Many travellers need a visitor visa to travel to Canada for tourism. Travellers may also require a visitor visa if transiting through a Canadian airport en route to a final destination. Canada also offers specialized visitor visas to certain categories of individuals such as the Parent/Grandparent Supervisa.

Individuals who do not hold Canadian citizenship or Permanent residence are required to obtain a study permit to engage in academic, professional, vocational or other educational training that is more than 6 months in duration.

Individuals who do not hold Canadian citizenship or Permanent residence require a work permit to legally work in Canada. Often, a work permit application must be made at a Canadian Visa Office abroad prior to arrival in Canada or at a Port of Entry prior upon arrival in Canada. 

Reunite with loved ones including a spouse, common law partner, same sex partner, parent or child through Canada’s family class sponsorship program.

Migrate to Canada in a variety of potential categories including Express Entry, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, Self Employed Individuals, Start Up Visa/Investor categories and Caregiver pathways.

Immigrate to a particular region in Canada through province specific and provincially sponsored immigration pathways. These programs are for individuals who have unique qualifications to contribute to the economy of a specific province or territory and who can demonstrate an intention to live in that respective province or territory.

Request a Canadian immigration officer to grant an exception to apply for permanent residence in Canada if you can prove that you would experience unusual and undeserved or disproportionate hardship if required to leave Canada.

Renew your Canadian Permanent Residence card in order to avoid issues upon entering the country. Without a valid card, you may not be able to return to Canada. Most Permanent Resident cards are valid for 5 years and should be renewed at least 6 months prior to their expiration date.

Become a Canadian citizen to safeguard your right to remain in Canada. You may also be eligible for proof of Canadian citizenship if you were born elsewhere but are entitled to Canadian citizenship through other legal means such as by descent. 

Claim for refugee protection in Canada if you are unwilling or unable to return to your country of origin due to dangers you may face because of your race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group such as LGBTQ individuals. You may also be eligible to ask for protection in Canada if you can demonstrate that you face a risk to your life, or a risk of torture, cruel or unusual treatment or punishment if your country of origin. 

If the Refugee Protection Division has refused your claim for refugee protection, you may have a right to appeal this decision to the Refugee Appeal Division. There are strict timelines to commence an appeal. 

If you are on the verge of being removed from Canada, you may be eligible for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment. The PRRA is a written application wherein you must demonstrate that you will face a danger of torture or risk of persecution if you are removed to your country of origin. 

The IAD hears appeals on specific immigration matters including refusals of certain sponsorship applications, the loss of permanent residency for failing to meet Canada’s residency requirements and appeals of removal orders. 

If your immigration application has been refused, you may have a right to seek judicial review of the refused decision at the Federal Court of Canada. Judicial review is a legal process where the Federal Court may review the negative decision to verify that it was fair, reasonable and lawful. The Federal Court has the power to remit a negative decision back to the decision making body for a new determination. 

In limited and unique circumstances, a decision/judgement from the Federal Court of Canada may be appealed to the Federal Court of Appeal. 

Temporary residents and applicants for Canadian permanent residence may not be able to come to Canada if they have been involved in criminal activity. If you meet certain conditions, you may overcome this hurdle by applying for criminal rehabilitation. 

If you receive a removal order, you cannot remain in Canada, you must leave the country. Depending on your situation, a removal order may be effective immediately or after a negative decision has been rendered by the Immigration and Refugee Board or the Federal Court of Canada. You may attempt to defer or stop a removal by seeking a deferral request to Canada Border Services Agency and/or a  motion to stay removal from the Federal Court of Canada. 

Foreign nationals may be barred from entering Canada in a temporary or permanent residence application if they have been found to be inadmissible. There are several different grounds which make an individual inadmissible to Canada. The most common grounds of inadmissibility are complex medical issues or criminal history. 

If you provide information to Canadian immigration authorities that is inconsistent, inaccurate, or incomplete – you could be found to have misrepresented yourself. Misrepresentation on any type of immigration application has very serious consequences including a potential 5 year bar on entry into the country.