The Start-Up Intra-Company Transfer work permit allows multinational companies to apply for a work permit for the intended employees of a new Canadian venture. Generally, a senior manager comes to Canada first, followed by as many specialized and technical staff as is required to run the operation.

• The Federal Skilled Trades Program is managed through the Express Entry system. It allows skilled tradespeople with offers or employment or with recognized skills to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
• Various Provincial Nominee Programs also have dedicated streams for Skilled Trades people. Ontario is focussing on this part of the workforce in their current Provincial Nominee lineup.

Entrepreneurs and Self-Employed applicants have options in Canada, if they are looking to build a business that will employ Canadians. These applications require custom strategies to support the success of the Entrepreneur and his/her family in Canada.

The Start-Up Visa Program requires an investment from a Designated Organization. It is intended to support start-up ventures in Canada with angel, venture capital or other seed money.

Family Class Applications (spouse/common-law partner, dependent children and parents) including humanitarian applications

The Family Class is a critical part of Canada’s immigration portfolio. This category is broad and includes sponsorship applications for a spouse (common-law, conjugal or married) or the same or opposite sex, dependent children, parents and siblings, and numerous other combinations where there are good grounds to support an application. Also critical are the discretionary Humanitarian and Compassionate applications that allow individuals who don’t fit squarely within an established category to apply for permanent resident status in Canada.

The Super Visa allows the parents and grandparents of permanent residents and Canadian citizens to apply for long-term temporary status in Canada. Often filed in connection with a sponsorship application, parents with Super Visas can stay in Canada up to two years at a time over a ten year period.

• The Caregiver Programs have changed recently. It is critical for caregivers and their employers to understand the new programs to support temporary status and permanent resident status. The Live-In-Caregiver Program is gone, and most programs now require determining eligibility for permanent residence before a work permit is issued.
• The Ontario Provincial Nominee Program also has options for Home Support Workers, which can be of assistance to larger employers in the province.

Permanent Residents of Canada are required to travel with valid PR Cards (Maple Leaf Cards) when entering Canada. These cards need to be extended well in advance of travel. Spotty travel records, or in some cases extended absences can make this process challenging. There are strategies that we can help with both to plan ahead for the next renewal and also to deal with issues as they arise while preparing these applications.

Citizenship Applications, including recognition of citizenship, adoptions and other complex matters

Permanent Resident status never expires. However, it can be lost or taken away if a permanent resident does not meet his/her residency and other obligations. There are options for loss of residency cases, and we can help with filing the correct application, negotiating on your behalf, and litigating if needed.