August 2024

I was on vacation last week. For the fourth consecutive summer, I spent a week on a catamaran with my best friend and her father, the spriest 86-year-old I’ve ever met. I am originally from northern Ontario, and returning to that part of Canada feeds my soul in ways no other vacation could.

July 2024

I am not well-travelled, which might seem surprising for an immigration lawyer. I spent a month in Russia with a group from McMaster University, where I was an undergraduate student. We had lectures in the morning and then toured the city in the afternoons with students from the University of Moscow. It was the longest time I’ve ever spent outside Canada and the furthest I’ve ever gone from home. Outside of trips to the USA, I’ve only otherwise been to countries in the Caribbean.

June 2024

For the spouses and partners of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, recent improvements to processing times of family sponsorship applications are welcomed. Processing times for both the Family Class and the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class are currently ten months for the majority of applications. However, ten months is still a very long time for newlyweds to be reunited

April 2024

This month’s newsletter is guest-authored by Moria Konecnik, our Immigration Case Manager.

On November 1, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced that the federal government intends to maintain its target of admitting 500,000 new permanent residents in 2026. In 2023, Canada welcomed 471,550 new permanent residents – all seeking the promising allure of the “Canadian Dream.”

Despite Canada's open arms to a large number of immigrants, a staggering 17.5% of them emigrate within 20 years in what is known as ‘reverse migration.’ This raises a pressing question – why? While various factors are at play, the issue of affordability stands out as a significant challenge for many immigrants.