applicants below 18 or above 44 receive zero points. - Canadian work experience – 80 points
Those with 1 year of Canadian work experience receive 40 points, while those with 5 years or more receive 80 points. Applicants with less than 1 year of Canadian work experience get 0 points. - Skill transferability factors – 50 points
Skill transferability looks at a combination of the applicant’s language proficiency, education, and Canadian and foreign work experience to award a maximum of 50 points. Check the CRS table for more details. - Spousal competence – 40 points
The CRS also looks at the applicant’s spouse’s language proficiency, education level, and Canadian work experience, and awards maximum points of 20, 10, and 10, respectively. A spouse with a high CLB score, at least 1 year of work experience, and a Bachelor’s degree equivalent can make an applicant’s CRS score more competitive
Applicants in the pool who have not yet been selected are able to improve their score by, for example, increasing their language scores, educational credentials, and gaining more work experience.
Please contact our office if you have any questions about the Express Entry system or need help completing your application. We have the knowledge and expertise to maximize your candidate score under the Express Entry system, and give you the best chance at becoming a Canadian Permanent Resident.
Super Visa
What is it?
A Super Visa is a type of temporary resident permit that allows parents and grandparents of the applicant to visit and stay in Canada for up to 2 years per visit. The Visa remains valid for 10 years, just like standard multi-entry visas. However, standard multi-entry visas are only valid for up to 6 months per visit.
To be eligible for the Super Visa program, parents and grandparents must meet the requirements for standard visitor visas. In addition, they must:
Note that applicants from certain countries such as Pakistan and India may require a Temporary Resident Visa in addition to the Super Visa.
Please contact our office if you require further information about the Super Visa program or need help completing your application. Let us help you reunite with your loved ones!