The Case for Writing Employment Reference Letters in an Employer’s Working Language
A recent Federal Court decision from Justice Alan Diner in Ouedraogo v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness) 2016 FC 810 raised a very interesting question that has at least sparked a strategic shift in the way that I prepare employment reference letters. In Ouedraogo, a reference letter was submitted in English for a period of […]
Canadian Immigration Updates – July 2016
In a throwback to my articling days, I was asked by the Firm to prepare a summary of the recent developments in Canadian Immigration Law for July. Writing it, I felt this information may be useful to some of the frequent readers of this blog. Note also, I am working on a more significant policy […]
Reader’s Question: “I have a consultant working on my file, can I still see you for independent advice?”
One of the things I pride my practice on is the fact I maintain a positive relationship with several immigration consultants across Canada. In fact, in my opinion immigration consultants serve a very valuable role. Many consultants are able to provide services at a more affordable rate than lawyers, can provide services in different languages, […]
Regionalism and Geographic Discrimination in Canadian Immigration? – A China Case Study
Recently, my colleague Steven Meurrens uncovered via Access to Information and Privacy Request officer training guides used by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) Beijing’s Temporary Resident Unit from 2013-2015. These guides are enlightening, opening our eyes to the inner workings of an overseas visa office. While I won’t share the entire ATIP here, the […]
Port-of-Entry Examination Procedures – Walk Through YVR (via IRCC’s Enforcement Manual 4)
With summer season upon us. the end of the leniency period of the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) regime, and the development of Canada’s Interactive Advanced Passenger Information (IAPI) system, Canadian Border Officers are about to get very busy. Upon arriving at a Canadian airport, as many traveller’s have experienced, those without Canadian permanent resident status, […]
Why Canada’s Electronic Travel Authorization Scheme Needs to Be Fixed By September 2016
In an earlier post last year I predicted that the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA program) may end up being akin to “visas for the visa-exempt.” True to form, even with the leniency period having been extended until September 29, I have started to see the eTA program became a major barrier for several foreign nationals […]
Exciting Announcement Vancouver! – After Hours/House Call Immigration Legal Services Beginning September 2016
Image 1 from Wikipedia Commons Image 2 by Russell Lee – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17047107 Vancouver! Over the past two years of meeting hundreds of potential clients, one common theme has come up time and time again – lawyer hours don’t work for the working class immigrant. You often have […]
