Find Lawyers in Canada for Immigration Law
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Immigration Law - Canada
About this Practice AreaElsa Agostinho is a member of our Business Immigration group and specializes in Canadian immigration. She is recognized for her professionalism, broad expertise and ability to respond to the changing and growing needs of enterprises operating internationally. Since 1997, Elsa has practiced exclusively in the field of professional mobility, work permits and global immigration. Elsa’s clients primarily include SMEs and multinational companies based in Canada and internationally. She advis...
Lainie Michelle practices exclusively in the area of immigration law. She advises her client on all matters relating to Canadian immigration law and U.S. consular and port of entry matters. Her clients include executives, individuals, entertainers and athletes, as well as institutions, multinational organizations, entrepreneurial and privately or family-held businesses. Lainie Michelle advises clients with respect to obtaining work permits for business and professional opportunities. Addition...
Chantal Arsenault has been practising in immigration and professional mobility since 1995. She provides advice on immigration issues to small and medium-sized companies as well as international corporations. Clients span a range of industries, including technology, entertainment, sports, food service and manufacturing. Ms. Arsenault also represents individuals who wish to become permanent residents in Canada in order to live, work and/or join a family member.
Melissa is recognized as a Certified Specialist in the area of Citizenship and Immigration Law by the Law Society of Ontario. She practices Canadian and U.S. Immigration Law, with a focus on corporate and family immigration. Over the span of her career, Melissa has acquired a unique combination of experience that spans all areas of Canadian Immigration law. As a trusted advisor to Canadian employers and multinational companies, Melissa has provided strategic immigration planning advice for al...
Suzanne Bailey is an experienced business immigration lawyer working with Blaney McMurtry LLP for over 30 years. Suzanne’s business immigration practice focuses primarily on obtaining work permits for temporary foreign workers and permanent resident visas under federal and provincial nominee programs. Suzanne has an active global corporate immigration practice. She provides services in many diverse areas, including: Intra-company transfer work permits NAFTA Professional work permits Rec...
Michael Battista LL.B. (Queen’s) B.A. (Toronto) was called to the Ontario bar in 1992 and has been practicing immigration and refugee law exclusively since that time. He is certified as a specialist in Citizenship and Immigration law (Immigration and Refugee Protection) by the Law Society of Ontario. His legal practice involves representation of clients in all areas of immigration and refugee law with a particular focus on immigration issues for the LGBTQ community, academics, and inadm...
Mario D. Bellissimo is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School and a founding associate of Bellissimo Law Group. Mr. Bellissimo is a Certified Specialist in Citizenship and Immigration Law and Refugee Protection. His practice is focused primarily on litigation with an emphasis on immigration inadmissibility. Mr. Bellissimo has appeared before all levels of immigration tribunals and courts including the Supreme Court of Canada. Mr. Bellissimo acts on a pro bono basis as National Immigration Law ...
Renowned as one of the best business immigration lawyer in Canada, Jean-Philippe has earned national recognition thanks to more than 20 years of experience in this field of practice. For over 15 years, Jean-Philippe also led the national immigration practice as a Partner with a top-tier international law firm. Jean-Philippe is now the managing partner and one of the founders of the Montreal based immigration law firm Galileo Partners since 2016. Known for his high-end service and turnkey solu...
Barbara Jo (BJ) is the founder of Corporate Immigration Law Firm Professional Corporation. She has practiced immigration law for over twenty-five years and is a Certified Specialist in Immigration and Citizenship Law by the Law Society of Ontario. Prior to founding the firm she was a partner at a national law firm in Toronto. Her early professional experience includes working as a Canadian Customs Officer at Pearson International Airport in Toronto. Barbara Jo is a sought-after expert on Cana...
Henry J. Chang is a partner in the firm’s Employment and Labor Group. He currently practices in the areas of Canadian and United States business immigration law, international business law, and cannabis law. Henry obtained his JD from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1990. He was admitted to the practice of law in the State of California and the Province of Ontario in 1992. A recognized authority in the field of United States and Canadian business immigration law, Henry writes and speaks exte...
Audrey Anne is one of the most promising young immigration lawyers in the country. Audrey Anne completed her articling at a top-tier international law firm, Norton Rose Fullbright, where she gained experience in business immigration and international mobility. Once called to the Quebec Bar, Audrey Anne began a dual practice in immigration and labour and employment before ultimately specializing solely in business immigration and international mobility. She has since authored several Yvon Blai...
Sarah has significant experience advising individuals, small-medium businesses and multinational corporations on admission to Canada, work authorization, employer compliance, study permits, permanent residence and citizenship matters. Prior to joining CILF, she worked at a well-known immigration boutique and at an international law firm. As an immigrant herself Sarah has first-hand experience with the process, which informs her practice. Sarah is a past Chair of the Ontario Bar Association&rs...
Joel has been practising immigration law for 40 years. He is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Immigration and Citizenship Law. Prior to joining the firm he was a founding partner of a boutique immigration law firm in Toronto as well as Chair of the Immigration practice of one of the Big Four accounting firms . Joel has been listed as one of the leading immigration lawyers in Canada for 20 years running by the “International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers,&...
Kyle joined McCrea Immigration Law in 2000 after articling at a civil litigation boutique. He is consistently rated as one of Canada's best immigration lawyers, with a reputation for providing razor-sharp advice on immigration strategy to individuals and all sizes of businesses. Kyle took a break from his practice in 2012 to write an award-winning master's thesis on the immigration law-making process, complete a consulting contract with the world's largest law firm and ride his bicycle across...
Kenneth Ing is the principal of Kenneth Ing Law Corporation. Fluent in both English and Cantonese, Mr. Ing deals exclusively with business immigration and real estate matters involving international and domestic interests in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as Hong Kong and throughout the Asia Pacific Region. He has been a guest lecturer for the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia on many occasions and has also lectured for the International Bar Ass...
Betsy Kane has practised Canadian citizenship and immigration law exclusively since 1994. Betsy's practice focuses is on corporate immigration legal services. In 2009, Betsy Kane was certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a specialist in citizenship and immigration law. Betsy has volunteered with the Canadian Bar Association, National Immigration Section Executive Committee over the course of her career. She has served as a Member-at-Large and Stakeholder Relations Liaison and worked to h...
Sergio R. Karas, B.A., J.D.. , is a Canadian lawyer (Barrister and Solicitor) Certified Specialist in Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Law by the Law Society of Ontario and internationally recognized expert in Canadian immigration law. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mr. Karas has helped hundreds of people successfully establish themselves in Canada. He has been involved with many widely reported, high profile cases. He represents individuals and multinational corporations to achieve the...
Vance Langford is a Calgary-based business lawyer and Managing Partner of Langford Law. Vance has over 20 years' experience working with clients to structure businesses, complete financings and transactions and resolve disputes with support from counsel for securities, tax and litigation matters. Vance’s practice includes negotiating and documenting acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations and other complex business transactions, particularly involving multiple jurisdictions and comp...
As the lead partner of BCF’s Global Mobility group, Julie Lessard heads one of the largest teams of business immigration professionals in Canada. She has over 20 years of experience in this complex field. She advises both multinationals and small- and medium-sized businesses on how to attract top global talent be it to innovate, to benefit from a global knowledge or to meet specialized workforce needs. Julie develops immigration and/or global mobility strategies for several Fortune 500 ...
Stephanie leads our Quebec immigration practice. She is focused on US and Canadian corporate immigration matters while taking into account any Quebec-specific matter that arises. Stephanie has a multidisciplinary background. Her complimentary experience, skill-set and qualifications in both US and Canadian immigration law combine to effectively support multinational corporations in achieving their critical objectives. She brings diverse perspectives to find innovative and practical solutions ...
Bill MacGregor is a partner in the firm’s Waterloo Region office and the leader of the firm’s Immigration National Practice Group. His practice emphasizes corporate immigration and the cross-border movement of personnel. Bill also provides advice in relation to hiring and employing foreign nationals in Canada. Bill brings years of experience advising clients on all aspects of corporate immigration. He regularly assists employers with international transfers; obtaining work permits...
Background Darren McGuire is a partner in our Montréal office and National Leader of our Maritime Law Group and Regional Leader of our Business Immigration Group. Admitted to the Québec Bar in 1992, Darren obtained his Civil Law and Common Law degrees from McGill University. He also holds a Master of Business Administration Degree (M.B.A.) (Concordia University - 1991) as well as a Bachelor of Arts, Major in Economics (with Distinction) (McGill University - 1986). Areas of Pract...
Sofia is a cross border/immigration lawyer and partner with Fillmore Riley LLP who practises in the areas of cross-border and business/personal immigration law, including work & study permits, LMIAs, criminal inadmissibility, permanent residence (including spousal sponsorships, provincial nominee & express entry applications, etc.) as well as a focus on international professional athletes, coaches and consultants in the sports industry in Canada.
The same qualities that allowed Ryan to excel in his previous career as a fly fishing guide have come in handy as an immigration lawyer: focus, persistence, knowledge and a natural ability to guide his clients with clarity. Ryan joined the partnership at McCrea in 2020 after more than 15 years leading the immigration practice group of a leading regional firm. In addition to his practice in Vancouver, he maintains strong connections to the Kelowna area and advises a number of Okanagan-based co...
Mr. Ormston is a long time associate and his experience in Canadian Immigration dates back more than forty years to when he began working with Citizenship and Immigration Canada. He worked at progressively more responsible positions in Immigration including Appeals officer, Adjudicator and management until returning to Law School. Since 1980 he has represented and helped thousands of persons in Canada at hearings, detention reviews, refugee board proceedings, and Appeal Division proceedings a...
Catherine Sas, Q.C. is a Partner in the Immigration group. With over 20 years of experience, she provides a full range of immigration services and has been recognized as a leading immigration practitioner by Lexpert, Who's Who Legal, and Best Lawyers in Canada. An active member of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), Catherine is a past chair of both the B.C. Immigration Law Section and the National Immigration Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association. She has participated in continuing leg...
Marina Sedai is a Past National Chair of the Canadian Bar Association Immigration Section (2018-2019). Marina has been practising exclusively immigration and citizenship law since being called to the bar in 2005. Her clients are large and small employers, business persons, families, and individual workers, students, and visitors, and she represents them on a wide range of immigration and citizenship applications, including: Business Immigration: employer compliance, Temporary Foreign Worker P...
Heather has been practising for over twenty years in North American immigration law. She is practices in the corporate arena, handling individuals and small businesses as well as multinational corporations alike. She was a director on the American Immigration Lawyers Association for 10 years. Heather speaks regularly to bar associations, international conferences and to companies in Canada and throughout the world. She is a strategist and problem solver who expeditiously finds creative soluti...
Zool Suleman, QC, the founder of Suleman & Co., is a graduate of Dalhousie Law School (1989) and served as a Law Clerk at the Federal Court of Canada (Appeal Division) in 1990-91. He articled with a national law firm before establishing his own firm (1992). Mr. Suleman is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia, the Canadian Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He has extensive experience in Canadian immigration law matters and restricts his practice to this area of ...
Clara Berké exclusively practises immigration law, more specifically in connection with the international mobility of workers and business professionals. Clara is attentive to businesses and their needs. Accordingly, she assists clients undergoing a restructuring or seeking to offset labour shortages by coming up with creative, strategic solutions that target the international mobility of senior executives and skilled workers. She also advises clients on compliance issues related to in...
Mabel is a member of the Immigration group in our Toronto office. Mabel’s practice focuses on Canadian business immigration matters and compliance, including temporary resident visas, work permits, Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), permanent residence applications, provincial nominations, citizenship applications, admissibility matters, and compliance audits. Mabel provides strategic immigration services to Canadian and foreign based businesses on a variety of issues related to ...
Immigration Law Definition
Immigration lawyers work with corporations and other employers to help clients understand the legal steps that must first be followed before bringing key employees to work in Canada. They can assist with the immigration documents required and they can identify how immigration law might affect their business dealings.
Immigration lawyers identify the reasons why a foreign national may not be permitted entry to Canada and advise on eligibility, and where applicable, options to overcome these challenges (e.g. criminal inadmissibility issues). Immigration lawyers assist their clients who require skilled employees to address labour shortages in Canada with the requisite government filings and advise on strategies to assist clients’ employees in maintaining legal status in Canada.
Immigration lawyers also work with individuals to help them understand the steps required to sponsor a loved one, whether they are eligible for permanent residence status in Canada (an area of law that changes frequently), which tests immigration officers use to assess whether an individual may be granted entry to Canada, as well as a variety of other immigration and cross-border related matters. An immigration lawyer can also advise clients on the process of obtaining permanent residence, work permits, study permits, and reuniting family once eligibility has been assessed.
Experienced immigration lawyers have built relationships with applicable government departments in the immigration or cross-border process, including with Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada, Service Canada, Provincial Departments, and the Canada Border Services Agency.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
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