Immigration Lawyers

Tailor Law’s immigration law services include assistance with express entry applications, family sponsorships, study, work and visitor visas. If the normal categories for residency do not apply to you, we can also assist you in finding alternative pathways to Canada.

Have you had your application denied by immigration authorities? Contact us. We will assess your situation and strategize the best step forward. Any refused case can be challenged in a Canadian court. Tailor Law has the qualifications and expertise to assist you in immigration litigation and appeals. We can defend you at the Federal Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Immigration Division and the Immigration Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board.

Express Entry

Canada’s Express Entry program is a popular points-based system used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to assess permanent residence (PR) eligibility. The program allows you to submit a candidate profile online and have your skills assessed and ranked against the pool of other Express Entry candidates. You must achieve a high ranking to be selected from the pool and receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence under one of the following streams:

1. The Federal Skilled Workers Class
2. The Federal Skilled Trades Class
3. The Canadian Experience Class
4. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)

Points are based on a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) which distributes points based on different factors like age, level of education, language proficiency and Canadian work experience. The full CRS chart can be found on the IRCC website.

Tailor Law can assist you with your application process from start to end. We are a team of legal professionals who stay up to date on the latest immigration developments. You can count on us to guide you through the process of calculating your total points, advise you on how to improve particular skills, fill out your application forms and ensure the timely processing of your application. If you need to appeal an application that has been refused, we will also represent you in court.

Family Class Sponsorship

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, dependent child, parent or grandparent to immigrate to Canada as a permanent resident.

The Parent and Grandparent sponsorship category is unique because it works as a lottery system, with some similarities to the Express Entry system. Sponsors must complete an online form at a particular time announced by the IRCC and show their interest in sponsoring their parent or grandparent. Afterwards, IRCC will randomly invite a set number of sponsors to submit a complete application. Complete applications must be submitted within 90 days of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

One of the difficulties that may arise in family sponsorship is ensuring the eligibility of the sponsor. Sponsors must be at least 18 years old, have no outstanding sponsorship undertakings, no undeclared bankruptcy, no immigration and court order debts, and no criminal record. Sponsors must also meet minimum income requirements to prove that they can financially support their sponsored family member, and promise to support this person for a certain length of time.

Another difficulty that may arise is meeting the documentation requirements for sponsorship. The paperwork needed for sponsoring a spouse, same-sex spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child are all different. Minor, innocent errors can cost you the opportunity to reunite with your loved one.

Tailor law can assist you in your family sponsorship application. We can help you choose the best application stream, overcome any potential inadmissibility as a sponsor and ensure all the important information that you need to sponsor your family member is property documented.

Business Immigration [WIP]

• Federal self-employed program
• Entrepreneur Immigration
• Investor immigration
• Quebec Investor Program
• Ontario Provincial Nominee

Work Permits

Work permits are usually required for foreign workers who want to work in Canada on a temporary basis. A work permit application must include a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA),  which is a document that the prospective Canadian employer receives from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to prove that no other Canadian or permanent resident was available to do the job and, therefore, the foreign worker is in demand.

In addition to a positive LMIA, the applicant must have a valid and genuine employment offer, and meet the necessary qualifications and experience for that employment. A medical or criminal background check might also be required.

A temporary work permit is often considered a step toward permanent residence (PR). Many Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) in Canada apply for PR status after a certain length of time, under one of the Express Entry streams.

If you have a work permit that will expire soon, you can also apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), which can bridge the gap between the expiration of your work permit and the final decision on your electronic application for permanent residence (e-APR). To be eligible for the BOWP, the e-APR must pass a completeness check, which is assessed by an Immigration Officer. If the e-APR is incomplete, then the BOWP application is automatically rejected and you will not be able to submit another one.

Tailor Law can assist you with the LMIA process, your BOWP or e-APR application, and any other immigration issues affecting your TFW status, or your transition from TFW status to PR status.

Study Permits

Study permits are required for international students who intend to study in Canada for 6 months or longer.. To be eligible, you need an acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). A DLI is a school approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students. After you receive an acceptance letter from a DLI, you must still apply for permission to study in Canada and come up with a study plan. The IRCC will assess whether your study plan is consistent with your past education.

On top of meeting educational requirements, you must prove to IRCC that you can financially support yourself during your studies, including having enough money to pay for your tuition and living expenses.

Certain DLIs and lengths of programs might also qualify you to work off-campus during your studies and obtain post-graduate work permits. This is appealing to international students who are hoping to work in Canada and make a life for themselves here after they graduate.  However, not all DLIs make you eligible for a post-graduation work permit.

Tailor Law can assist you in obtaining proper and complete documentation required by immigration officials for study permits. We can also help you extend your stay after your permit expires and help you transition to permanent residence status.

Super Visa

The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa (Super Visa) is a temporary resident permit that allows foreign parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to stay in Canada for up to 2 years per visit. A Super Visa is valid for up to 10 years.

A regular multiple-entry visa is also valid for up to 10 years, but only allows stays of up to 6 months per visit.

To be eligible for a Super Visa, the foreign parent or grandparent must meet certain criteria related to medical checks, minimum income requirements for the host child or grandchild, and private insurance for the parent or grandparent.

Tailor Law can assist you in applying for the Super Visa, help you extend your stay and transition to permanent residence status.

Business Visitor Visa

A Canadian Business Visitor Visa allows a foreign national to come to Canada temporarily for international business, without directly entering the Canadian labour market. Business visitors do not need a work permit if they can prove that their main source of income and place of business are outside Canada. Business visitors can also enter under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or other Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).

A business visitor visa allows you to travel anywhere in Canada to meet with clients and attend conferences, trade shows and other work-related events. You can also travel freely to visit family and friends. Business visitors typically stay in Canada for a few days or a few weeks, but their entire trip must be less than 6 months.

Business visitor applications usually occur at the port of entry (POE), which is why having the correct documents is especially important. Many people are unable to satisfy an immigration official at POE that they meet the requirements to apply as business visitors and are denied entry to Canada.

Tailor Law can assist you in your business visitor visa application and help you meet the basic criteria as a visitor. We will guide you through the documentation process properly and expeditiously so you can focus on your business opportunities.

Immigration Appeal Division

The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) is an independent administrative tribunal that oversees immigration matters. The Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) is a section of the tribunal that hears immigration-related matters made by permanent residents and Canadian citizens. Cases include refused family sponsorship applications, removal order appeals and residency obligation appeals.

Federal Court Appeals

Any immigration decision, including IAD decisions, may be appealed to the Federal Court of Canada for judicial review. A decision made by an immigration authority is reviewable if it meets any of the following criteria:

• Considered wrong in law or in fact
• On humanitarian and compassionate grounds; or
• There was a breach of the principle of natural justice (i.e. the right to be heard by an impartial party)

It is important to act quickly. There are strict deadlines for appealing to the Federal Court, which is generally within 15 days of a refusal made in Canada, or within 60 days of a refusal made outside Canada. If the Court decides in your favour, the case will be sent back down and decided again by a different decision-maker.

If your citizenship or immigration application has been delayed far beyond normal processing times, you can seek what is called an order of Mandamus to force immigraiton authorities to immediately complete the processing of your application.

It is highly recommended that you seek the services of an immigration lawyer at this stage of the process because you are dealing with the court system and legal analysis.

Canadian citizenship affords you many privileges, including the right to vote, the ability to get a Canadian passport and the ability to have dual citizenship. Permanent residents can apply for citizenship after living in Canada for a minimum period of time. “Naturalization” is the process of obtaining citizenship. Children of naturalized citizens are automatically considered Canadian citizens, even if they are born abroad.

It is important to note that you can lose your Canadian citizenship status if it was obtained by fraud in your application process, or previously in your permanent residence application. On February 5, 2018, the IRRC changed the citizenship revocation process significantly, including giving individuals a chance to have their case heard by the Federal Court or the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Tailor Law can assist you in a stress-free Canadian citizenship application and guide you through every step of the process, including gathering all required documents and preparing a thorough submission about your situation. If you are going through the citizenship revocation process, team will also defend you in court or before the minister