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

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Binge on all of our Canadian Immigration Podcast Episodes!

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Subscribe to the Canadian Immigration Podcast on iTunes and Spotify

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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.

For US companies relying upon foreign workers, Monday, June 23, 2020, was a day of significant disappointment. President Trump announced that many categories of foreign workers would no longer be granted entry to the US until the end of 2020. Fortunately, Canada’s immigration policy is far more welcoming. If you are a US company that is going to be hurt by these latest rounds of restrictions, Canada may just be the answer. Tune in to this episode where US Immigration Attorney, Nicole Ezer, explains what these restrictions mean for your company and Canadian Immigration Lawyer, Mark Holthe, shares some great “made-in-Canada” solutions to turn your disappointment into relief.

Many US companies were left reeling on Monday, June 23rd when President Trump announced that H-1B, L, J and H-2B visas would be blocked until the end of 2020. These four non-immigrant visa categories are relied upon heavily by US companies seeking to fill critical skill shortages in the US.

Now what is a US company going to do?

They were already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, but this most recent announcement feels like insult to injury.

In this episode US immigration attorney, Nicole Ezer shares some great insight into what these restrictions really mean for US companies and why things may not be as bad as they seem.  I then take some time to pull the curtain back on some very practical solutions that Canada’s facilitative immigration policy offer to struggling US companies and their foreign workers.

Nicole Ezer is the founder of Ezer Law Group, a business immigration boutique law firm based in Houston, Texas. She is my go-to attorney for any US bound business immigration need. We have collaborated for years on mutual cross-border clients and I have fortunate to call her my friend.

Nicole has practiced in the areas of family-based immigration, naturalization and asylum and participated in activities that provide education to industries and communities regarding immigration issues.

She is a frequent speaker before industry, HR groups and for attorney CLE activities, and is a 2002 Graduate of the Center for Houston’s Future Leadership Forum. Nicole has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center, teaching “Business Immigration Basics”.

Nicole has focused her practice on immigration policies and planning and consulting for companies of all sizes. She is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Nicole develops, implements and updates immigration policies for multinational corporations.

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 “Canada is a great option for suffering US companies?”]

• Additional Resources:

  • Nicole Ezer’s law firm: https://ezerlawgroup.com/
  • The best way to reach Nicole:
    • Phone: (281) 404-7781
    • Website: https://ezerlawgroup.com/contacts/

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

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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.

Are you frustrated with your language scores? Have you considered writing both language tests? If you want to improve your scores, you have to listen to this episode with professional language instructor Garret Lim. He shares the real goods on what makes the IELTS different than the CELPIP. You can decide which one is better.

In this episode, Garret Lim shared some great insight into exactly what the CELPIP and IELTS tests cover. By knowing the differences between the two tests, you can make the right choice as to which is going to allow you to score the highest. After all, your entire future in Canada depends upon it.

Garret Lim is a career ESL teacher that has spent over 13 years teaching English as a second language. He has taught in 3 countries and has had students from over 30 different countries. Recently, he’s narrowed his focus a bit and is now specializing in test preparation for people wanting to immigrate to Canada who need to reach a certain proficiency band on one of the tests.

1. Why English is so important with respect to your Express Entry
2. What the CLB is and what it represents
3. How the CLB is measured.
4. Differences between the CELPIP and the IELTS
5. Final advice or tips for those taking the tests

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 IELTS really better than the CELPIP?”]

• Additional Resources:

  • Garret’s website: http://tu-easy.online 

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 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.

This is the second part of a two-part series on the Canadian Business Immigration process. In this episode, immigration lawyer, Jeffrey Lowe, and I dive into the different types of investment strategies available to foreign nationals seeking to acquire permanent resident status in Canada. We take some time to pull back the curtain on the most common investment vehicles available to potential business immigration clients as they seek to realize their dream of securing PR status for them and their families.

Listen to our Canadian Immigration Podcast episode #077:

During this episode, you will learn about four common ways foreign nationals can invest in Canada. Jeffrey discusses the pros and cons of each of these pathways, and how to find business opportunities when investing in Canada.

What makes this episode so awesome is the case studies and analysis of different immigration scenarios available to business investors. In addition, this episode is chock-full of practical tips designed to help Canadian immigration lawyers and their high net worth clients navigate the complexities of the business immigration process.

If you would like to learn more about my guest, have a listen to Episode 19 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast where we discussed Jeffrey’s background and how he got into immigration.

Jeffrey Lowe has practiced Immigration and Business law in British Columbia since 1983. He holds both a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia and is considered an innovator in the convergence of Business, Technology, and the Law. Jeffrey is the Chief Inspirational Officer of Lowe & Company and has taught Immigration Law, Practice Management and Legal Ethics to lawyers across Canada since 1990.

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 “Business Immigration programs are alive and well in Canada.”]

• Additional Resources:

  • Jeffrey’s firm: https://www.canadavisalaw.com/

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

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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

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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

Since 2014 Canada has been without any real immigrant investor program at a federal level. However, in this episode we are going to pull the curtain back on three great options that your business immigration clients may want to consider as they look to invest in Canada and use that investment of time and money to secure permanent resident status for them and their families.

It was great to have Canadian Immigration Lawyer Jeffrey Lowe join me to shed some light on some of the best business immigration options available for entrepreneurs and like-minded foreign nationals who are looking to invest in Canada and secure permanent resident status in the process. You can learn more about Jeffrey and his background working as a Canadian immigration lawyer in Episode 19 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast.

Jeffrey S. Lowe has practised Immigration and Business law in British Columbia since 1983. He holds both a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia, and is considered an innovator in the convergence of Business, Technology and the Law. Jeffrey is the Chief Inspirational Officer of Lowe & Company, and has taught Immigration Law, Practice Management and Legal Ethics to lawyers across Canada since 1990.

In this episode Jeffrey and I discussed three of his favourite option when advising high net worth clients seeking to immigrate to Canada. Two of the programs are PNP based and the third is a home grown strategy involving a combination of creative work permits and existing skilled worker programs to secure PR status in Canada.

 Show Notes for This Episode:

1. Introduction to Business Immigration
2. 2 general routes:
   • Entrepreneur Provincial Nominee Programs
     • 7 Provinces and 2 Territories have them
     • Most work the same way;
     • And
   • The “Canadian Business Experience Strategy” (a new term coined by Jeffrey!)
     • Buy or invest in a business
     • Apply for a Work Permit through a number of options:
       • Owner Operator LMIA
       • NAFTA Investor;
       • CETA or CPTPP Investor;
       • Significant Benefit Work Permit;
     • Work in Canada;
     • Apply to Immigrate under Express Entry
3. Closer look at 2 Entrepreneur PNP Programs we recommend:
   • BC PNP Programs:
     • Base Program:
       • $600K PNW
       • $200K minimum investment
       • Create 1 job
       • Can buy a business or start newNeed to spend 75% of your time in BC
       • Need CLB 4 when applying for Nomination (after 2 years)
     • Regional Pilot:
       • $300K PNW;
       • $100K Minimum Investment
       • Create 1 Job
       • Must start new business
       • Need to spend 75% of your time in BC
       • Need CLB 4 at the beginning
       • 66 Communities, with <1,000 people to 75K people
       • Must have Community support for your proposed business
   • Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program
     • Investment in GTA:
       • $800K PNW
       • $600K minimum investment
       • Create 2 jobs
       • Need to spend 75% of your time in Ontario
       • Need CLB 4 when you apply for nomination
     • Investment in Tech sector or outside GTA:
       • $400K PNW
       • $200K minimum investment
       • Create 1 job
       • Need to spend 75% of your time in Ontario
       • Need CLB 4 when you apply for nomination

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 “Business Immigration programs are alive and well in Canada.”]

• Additional Resources:

  • Jeffrey’s firm: https://www.canadavisalaw.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

With over 700,000 international students in Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has been struggling with what to do with them all. Many of these students are wondering if they have a future in Canada over the long term. In this episode Canadian Immigration Lawyer Will Tao joins me talk about some of the challenges students experience when studying in Canada and some essential tips to avoiding the most common pitfalls.

[NOTE: The COVID-19 pandemic has had temporary affects on international students in Canada including study permit processing and the ability of some students to travel to Canada to attend school. Many schools are currently offering online programming. IRCC has instituted temporary measures to allow students to attend class overseas and obtain up to 50% credit for PGWPs while studying outside Canada. Students in Canada are currently authorized to study online while their programs and schools are holding online classes. Students who have been admitted to programs that are currently closed due to COVID-19 are able to remain in Canada and work off-campus in accordance with the regular off campus employment regulations. Full-time work is only authorized during “regular” scheduled breaks except for those students working in occupations deemed essential services:  – last updated May 7, 2020]

I was super happy to have Will Tao join me again after an almost four year absence on my Podcast. The last time he joined me, he was just cutting his teeth in the world of immigration law. [Listen to Will talk about his journey to becoming an immigration lawyer in Episode 26] However, he has worked hard to establish himself as a thought leader in our industry and someone who truly practices immigration law the right way.

Will Tao (pronouns: he/him) is a Canadian Immigration and Refugee Lawyer at Edelmann and Co., who lives and works on the traditional, unceded territories of the Coast Salish – sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations.

Will provides legal services in all areas of Canadian immigration and refugee law with a focus on complex applications, overcoming refusals, inadmissibility matters, appeals, and judicial reviews. Will regularly appeals before the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada. His focus is on international students, families, and temporary foreign workers.

Will also provides strategic advice and consultation to government, media, educational institutions, and businesses on immigration/refugee, decolonization, and race equity related issues. He is the founder and creator of Vancouver Immigration Blog, where he hopes to make immigration and refugee law more accessible to the general public. He is a second-generation Canadian, product of immigrants, and finds his personal motivation in the sacrifices of his parents and the resilience of Indigenous ancestors to this land.

In this episode Will and I discussed the plight of international students in Canada and pulled back the curtain on what is really happening in the background of immigration processing. Will took some time to share his thoughts on the challenges international students face in Canada and offered a few solutions to some of the most common pitfalls.

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 “Windmill Microlending…an amazing company.”]

• Additional Resources:

  • Will Tao’s firm: https://edelmann.ca/
  • Will’s Blog: http://vancouverimmigrationblog.com

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

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

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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 saddest things to see is for skilled immigrants and refugees to sacrifice so much to come to Canada and then not have the ability to continue working in their chosen profession once they get here. One of the more common barriers is the cost of applying for certification.

Often newcomers are unable to afford the application fees upon arrival and end up working in lower paying positions which only leave them with enough income to survive…never being able to afford the application fees. So what’s the solution? …..Windmill Microlending. Listen in to my interview with Onai Abote who shares the remarkable Windmill story and how it has helped countless immigrants realize their dream of working in their chosen profession in Canada.

Onai Petra Abote, is the Community Relationship Specialist with Windmill Microlending (formerly Immigrant Access Fund) in Calgary. Onai joined Windmill Microlending from Postmedia, publishers of the Calgary Herald and Calgary Sun where she was part of the advertising management team working as Media Coordinator and also featured as a columnist for both brands. Her achievements include developing clear internal communications for her department, successfully organizing high profile events, ensuring deadlines were met and maintaining relationships with various stakeholders. She also served as a committee member on the Calgary Herald Christmas Fund Committee – a fund that awards grants to some of the cities agencies working with vulnerable groups.

Onai is a qualified journalist with over 10 years’ experience working as a journalist in Zimbabwe – where she was born and raised. She worked as a freelance television producer for Reuters, and then later as Project Coordinator (and journalist) for The Source – Zimbabwe’s first business and financial news agency launched and supported by Thomson Reuters Foundation and European Journalism Centre.

As the Windmill Microlending Community Relationship Specialist in the Calgary office, Onai’s focus includes executing Windmill Microlending ongoing strategic outreach plan – deepening the organization’s extensive referral network of immigrant-serving organizations, learning institutions, regulatory bodies, professional associations and ethno- and occupation-specific groups. While the primary geographic focus is Calgary and Edmonton, she has also represented Windmill Microlending across British Columbia, and built referral networks across Canada in collaboration with counterparts in other provinces.

In this episode Onai and I covered the following areas:

• who is Windmill Microlending;
• what they do;
• why they do it; and
• how they do it.

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:

  • Windmill Microlending: https://windmillmicrolending.org/
  • How to apply: https://windmillmicrolending.org/applicants/eligibility/
  • 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.

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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

Whether you are a seasoned immigration practitioner or new to the caregiver world, a caregiver yourself looking to immigrate to Canada or someone currently working in Canada as a caregiver and wanting to become a permanent resident, this episode is for you. Quebec based immigration lawyer, Matthew Aronson joined me in this amazing episode filled with do’s and dont’s, tips and strategies and a virtual walkthrough of the new Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilot programs. I think this episode ranks up there as one of the top “hands-on” episodes I have ever produced with an immigration lawyer to date.

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada has once again revamped the caregiver programs in this country. Whether or not the new Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilot programs will succeed in accomplishing what they were designed to do, or doomed to fail, will play out in the coming years. Regardless, if you are considering accessing one of these programs, this episode is an absolute must.

Immigration lawyer Matt Aronson spent some time with me deconstructing the new pilot programs and offering a ton of extremely helpful information to help you navigate the complexities of not only the new pilots, but what to do with the existing caregiver currently working in Canada.

A graduate of McGill Law, Me. Matthew E. Aronson is a member of both the Barreau du Quebec and of the Law Society of Ontario.

Me. Aronson practices immigration, corporate commercial and real estate law. In immigration, he does all types of visitor, study and work permits, as well as Permanent Residency applications for Skilled Workers and for spouses of Canadians. He has developed a particular specialty in obtaining work permits and permanent residency for in-home caregivers.

He began his career at one of Canada’s premier corporate commercial law firms and has since gained experience in a boutique litigation firm and a well-known immigration firm before moving in-house at an international private equity firm as an Asset Manager and Advisor on Real Estate matters for several years. He returned to private practice in 2015, and jointed Adessky Attorneys as the head of its immigration practice. Since that time, he has advised both employers and workers in matters pertaining to work permits and PR cases.

When not practicing law, Me. Aronson is active in his community as a volunteer, serving on the Board of Notre-Dame-des-Arts, an arts-oriented local charity, as well as being VP Legal for his own family business, MKRLAB Community Workshop.

In this episode we covered the following areas:

1. Who are caregivers? What do you need to qualify?
2. New Caregiver pilot programs – what has changed, how the pilot programs can benefit workers, as well as some common pitfalls to avoid
3. The ‘Quebec Acceptation’ – how caregivers can work in Quebec, and what it means for PR.
4. Legacy programs – how to continue accessing the old (and new) PR pathways if you’re already a Caregiver in Canada.
5. Tips and tricks to streamline an application and avoid common errors and delays.

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 caregiver programs in Canada“]

Additional Resources:

• Matt Aronson Bio: https://www.adessky.com/about/matthew-e-aronson/
• How to Contact Matt: matt@adessky.com
• Matt’s Firm Website: https://www.adessky.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

Express Entry is one of the most volatile, scary, and stressful applications that can be submitted to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada. In this episode I share with you some of my best insights and tips on navigating the Express Entry process safely.

In the first few years of Express Entry, when I received an email from IRCC related to a file starting with the letter “E”, my stomach started to churn and my stress levels started to rise. I hesitated going to my Rep Portal to check to see what this notification could mean. Was it just a simple request for Passports, or was it the dreaded refusal letter for having failed to upload some innocuous document?

Although I don’t feel that way now, I know that many of you fellow practitioners likely do….or if you don’t, it’s likely because you haven’t yet filed many Express Entry applications.  So in order to help reduce the stress level and increase the satisfaction level, I pull back the curtain and share some insight on the whole process and some tips for avoiding some of the more troubling areas.

Here is what I covered:

1. Quick Overview of Express Entry
2. CRS Trends and the Rounds of Invitations
3. How our Clients can Increase Their CRS Scores
4. Things you must know about Express Entry
5. Break for our Sponsor – CII
6. My Essential Practice Tips
7. Top 5 Crazy Reasons EE Applications were Refused
8. Top 5 Most Common Reasons for Refusal

Click on this link to access the Slide Deck Mark talked about in this Episode: AQAADI – Express Entry – Holthe 2019

Sponsor:

• Canadian Immigration Institute – Founded by Immigration Lawyer Mark Holthe
• Special Offer to listeners announced in the podcast today – Express Entry – Complete Step by Step Guide to Doing it Yourself:
  • COUPON CODE: CIPEE50 – 50% Off Lifetime Access to the Course ($248.50)
  • Click on this link to access this offer: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/offers/nxZdxo2d?coupon_code=CIPEE50
  • OFFER EXPIRES – NOVEMBER 12, 2019  

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 your affiliate link

[Tweet “How to remove the stress from the Express Entry process“]

Additional Resources:

• Book a Consultation with Mark: https://stringam.ca/immigration-mark-holthe/
• Mark’s Firm Website:  https://stringam.ca/
• Canadian Immigration Institute: https://canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/
• Mark’s LMIA DIY Guide: https://www.canadianimmigrationinstitute.com/lmia-guide-for-high-wage-positions

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

With the legalization of marijuana in Canada on October 17, 2018, there continues to exist tremendous confusion on how this will impact Canadian marijuana users travelling to the US and American’s coming to Canada for a little “marijuana tourism“. The issue is complex for individuals, but down right maddening for multinational companies sending employees back and forth across the Canada/US border on a daily basis.

In this episode, I was joined by Canadian and US Immigration Attorney Henry Chang who shared some great advice on the real dangers that exist for users of marijuana seeking to travel cross border between Canada and the US and some great tips for employees of Canadian marijuana companies travelling to the US.

Henry Chang, a partner with the law firm of Blaney McMurtry in Toronto, Ontario, has always been a great resource for anything related to cross border immigration. As an immigration lawyer/attorney licensed to practice immigration law on both sides of the border, he was the perfect choice to join me on this Episode to explore the hidden dangers and pitfalls that the legalization of pot in Canada has created for Canadians and Americans crossing the Canada/US border.

Henry is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and the State Bar of California. He is consistently ranked as one of Canada’s top lawyers by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Who’s Who Legal, and Best Lawyers. He also holds an AV (Preeminent) rating, the highest possible rating, from Martindale-Hubbell.

Henry is the chair of the firm’s Immigration Law Group. As a recognized authority in the field of United States and Canadian business immigration law, his style of legal representation is often referred to as the “gold standard” for cross-border mobility law. With limited exceptions, Henry personally supervises the preparation of such cases, in order to ensure the highest probability of a successful outcome.

Henry lectures extensively in Canada, the United States, and overseas. His work has been published in numerous nationally- and internationally- recognized publications, including LexisNexis’ Immigration Law & Procedure, which has been cited in over 300 Federal Court decisions in cases from across the U.S. circuit courts of appeals, federal district courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Two of Henry’s more recent articles have propelled him forward as one of the go-to lawyers on this topic and landed him many interviews with media seeking to demystify some of the lesser known dangers that are lurking in the shadows for marijuana users crossing the border.

How the Legalization of Marijuana Will Affect Your Ability to Travel to the United States

Canadian Companies Should Educate Their Employees Prior to Marijuana Legalization

In this episode Henry and I covered the following topics:

1. Canadians travelling to the US after legalization
2. Employees of Canadian companies travelling to the US
3. Americans coming to Canada for “marijuana tourism”
4. Bringing marijuana across the border (into Canada or the US)

[Tweet “What you must know about Pot and cross border travel“]

Additional Resources:

• How to Contact Henry Chang: https://www.blaney.com/contact-us
• Website: https://www.blaney.com/

Listen to Mark Holthe’s Canadian Immigration Podcast

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The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program recently announced some pretty sweeping changes to come into effect in 2018. As the pioneer of PNP programs across Canada, the Province of Manitoba has always been a trend setter in developing creative ways to encourage settlement in their province. In this episode I invited back Canadian immigration lawyer Alastair Clarke to join me to talk about these changes.

Alastair began working with immigration issues as a student leader at the University of Victoria in 1996. For almost 20 years, Alastair has been active with immigrant communities. Alastair’s current legal practice encompasses all areas of immigration and refugee law.

Alastair joined my previously in Season 1 Episode 25 where we talked about his background and how he got into immigration in the first place. If you’d like to learn more about Alastair, I would encourage to you go back to this past episode to get to know Alastair a little better.

In this Episode we covered the following specific topics related to the recently announced changes to the Manitoba PNP:

1. What has been the focus of the MPNP over the past years?
2. What are the announced changes and how do they propose to change the program?
3. New focus on “in demand occupations.
4. New focus on STEM graduates.
5. Changes to the business stream.

[Tweet “Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program – Changes coming for 2018“]

Additional Resources:

• The best way to reach Alastair Clarke:
  • E-mail: info@apply2manitoba.ca
  • Alastair’s law firm Clarke Immigration Law: http://www.apply2manitoba.ca/
• Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program: http://www.immigratemanitoba.com/
• Announcement: Atlantic Immigration Pilot

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

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot may just be the best immigration program in existence in Canada today. In this Episode, Canadian Immigration Lawyer Janet Thompson-Price shared some insight on the program that you will not want to miss. I truly believe this program has been the best kept secret of all the various Provincial based programs currently in operation across Canada and one I hope becomes permanent for the Atlantic Provinces.

Janet Thompson Price earned her Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of New Brunswick. Upon graduation, Janet articled with the Atlantic Canadian law firm of Stewart McKelvey where she remained for a number of years in their litigation department.

Janet is the current Section Chair for the New Brunswick branch of the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Law Section. Janet has been invited to speak at countless immigration conferences both within New Brunswick and across Canada.

In 2009, Janet was chosen to be one of the esteemed 21st Leaders for the 21st Century where she was fortunate to travel across New Brunswick meeting dynamic New Brunswickers both in the public and private sectors. This invaluable experience has shown how local business people are thriving in a global economy.

Janet has served on a number of community boards including the Saint John Multicultural and Newcomers Resource Centre, and the Saint John YM-YWCA.

Her proudest accomplishment is her family. Janet and her husband Todd are the proud parents of 3 children.

Janet is passionate about helping people immigrate to Canada. As a daughter of immigrant parents , she remembers the proud day her parents became Canadian Citizens.

In this Episode we covered the following specific topics related to the Atlantic Immigration Pilot program:

1. What is it and why was it created?
2. How does the program work?
3. How does the employer designation process work?
4. What are the various programs within the Pilot?
5. How long does it take to process applications?

[Tweet “Atlantic Immigration Pilot – Everything you wanted to know!“]

Additional Resources:

• The best way to reach Janet Thompson-Price:
  • E-mail: janet@thompsonpricelaw.com
  • Facebook: Thompson Price Law
  • Janet’s law firm Thompson Price Law: http://www.thompsonpricelaw.com/
• Infographic on the Atlantic Immigration Pilot

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

Becoming a permanent resident of Canada has never been more difficult. Knowing how to keep that residency in changing life circumstances can be just as important….in fact, possibly even more important! In this episode I caught up with immigration lawyer Chantal Desloges who practices in Toronto, Ontario to share some insight on this increasingly important area of immigration law. If you are a permanent resident of Canada wondering if you have done enough to maintain your PR status, this episode is for you.

If you go to virtually any of the online newspaper or television websites in Ontario and search immigration lawyer, you are almost certain to find Chantal Desloges. She is a regular immigration commentator on CTVs Power Play, and has been interviewed and quoted in both national and local television and newspapers on a variety of Canadian immigration related topics. Chantal has also been a regular organizer and participant in community education programs by giving speeches, lectures and training seminars to not only the community at large, but to other immigration practitioners as well.

Chantal is certified as a Specialist in both Immigration and Refugee Law with the Law Society of Upper Canada and practices out of her own firm Desloges Law Group in Toronto, Ontario.

If you are a permanent resident of Canada and are concerned that you may not have met the residency obligations to keep this status, this Podcast is going to be invaluable to you. I can guarantee that you are not going to get this level of insight and detail on maintaining Canadian permanent resident status anywhere else. And if you can find it somewhere else, you are definitely paying for it.

In this episode Chantal and I discussed the following topics:

• the difference between permanent resident status and the permanent resident card;
• calculation of the 5 year residency period;
• physical presence exceptions (accompanying spouse and working abroad);
• how to return to Canada with an expired or missing PR card;
• when a residency determination is triggered;
• what to do if written up for breach of residency obligation; and
• how to relinquish PR if necessary.

[Tweet “If you are a Canadian PR and concerned about losing your status, listen in.“]

Additional Resources:

• The best way to reach Chantal Desloges: 647-776-7511
• Chantal’s firm Desloges Law Group: http://chantaldesloges.ca/
• Understanding Canadian Permanent Resident Status: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/about-pr.asp

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.

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 a foreign national seeking to immigrate to Canada through an investor program, you better listen to what immigration lawyer Carter Hoppe has to say first. Carter demystifies a fairly confusing area of immigration law that many of us immigration lawyers shy away from. After listening to this Podcast, you may just want to consider getting into the immigrant investor world….and when I say “world”, I mean it…..Carter talks just as much about opportunities in the world as he does in Canada.

I was absolutely delighted that Carter Hoppe was able to join me in this Episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast. Carter is one of the grandfathers of the practice of immigration law in Canada and one of the founding members of the national immigration section of the Canadian Bar Association.

The thing I like most about Carter is his story telling ability. You don’t even realize how much you are learning from him because he carries you away with the intriguing “real life” examples he gives to illustrate his point.

Carter has been certified as a Specialist in Canadian Immigration Law with the Law Society of Upper Canada since 1993 and has been practicing out of his office in Dubai, UAE since 1994.  He is ideally situated to share in depth knowledge on all facets of immigrant investor programs. In fact, to all of you who feel that immigrant investor programs are evil, you really need to listen to what Carter has to say regarding the tremendous benefits of these programs to Canada as a whole. 

In this episode Carter and I discussed the following areas:

1. What is the difference between entrepreneur and investor programs?
2. Why did the Federal government pull away from immigrant investor programs?
3. What are the benefits of programs that select immigrants based on financial capital?
4. What are some of the best strategies for high net worth individuals who want to immigrate to Canada… or another country for that matter?
5. Why should Canada bring back immigrant investor programs?
6. Which Provinces have programs available for investors and entrepreneurs?

[Tweet “If you are rich and want to immigrate to Canada, here’s how.“]

Additional Resources:

• The best way to reach Carter Hoppe: carter@carterhoppe.com
• Carter’s firm Carter Hoppe Legal Consultants: http://www.carterhoppe.com/
• Canada’s Immigrant Investor and Entrepreneur Programs – Closed:  http://www.cic.gc.ca/englisH/immigrate/business/investors/index.asp

Congratulations to our New Canadian Immigration Minister

• New Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, Video: “From Refugee to Rookie MP”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhN0_w288Uk
• Swearing in Ceremony, Minister Ahmed Hussen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK6LwzxplUI

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.

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