If you\u2019d like to start the permanent residence process\u2014or if you\u2019re considering applying for a study permit, a work visa or a working holiday permit to Canada\u2014you may be wondering if you should hire an immigration lawyer to guide you through what looks like a bureaucratic maze. You do not<\/strong><\/span> have to hire an immigration lawyer. It is not a requirement and most immigrants or temporary workers handle the process alone.<\/p>\n When to go through the application process alone<\/strong><\/p>\n Save money and head to the forum<\/a> to get free help from the hivemind if:<\/p>\n When to seek legal help from an immigration law expert<\/strong><\/p>\n On the other hand, you may want to hire an immigration lawyer if:<\/p>\n Most applicants don\u2019t<\/strong><\/span><\/span> hire an immigration lawyer and they manage just fine. Absolutely not.<\/p>\n First, no immigration lawyer can \u201cmake\u201d you eligible\u2014if you don\u2019t meet the basic requirements, there\u2019s nothing they can do. For instance, if you\u2019re 37 and want to apply for a Working Holiday permit, well, tough luck, the age limit is 30 or 35 depending on the country. Experienced travellers map out the trip before packing. Applying for permanent residence or a work visa is definitely a long and bumpy trip, so you need to know how to get from point A to point B as fast, as easily and as cost effectively as possible. At the end of the initial consultation, you will understand all your available options and you will be able to make a decision on the best immigration or application process for you. Now, will you have the time to read the documentation, review the process, fill out forms, anticipate potential roadblocks and analyze potentially problematic fine print?<\/p>\n According to Nadia Barrou, \u201cmost applicants handle everything just fine after their initial consultation.\u201d Besides, there\u2019s always Google\u2014immigration info, application forms and up-to-date processing times are available online. The Government of Canada also offers information and advice. If you do choose to hire help for your project, ensure you\u2019re working with the right person:<\/p>\n Don\u2019t hire John Doe who reads online advice and claims he is an expert! Pvtistes.net also recommends the following:<\/p>\n Nadia Barrou has been helping future permanent residents in Canada for more than 25\u00a0years. Note that these offers don\u2019t apply if you\u2019re already working with Nadia Barrou.<\/p>\n Sorry. You must be logged in to view this form.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Should I get professional help when completing the Canadian immigration process or applying for a visa? If you\u2019d like to start the permanent residence process\u2014or if you\u2019re considering applying for a study permit, a work visa or a working holiday permit to Canada\u2014you may be wondering if you should hire an immigration lawyer to guide […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":386172,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[904,898],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-386926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-apply-for-a-whv","category-other-temporary-visas","pays-canada-en"],"acf":[],"comments_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/386926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=386926"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/386926\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":449617,"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/386926\/revisions\/449617"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/386172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=386926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=386926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=386926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nIn short, it depends<\/em>. This article, written with insights from Nadia Barrou, an immigration lawyer in Canada, will help you make the right decision. And if you do seek legal help, Nadia Barrou is offering all pvtistes.net members special rates\u2014more info below!<\/p>\nDo I have<\/em> to hire an immigration lawyer? Is it a legal requirement in Canada?<\/h4>\n
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What do successful applicants usually decide?<\/h4>\n
\nStay away from legal \u201cprofessionals\u201d who claim that they can fast track your application, secure a Working Holiday permit spot or increase visa approval chances in general.<\/p>\nIs my visa or permit guaranteed if I hire an immigration lawyer?<\/h4>\n
\nSecond, immigration law and policies are subject to change. Sometimes, no one sees it coming. For instance, in 2019, the\u00a0Quebec\u00a0government passed a contentious\u00a0immigration\u00a0bill allowing cancellation of roughly 18,000 immigration applications, a move that took everyone by surprise.
\nThird, \u201cofficial instructions and directives aren\u2019t always crystal clear and elements can be interpreted differently in various contexts. Some situations are left to the discretion of processing immigration officers who have the final say. Immigration lawyers can\u2019t offer a 100% approval guarantee. We have an obligation of means, not results,\u201d explains Nadia Barrou, immigration lawyer.
\n\u201cWhy on earth do people hire an immigration lawyer then?\u201d you\u2019re probably wondering. After all, what\u2019s the point if it\u2019s not a legal requirement, if most applicants succeed on their own and if no guarantee is offered?
\nWell, expert advice can be extremely valuable. Read on\u2026<\/p>\nSave time and energy with an initial consultation<\/h4>\n
\nThis is how Nadia Barrou puts it: \u201cLet\u2019s say your spouse and yourself want to open a restaurant in Ontario. You\u2019re basically starting a business, so immigrant entrepreneur sounds like the best immigration category. You spend months creating a business plan that meets the conditions and financial requirements. And then you meet with an immigration lawyer who explains that it would be easier and cheaper for one of you to apply for a student permit to enroll in a Culinary Arts and Food Science program. Processing times are 3-4 months and you\u2019d get an open work permit, so you\u2019d be able to start your food business and hire your spouse. Ta da! You\u2019ve just saved time, money and stress.\u201d
\nAn initial consultation with an immigration lawyer can be a really good way to understand your options and choose a strategy. At the end of the one-on-one talk, you\u2019ll understand all the choices available to you and it will be a good time to decide whether you need to hire your friendly expert for the journey.<\/p>\nSay again, why are immigration lawyers valuable during the application process?<\/h4>\n
\n\u201cHowever, free online advice isn\u2019t always accurate, up-to-date or applicable to your own situation,\u201d adds Nadia Barrou. \u201cInfo can be hard to decipher, misleading or plain confusing. Unlike social media buddies, immigration lawyers are qualified professionals who are trained to help you navigate the system. The more experienced they are, the better their analysis will be\u2014they can even anticipate potential changes and outcomes.\u201d
\n\u201cWe also have several clients who just don\u2019t have enough spare time to handle the process alone. They have deadlines and can\u2019t afford any mistake that would delay the process. They just want reach their goal, that\u2019s it. Other clients are facing issues because their situation is complicated\u2014expired work permit, application returned, previous application denied, ongoing divorce procedure, etc.\u201d
\n\u201cYou and you alone can decide whether working with an immigration lawyer makes sense. And as a professional, I\u2019m only looking to help out clients who feel I\u2019m adding value to their project,\u201d reminds Nadia Barrou.<\/p>\nHow do I choose an immigration expert?<\/h4>\n
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\nThe Government of Canada offers helpful advice to find out if your representative is authorized<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
Introducing Nadia Barrou<\/h4>\n
\nHere are her regular fees and special discounts for pvtistes.net users:<\/p>\n\n