I think I found a semi-decent plan for Harry and Meghan to immigrate to Canada:
In case wondering: Meg – Film/TV LMIA-exempt C14 work permit (or NAFTA – tougher w/B.A Comms) for multi-season production. Harry C41 spouse of skilled worker. He makes app for discretionary citizenship. Meg as PA – self-employed PR + possibly EE/PNP if processing delay. #cdnimm https://t.co/Go2SnYs7CN
— Will Tao????????|陶维 (@TheWillTruth) January 11, 2020
I’ll even throw up some links:
- Self-Employed: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/self-employed.html
- Discretionary Citizenship: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/canadian-citizenship/overview/granting.html#discretionary
- C14: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/exemption-codes/canadian-interests-significant-benefit-television-film-production-workers-r205-exemption-code-c14.html
- Express Entry PNP: https://www.welcomebc.ca/Immigrate-to-B-C/BC-PNP-Express-Entry-B-C
- Significant Benefits C10 (for your charity work): https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/exemption-codes/canadian-interests-significant-benefit-general-guidelines-r205-c10.html
But, IRCC says no citizenship grant for now.
Prince Harry and
Meghan would have to apply for Canadian citizenship like everyone else.
IRCC will not confer direct grant of citizenship, says
spokesman.
https://t.co/MD1AUfmj7v—
Capelle Kane Ottawa (@CapelleKane) January
15, 2020
Probably because the Queen has not called yet or the local MP (inside joke – lawyers/some applicants may understand)
That being said, let’s talk about Access to Justice for a minute, and perhaps tie in the Rule of Law.
Here’s a proposition, brother Harry and sister Meghan:
You provide some significant donations to an organization such as the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre:
Guess who was spotted in Vancouver today? Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle paid a visit to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, where she spent time discussing some of the issues affecting women. @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/8jZgw16znr
— Tarnjit Parmar (@Tarnjitkparmar) January 15, 2020
Or Atira, RISE, UNYA, or a related non-profit of your choice….. please bring me proof of receipt
and I’ll take that as payment in lieu of a consultation.
Following the consultation I will quote a set fee (and perhaps hourly, if you prefer).
But not Pro-Bono. Pro-Bono is a real thing. A real challenge. Something as lawyers we cannot even agree on (as whether to make it a requirement or not). For some it means dedicating their lives. For others its a Firm PR stunt. It’s contentious, but ultimately it’s a lifeline for those who need it and a career sacrifice for those who work in the difficult spaces. A jump, I have not been able to fully make but one day hope to do so. It is a struggle many lawyers face to serve community and support their families.
One I will do one Vancouver becomes a little more affordable.
On the note of pro-bono, we have a ton of great immigration pro-bono/legal aid services in the city. We hope you can help promote:
– Access Pro-Bono (http://accessprobono.ca/)
-LSS (https://lss.bc.ca/lawyers/lssOnline)
– MOSAIC (https://www.mosaicbc.org/)
– ISS of BC (https://issbc.org/)
– UBC LSLAP (https://www.lslap.bc.ca/)
I have an
alternative plan for Meg and Harry to get Canadian PR. Getting a study
permit, study as mature J.D. students at @AllardLaw,
register for LSLAP in first year….. #cdnimm—
Will Tao????????|陶维 (@TheWillTruth) January
11, 2020
Just to name a few…
But you make to much to qualify (and rightfully so).
Vancouver is rapidly gentrifying – as is the divide between the rich and poor. As you step across the City and make your appearances, do tread lightly. Tourism is great (and another lifeline) but there are those in the cities who have yet to see a vacation in their life and may never.
We’re a raw city/Province filled with hope, love, and we welcome you but frankly speaking (and excuse my French) we got some other **** to deal with right now (see e.g. https://globalnews.ca/news/6402245/metro-vancouver-cold-homeless/, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/warming-tent-oppenheimer-park-snow-1.5425509, https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/rcmp-morice-road-checkpoint-wetsuweten-1.5427015).
We’re also a city and country struggling with equity for women of colour (see e.g. https://www.queensjournal.ca/story/2019-02-28/editorials/women-of-colour-need-their-own-feminist-narratives/).
That still struggles with our colonialist past influencing the present future of our girls and women (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/indigenous-girl-grandfather-handcuffed-bank-1.5419519)
We also have an immigration system that is actively barricading our doors again to Black-African applicants. Where we have replaced their climate unsuitability with a view that their cultures are. Unsurprisingly women are painted as vulnerable/broken, and men as cheats – no voice to their resilience, no eye to their opportunity.
[side note: I spent an evening dealing with a matter where an overseas visa officer made a wild allegation that someone with a similar sounding last name – think John vs. Johnson in English meant that he fathered undisclosed black babies that were actually another mans]
So maybe there are some commonalities….
[Another side note, I ironically work in a building called the “Dominion Building” which was once the tallest building in the British Empire but now is probably better known for it’s elegant bathrooms/kitchens and frequent stair-master inducing fire alarms. In all honesty, there’s good orgs working here…. but I would hold the 1s and 2s for later.]
[Also final note, I think Meghan Markle is an wonderful actress and I openly admit to having had her influence my earlier career decision to become a Suit, which I thankfully gave up. I’ll write up that short story some other time.]
