However, what if you never intended to misrepresent your case or did not even know that you have misrepresented something? This is just one of the issues that I have discussed with Rekha McNutt in today’s episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast where we touched on the various aspects of appealing the removal of PRs for misrepresentation.

Rekha practices primarily in immigration law.  She has extensive experience with temporary resident visas, express entry, federal skilled workers, Canadian experience class, Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, family class sponsorships, refugee claims, pre-removal risk assessments, and in-Canada humanitarian and compassionate permanent residence applications.

Rekha has focused much of her practice on Federal Court Judicial Review applications of various types of negative immigration-related decisions.

Rekha had appeared before the Alberta Provincial Court and the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta.  She has also appeared extensively before the Federal Court of Canada and Immigration Tribunals such as the Immigration Division, Refugee Protection Division, and the Immigration Appeal Division.

Rekha is the past-Chair (2015-2016 & 2016-2017) of the Southern Alberta Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, Immigration Section.

In this episode Rekha and I had an awesome and engaging conversation about misrepresentation and the consequences of such wrongdoings. It is surprising that there are so many ways how almost anyone can become a victim of their own carelessness, lack of understanding of the immigration processes or even reports filed by their close circle of friends or relatives. Rekha gave a full explanation of what misrepresentation really is and how serious and challenging the consequences may get if IRCC believes there was a misrep. Additionally, in this episode we discussed the following:

• what is the misrepresentation;
• examples of Innocent Misrepresentation;
• misrepresentation on inadmissibility vs. misrepresentation on eligibility;
• different ways IRCC finds out about cases of misrep;
• fairness letter and Section 44 reports;
• the process of removal of permanent residents for misrepresentation;
• different ways to fight your case if Immigration Division issues a removal order.

Sponsor:

• Canadian Immigration Institute – Founded by Immigration Lawyer Mark Holthe 

Affiliate Program:

• Click on this link to become an affiliate of the Canadian Immigration Institute: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/become-an-affiliate
  • OR,  go to the Canadian Immigration Institute main page and scroll down to the very bottom and click on “Affiliate”.
  • Earn 30% when someone purchases via your affiliate link

• Additional Resources:

  • Rekha’s firm: http://www.caronpartners.com/
  • How to contact Rekha: RMcNutt@caronpartners.com 
  • Canadian Immigration Institute: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/

Topics for our Next Podcast

If you have a suggestion for topics we could cover in the Podcast, please drop me a line at mholthe@holthelaw.com. If you know of anyone that would be interested in coming on the Podcast as a guest, please send them my way. share on facebook, share on twitter, share on LinkedIn

Binge on all of our Canadian Immigration Podcast Episodes!

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Subscribe to the Canadian Immigration Podcast on iTunes and Spotify

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.

If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show. Share the Love

We also encourage you to subscribe to our Canadian Immigration Podcast on Spotify.

Rekha practices primarily in immigration law.  She has extensive experience with temporary resident visas, express entry, federal skilled workers, Canadian experience class, Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, family class sponsorships, refugee claims, pre-removal risk assessments, and in-Canada humanitarian and compassionate permanent residence applications.

Rekha has focused much of her practice on Federal Court Judicial Review applications of various types of negative immigration-related decisions.

Rekha had appeared before the Alberta Provincial Court and the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta.  She has also appeared extensively before the Federal Court of Canada and Immigration Tribunals such as the Immigration Division, Refugee Protection Division, and the Immigration Appeal Division.

Rekha is the past-Chair (2015-2016 & 2016-2017) of the Southern Alberta Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, Immigration Section.

In this episode Rekha and I had a very interesting discussion on challenging removal of PRs from Canada based on criminality. Rekha shared insights and demystified what happens to a PR charged with a criminal offense and how this fact is treated both within criminal as well as immigration system. Additionally, in this episode we discussed the following:

• consequences for a PR when charged with a criminal offense;
• types of criminal charges and difference between serious and regular criminality;
• options for appealing removal order;
• practical aspects of representing a client in appealing removal orders.

Sponsor:

• Canadian Immigration Institute – Founded by Immigration Lawyer Mark Holthe 

Affiliate Program:

• Click on this link to become an affiliate of the Canadian Immigration Institute: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/become-an-affiliate
  • OR,  go to the Canadian Immigration Institute main page and scroll down to the very bottom and click on “Affiliate”.
  • Earn 30% when someone purchases via your affiliate link

• Additional Resources:

  • Rekha’s firm: http://www.caronpartners.com/
  • How to contact Rekha: RMcNutt@caronpartners.com 
  • Canadian Immigration Institute: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

Topics for our Next Podcast

Binge on all of our Canadian Immigration Podcast Episodes!

If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all the episodes here.

Subscribe to the Canadian Immigration Podcast on iTunes and Spotify

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.

If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show. Share the Love

We also encourage you to subscribe to our Canadian Immigration Podcast on Spotify.

Rekha practices primarily in immigration law.  She has extensive experience with temporary resident visas, express entry, federal skilled workers, Canadian experience class, Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, family class sponsorships, refugee claims, pre-removal risk assessments, and in-Canada humanitarian and compassionate permanent residence applications.

Rekha has focused much of her practice on Federal Court Judicial Review applications of various types of negative immigration-related decisions.

Rekha had appeared before the Alberta Provincial Court and the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta.  She has also appeared extensively before the Federal Court of Canada and Immigration Tribunals such as the Immigration Division, Refugee Protection Division, and the Immigration Appeal Division.

Rekha is the past-Chair (2015-2016 & 2016-2017) of the Southern Alberta Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, Immigration Section.

In this episode Rekha and I had a very engaging discussion of all sorts of issues related to challenging Removal Orders and answered some of the most common questions about residency requirement for Canadian Permanent Residents:

• How can you lose your PR status in Canada?
• How much time do you have to stay in Canada to maintain your PR Status?
• Can a Canadian PR be turned away at the border for not meeting the residency requirement?
• How much time you have for appealing your Removal Order?
• Does the process of filing an appeal to IAD differ for in-Canada and outside of Canada appellants?
• Are there any exceptions to the residency requirement?
• What does a hearing at Immigration Appeals Division look like?
• How can you justify your absence in Canada?

Sponsor:

• Canadian Immigration Institute – Founded by Immigration Lawyer Mark Holthe 

Affiliate Program:

• Click on this link to become an affiliate of the Canadian Immigration Institute: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/become-an-affiliate
  • OR,  go to the Canadian Immigration Institute main page and scroll down to the very bottom and click on “Affiliate”.
  • Earn 30% when someone purchases via your affiliate link

• Additional Resources:

  • Rekha’s firm: http://www.caronpartners.com/
  • How to contact Rekha: RMcNutt@caronpartners.com 
  • Canadian Immigration Institute: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

Topics for our Next Podcast

Binge on all of our Canadian Immigration Podcast Episodes!

If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all the episodes here.

Subscribe to the Canadian Immigration Podcast on iTunes and Spotify

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.

If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show. Share the Love

We also encourage you to subscribe to our Canadian Immigration Podcast on Spotify.

Anyone dealing with a Canadian Border Services Officer understands right away that they carry considerable power and authority over who is granted entry to Canada and who is not. In this episode Canadian Immigration Lawyer, Arghavan Gerami joins me to discuss some challenges that currently exist within the Canada Border Services Agency and attempt to offer some solutions on how things can improve.

In this episode we will pull back the curtain on the inner workings of the CBSA. We discuss whether the approaches taken by the CBSA during COVID-19 are consistent with the principles of Open Government heralded by the Liberal government in their election platforms.  We also discussed the lack of transparency demonstrated bt the CBSA and whether the approach they take is consistent with the rule of law, a foundational pillar of our society.

There has been a significant lack of responsiveness by the CBSA to any attempts at dialogue in understanding the rationale for their decisions in turning people away at the border during COVID-19. Understanding the legal basis for these decisions formulates a critical component in the advice we provide to our clients as immigration lawyers. Lately, we have been left with far more questions than we have answers.

In a pandemic, people need even more transparency and clarity when it comes to the implementation of new policies and procedures. This lack of transparency can be seen most acutely in how the CBSA has been interpreting what is considered to be a “non-essential” purpose in the context of Canada’s travel restrictions. This episode was created in an attempt to encourage greater transparency with the CBSA. We hope you like it.

Arghavan Gerami Bio:

Arghavan Gerami is the Founder and Senior Counsel at Gerami Law Professional Corporation (‘PC’), a full-service immigration law firm in Ottawa, Ontario.  She completed her Juris Doctor and Master of Laws at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2007.

Ms. Gerami worked at the Ministry of Attorney General and the Department of Justice before transitioning to private practice in 2011. She also had the privilege of serving the Honourable Mr. Justice M. Evans at the Federal Court of Appeal.

Since founding Gerami Law PC in 2011 Ms. Gerami has focused her practice on immigration and refugee litigation and represented numerous clients before the Federal and provincial Courts, as well as the various divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board.

Ms. Gerami is an Executive Member on the Immigration Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association.  In 2017 and 2018 Ms. Gerami also served on the Organizing Committee of the annual CBA Immigration Law Conference.  She has been interviewed on national and local television and quoted in national and local newspapers such as The Globe and Mail, National Post and the Ottawa Citizen.  Ms. Gerami has also published numerous journal articles, presented at immigration and refugee law conferences and events across Canada, and provided guest lectures at the University of Ottawa.

As a Supervising Principal to articling students, Ms. Gerami enjoys facilitating the career development of law students and young lawyers. She also enjoys traveling as well as spending time with her two children, husband and Bambi (her dog).

Sponsor:

None of this would be possible if it were not for my Canadian Immigration Institute. My DIY courses earn me sufficient revenue to continue pushing out great free content on Canadian Immigration.

• Canadian Immigration Institute – Founded by Immigration Lawyer Mark Holthe 

Affiliate Program:

• Click on this link to become an affiliate of the Canadian Immigration Institute: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/become-an-affiliate
  • OR,  go to the Canadian Immigration Institute main page and scroll down to the very bottom and click on “Affiliate”.
  • Earn 30% when someone purchases via your affiliate link

[Tweet “Is the CBSA above the Law?”]

• Additional Resources:

  • Arghavan’s law firm: https://www.geramilaw.com/
  • Arghavan’s contact info: https://www.geramilaw.com/contact.html

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

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Binge on all of our Canadian Immigration Podcast Episodes!

If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all the episodes here.

Subscribe to the Canadian Immigration Podcast

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.

If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show. Share the Love

Getting your immigration application refused sucks! Fortunately, you don’t simply have to accept the rejection and live with it. In this episode Rekha McNutt joins me in our first episode of our Special Series on Immigration Hearings and Appeals to pull back the curtain on Sponsorship Appeals at the Immigration Appeal Division.

Rekha practices primarily in immigration law.  She has extensive experience with temporary resident visas, express entry, federal skilled workers, Canadian experience class, Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, family class sponsorships, refugee claims, pre-removal risk assessments, and in-Canada humanitarian and compassionate permanent residence applications.

Rekha has focused much of her practice on Federal Court Judicial Review applications of various types of negative immigration-related decisions.

Rekha had appeared before the Alberta Provincial Court and the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta.  She has also appeared extensively before the Federal Court of Canada and Immigration Tribunals such as the Immigration Division, Refugee Protection Division, and the Immigration Appeal Division.

Rekha is the past-Chair (2015-2016 & 2016-2017) of the Southern Alberta Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, Immigration Section.

In this episode Rekha and I covered the following areas:

• what to do first when the rejection letter comes;
• step by step process flow of a sponsorship appeal;
• practical examples of how spousal and parental sponsorships can go wrong;
• pros and cons of the ADR process;
• how to work with interpreters;
• choosing you witnesses;
• top tips and strategies for running a successful appeal; and
• a host of other amazing insight from a seasoned litigator.

Sponsor:

• Canadian Immigration Institute – Founded by Immigration Lawyer Mark Holthe 

Affiliate Program:

• Click on this link to become an affiliate of the Canadian Immigration Institute: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/become-an-affiliate
  • OR,  go to the Canadian Immigration Institute main page and scroll down to the very bottom and click on “Affiliate”.
  • Earn 30% when someone purchases via your affiliate link

[Tweet “Windmill Microlending…an amazing company.”]

• Additional Resources:

  • Rekha’s firm: http://www.caronpartners.com/
  • How to contact Rekha: RMcNutt@caronpartners.com 
  • Canadian Immigration Institute: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

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Binge on all of our Canadian Immigration Podcast Episodes!

If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all the episodes here.

Subscribe to the Canadian Immigration Podcast

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.

If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show. Share the Love

One of the most heartbreaking realities of practicing Canadian immigration law is the fact that not all applications submitted will get approved.There is nothing worse than having to inform a client that their application was rejected. Inevitably, the first question a client asks after being told about the refusal, is how can we appeal that refusal.

Well, in this special series I will be releasing over the next couple of months, my good friend and colleague Rekha McNutt will join me to explore all of the ins and outs of the Canadian immigration appeal process and what happens in these hearings. Whether you are an immigration lawyer, consultant, or recently rejected applicant, this series is for you.

This special series on immigration appeals came about when Rekha and I realized that it was really difficult to try to limit the scope of this topic to just one episode. As we discussed the possible areas of immigration appeal, it became readily apparent that a special series on immigration appeals would be far more useful to the immigration practitioner and their clients than a high level discussion at the 10,000 foot level.

After all, this Podcast was designed to be very practical in nature and filled with numerous take aways that we and our clients could use in navigating our way through this complex area of immigration law, policy, and practice. I’ll leave the 10,000 foot level for my good friends, Peter, Steven, and Deanna over at the Borderlines Podcast….which is one I highly recommend you check out.

So after discussing the possible ways in which we could structure this series, we settled on breaking things down by division first and then type of appeal within each division. Here are the general topics you can expect in the coming weeks and months:

1. Immigration Division – detention reviews and admissibility
2. Immigration Appeal Division – spousal and parental sponsorship, removal order appeals
3. Refugee Protection Division – refugee claims
4. Refugee Appeal Division – refugee appeals
5. Special Episode – s.117(9)(d) refusals

I think you are going to absolutely love this series whether you are a new practicing lawyer, a seasoned practitioner, or an everyday applicant staring at a refusal letter and wondering where to turn now.

Sponsor:

• Canadian Immigration Institute – Founded by Immigration Lawyer Mark Holthe 

Affiliate Program:

• Click on this link to become an affiliate of the Canadian Immigration Institute: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/become-an-affiliate
  • OR,  go to the Canadian Immigration Institute main page and scroll down to the very bottom and click on “Affiliate”.
  • Earn 30% when someone purchases via your affiliate link

[Tweet “Everything you wanted to know about immigration appeals“]

Additional Resources:

• Rekha McNutt Bio: http://www.caronpartners.com/rekha-p-mcnutt
• Rekha’s Firm Website: http://www.caronpartners.com/
• Canadian Immigration Institute: https://canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

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Binge on all of our Canadian Immigration Podcast Episodes!

If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all the episodes here.

Subscribe to the Canadian Immigration Podcast

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.

If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show. Share the Love

What do I do when my Canadian immigration application has been refused? This is the question I get more than any other as an immigration lawyer. Well, after much contemplation, I decided I would answer this question once and for all by inviting one of the most well respected immigration lawyers in Canada, Richard Kurland, to join me on this Episode.

Whether you are a Canadian immigration lawyer, consultant or foreign national, this episode will reveal to you some of the best options available for challenging an immigration refusal….and a few unique suggestions offered by Richard Kurland that you likely never even considered.

As a kick off to Season 2 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast I pulled out all the stops to get one of the most well respected and skilled immigration lawyers in Canada to join me as we tackle the painful issue of how best to deal with the refusal of a Canadian immigration application.
Richard is one of the foremost immigration policy analysts, lawyers and a go to resource for media, government, and pretty much all of us when it comes to Canadian immigration law.

As one of the highest ranking Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requesters, he is most often recognized for his efforts in “keeping Ottawa honest.” As the Editor-in-Chief of Lexbase, a monthly publication providing current immigration policy and practice information, he has made a business out of ensuring transparency within the immigration department. If you have not yet subscribed to his monthly Lexbase publications, you should not be practicing immigration law!

In this Episode, rather than focusing on immigration at a 10,000 foot level, Richard flipped the focus upside down and took the time to share some unbelievably valuable insight on how to deal with the sometimes devastating effects of a visa refusal.

In our interview, Richard covered the following strategies:

1. Start with a consultation with an immigration lawyer to discuss what may have been missing from the original application.
2. Consider refiling or requesting reconsideration of the original application.
3. Seek help from the local Member of Parliament of Senator.
4. Don’t overlook the importance of a Judicial Review in Federal Court.
5. If in Canada, can you restore status?
6. Go to the media!

[Tweet “What to do when your Canadian visa application is rejected“]

Additional Resources:

• The best way to reach Richard Kurland: lexbase@canimmigrate.com
• Richard’s firm Kurland Tobe: http://www.canimmigrate.com/
• How to subscribe to Lexbase: http://www.canimmigrate.com/index.php?p=1_8_Lexbase
• My most popular blog post: “What to do when your Canadian Visa Application is Rejected“
• Excerpt from Richard’s appearance before the House Standing Committee on Immigration December 13, 2016

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

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Read the Transcript

You can read additional notes for this episode, [spoiler]

CIP Show Notes: Season 2 – Episode 1

Richard Kurland – Policy Analyst and Lawyer

Today I am here with Canadian immigration lawyer Richard Kurland who will be addressing one of the most common enquiries I get on a daily basis, and likely many other immigration lawyers as well

“What to do when you Canadian Immigration Application is refused.”

Welcome to the Podcast Richard.

Introduction of Richard.

Question: How did you get into Immigration?

Today we are going to discuss the options that are available to someone who has had their Canadian immigration application refused.

Question: you have a client who comes into your office and tells you that their immigration application has been refused? Can you share with us the steps you follow to find a solution for these individuals.

1. Consult

2. Reconsideration

3. Re-apply

4. Federal Court… worth it or not?

5. MP

6. Media

How Can you be reached if people who would like to retain you to help them with any immigration matter?

Richard’s contact: lexbase@canimmigrate.com 

Thank you so much for joining us.

[/spoiler]

Binge on all of our Canadian Immigration Podcast Episodes!

If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all the episodes here.

Ask Mark an Immigration Question

Periodically I answer listener questions on my podcast. If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, you can do so by clicking here. We’d love to hear from you. You can also leave me a voice message on the Ask an Immigration Question widget on the side bar of this website.

Subscribe to the Canadian Immigration Podcast

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.

If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show. Share the Love

If you are getting ready to file a Humanitarian and Compassionate application STOP! ……..DO NOT SUBMIT THE APPLICATION! Before you do … listen to what Immigration Lawyer Jean Munn shared with me in this fantastic episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast. I had a ton of respect for Jean before our interview; however, after listening to the amazing insight and strategies Jean so openly shared with me, that respect has skyrocketed into the stratosphere.

If there is one episode you absolutely can not afford to miss, it is this one. Every lawyer, consultant, or foreign national will increase their chance of getting an H&C approved by listening and applying what Jean shared with me in this episode.

This was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had interviewing a guest for the podcast. It just blows me away how much helpful information and useful content Jean provided. The information she shared would be easily classified as “trade secret” insights that lawyers just don’t share….yet she did….and so freely and openly. It is easy to see why Jean has been recognized in Alberta for her outstanding service to the profession and her community with the designation of Queen’s Counsel.

Jean Munn practices immigration law with the law firm of Caron and Partners in Calgary, Alberta. She is fluent in Spanish. In fact, 50% of her case load comes from working with Spanish speaking clients. She is truly one of the leaders in our field and a wonderful advocate for disenfranchised foreign nationals who are on the verge of giving up hope that they will ever be able to realize their dream of remaining in Canada permanently.

Jean represents not only individuals, but a number of municipalities, corporations, non-profit agencies, boards, and community organizations. Jean has appeared before all levels of Court in Alberta and before the Federal Court of Canada, Federal court of Appeal, and the Immigration and Refugee Board. She is presently serving as a Member of the Alberta Human Rights Commission.

In this episode, Jean and I covered the following topics related to humanitarian and compassionate applications.

1. Background information on H&C applications.
2. Who is eligible and who is not eligible to apply – the typical scenario.
3. What factors are taken into consideration and what factors cannot be considered.
4. How to apply – including best practices.
5. How to make the strongest application possible.
6. Processing procedure.
7. A ton of other tips and strategies essential for getting an H&C approved.

[Tweet “Humanitarian and Compassionate applications – when all else fails!“]

Additional Resources:

• Jean Munn’s Contact Information: http://www.caronpartners.com/d-jean-munn/
  • e-mail: jmunn@caronpartners.com
• Jean’s List of Highly Recommended Psychologists in Calgary:
  • Dr. Beverley Frizzell: bev.f@telus.net
  • Dr. Hap Davis: hapdavis@gmail.com
  • Gabriela Valenzuela (for Best Interest of the Child): impactps@shaw.ca

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

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Binge on all of our Canadian Immigration Podcast Episodes!

If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all the episodes here.

Ask Mark an Immigration Question

Periodically I answer listener questions on my podcast. If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, you can do so by clicking here. We’d love to hear from you. You can also leave me a voice message on the Ask an Immigration Question widget on the side bar of this website.

Subscribe to the Canadian Immigration Podcast

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.

If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show. Share the Love

At times foreign nationals face injustices within the immigration system that simply cry out for redress. When all hope seems lost, courageous immigration lawyers, such as Shirish Chotalia, step in when no one else can. In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Shirish shares some amazing stories and even better insight into the world of immigration advocacy….and even better yet, she has inspired me (and hopefully will inspire you as well) to consider taking on difficult immigration cases where the, at times, cruel nature of Canadian immigration law and policy rears its ugly head.

I think any immigration lawyer today would admit that the practice of immigration law has become increasingly difficult with each day that passes. Although discretion is built into the immigration act and regulations, the excercise of that discretion tends to be far more negative than positive in the context of immigration applications. I am seeing more and more clients come to my office with heart wrenching stories of having their applications denied for the slightest of error when a simple request from an officer to correct an unintended oversight could easily be made.  Errors such as these and other innocent mistakes can destroy someone’s chances of becoming a permanent resident in Canada.

In this episode, I had the opportunity to interview one of the truly special lawyers out there. Someone who has devoted her life to defending the vulnerable and championing the cause of people caught in the, sometimes, application of immigration law in Canada. Shirish Chotalia is one of those lawyers that has had a truly positive impact on the tapestry of immigration and human rights in Canada.

Shirish’s resume is full of cases and accolades too numerous to list. So rather than trying to summarize, I will simply tell you to read it yourself by clicking on this link: chotalia-resume-october-2016.

I consider it a distinct pleasure to have had the opportunity to become inspired by her. In fact, the thing that stuck out the most to me was her challenge to not be afraid of getting into the area just because you lack extensive experience. Some of her greatest experienced occurred when she was inexperienced and just starting out.

In our discussion, we covered the following topics:

1. background on Shirish and her extensive experience with immigration advocacy;
2. how Shirish got into immigration;
3. what immigration advocacy is all about;
4. why it’s important to challenge immigration decisions in deserving cases;
5. why immigration lawyers should do more pro bono immigration work.

[Tweet “Defending the Vulnerable – An immigration lawyer’s story!“]

Additional Resources:

• The best way to reach Shirish Chotalia: info@shirishchotalia.com
• Shirish’s Website: http://www.canadaimmigration-lawyer.com/ 
• Mexican Family Case: http://www.shirishchotalia.com/
• Shirish’s Resume: chotalia-resume-october-2016
• Some of Shirish’s work while involved with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal: http://bit.ly/2gdxFnn

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

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