Skip to main content

Choosing a Canadian Immigration Representative

Canadian Immigration lawyer - Deidre S. Powell

Dear Ms Powell,
I'm thinking of using a representative with my application for permanent residence and I'm not sure how to choose someone. I hear of a lot of scamming. how do I know who is legitimate? Can I use my lawyer who helped me when I purchased my home? Will that guarantee that my application will be successful?
J.C.
Dear J.C,
If you are looking to use a legal representative to assist you with your immigration application to Canada, you must use an approved individual or firm. Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will not accept applications from unauthorised individuals. Any person who represents or gives advice for a fee concerning immigration applications is breaking the law unless they are authorised or have an agreement with the government of Canada. Therefore, it is your duty to investigate whether or not someone is authorised to act on your behalf.
Representatives who charge a fee for their services need to be recognised by the government of Canada. IRCC only recognises certified immigration consultants, lawyers, paralegals, and notaries (Quebec) who are in good standing with their regulatory organisation. You would need to find out from your real estate lawyer if he is so authorised.
There are several ways to protect you from fraud. The simplest way to choose and immigration lawyer is to check with the governing body for lawyers to ensure that the individual is an authorised immigration lawyer. The Federation of Law Societies of Canada will have a list of all the law societies for each province. For example, for a list of lawyers in good standing in Ontario, contact the Law Society of Ontario at www.lsuc.on.ca. for Nova Scotia, contact www.nsbs.org. For a list of lawyers in Jamaica, contact the General Legal Council at www.www.generallegalcouncil.org. Be sure to check to ensure that your local lawyer is also a member of a law society in Canada, as that is a prerequisite for dealing with the Canadian government on immigration matters.
 READ CAREFULLY
It is customary for a representative to discuss their retainer fee and ask you to sign a retainer agreement or contract. Read the contract carefully, and ensure that you understand the terms and conditions before you sign it. If you do not understand the terms, do not be afraid to ask for explanations. Once you sign the agreement, it will be an indication that you understand the terms and accept them. A legitimate representative will also ask you to sign a 'use of representative form'.
Most lawyers will not ask you to leave your original documents such as your passport, birth certificate, TRN card, or driver's licence with them. It is customary for lawyers to make 'certified true copies of originals' and return originals to you.
I strongly recommend that you use a lawyer or immigration consultant to help you with your application, as they are trained to deal with immigration cases and can help you to make the process less stressful. They usually know the 'ins' and 'outs' of the ever-changing immigration system and can be particularly helpful when navigating the immigration process. They can help to ensure that the correct forms, documents, and procedures are followed. When an application is done properly, you avoid delay or the risk of your application being refused for failure to submit the correct documents within the required time period.
Additionally, when dealing with application for permanent residence, appeals, criminal inadmissibility concerns, or complex immigration cases, it is recommended that you seek legal advice and representation. 
You should also note that immigration representatives have no special connections with the Canadian government, so be careful if an individual indicates that they can guarantee you a job placement or guarantee that your application will be successful. Only the government of Canada has the authority to grant or deny a visa application.
Want to live, work  or study in Canada? Find out more, complete our free eligibility form: http://tinyurl.com/Dsplaw
Deidre S. Powell is a lawyer, mediator, and notary public who is a member of the Jamaican and Ontario, Canada, bars, with main office located in Ottawa, Ontario. Her areas of practice are in immigration, real estate, family, mediation, and administration of estates. Email: info@deidrepowell.com. Subject line: Immigration. Find her on facebook.com/jamaicanlawyer Call 613.695.8777.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can my boyfriend sponsor me

Dear Miss Powell, I am a Jamaican citizen and I live with a man who is a Canadian citizen, even though he was born in Jamaica. We have been living together for the past two and half years in Jamaica and we own a small business. We buy and sell household goods and small appliances. He usually goes to the USA and Canada to buy the stuff for the store, and I manage the store. I asked him if he could sponsor me, as I would like to go back to college to certify as a nurse. I see where that kind of job pays well. I have the subjects, and it has always been my dream. He said that he won’t be able to sponsor me since he hasn’t lived in Canada for over four years, and he doesn’t even pay taxes there anymore. Is this true that he can’t sponsor me? What information could we provide them to qualify? Looking forward to your response in The Gleaner. Thank you. JO Dear JO, Canadian citizens may be able to sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, even if they are living outside of C...
Post a Comment
Read more

Canadian Citizenship as a Wife

Dear Ms Powell, I am engaged to someone in Canada. What are the requirements to get Canadian citizenship? Do I get citizenship automatically after marrying a Canadian citizen? What if our child is born outside of Canada will our baby get citizenship as well? We just need to know these things as we plan our future together. Thank you for your time. A.C. Dear AC, Congratulations on your engagement. You will not automatically get Canadian citizenship, just by marrying someone in Canada, but there a steps to acquiring same. The critical question is what is your fiancé’s legal status in Canada? Is he a visitor, student, worker, permanent resident, or Canadian citizen? If you get married to a permanent resident or Canadian citizen, you will not automatically get Canadian citizenship. However, there are steps that you can take to acquire Canadian citizenship. Sponsorship Application A Canadian citizen or permanent resident can apply to sponsor his spouse or common law/ conjugal...
Post a Comment
Read more

Immigration Corner | Can I qualify if I work part-time?

  BOOK A ZOOM CONSULTATION Dear Mrs Powell, I follow you on Facebook and I was hoping to see a post about my situation. Since I haven’t, I am writing to ask a few questions, and hope you will answer my question in  The Gleaner . I am a chartered accountant with three years experience. My husband is 35 years old and I’m 29. My husband and I are interested in living in Canada. He is an accountant as well. We are just wondering if we would qualify seeing that I don’t have a bachelor’s degree, like my husband. I am qualified through ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). Does Canada recognise ACCA? Another issue is that I have two part-time jobs. Not a full-time job. Would that qualify me? I keep hearing that Canada has a backlog of applications. Is now a good time to apply? Please let us know if we have a chance of qualifying, as we would like to live in Canada and start a family there. CB Based on the information you provided, you could be a strong candidate unde...
Post a Comment
Read more