During your research of the Canadian immigration process, you will need to make a key decision that can affect your Canadian immigration experience: should you hire an immigration lawyer, or should you go it alone?
Here are the “Pros and Cons”:
Hiring an immigration lawyer should result in less stress
An immigration lawyer will handle your application and keep you informed throughout the process, which will remove some of the stress and worry you’ll be facing. In addition, your immigration lawyer is bringing their own knowledge and experience to your immigration application and setting you up for the best chance of success.
Hiring an immigration lawyer can help you avoid delays
While an immigration lawyer cannot guarantee your immigration application’s approval, your lawyer can help you avoid delays and the denial of the application in a couple of easy ways:
- By ensuring you have all of the supporting documents needed and that they are valid, you can avoid having your application returned to you or denied.
- By making sure you avoid mistakes on your application that result in a denial of your application or it being returned to you, which wastes time and money.
- By presenting all of your options to you and providing assistance and advice should your immigration application be legitimately denied by an immigration official.
Online Applications
The Government of Canada has recently launched an online visa application service that promises to help streamline the visa application process and make applying for a Canadian visa easier than before.
But is using such a program wise?
The chances of making a mistake on your online application are the same as making a mistake on a written application, and the online application does not leave room for additional explanations of your work experience or language proficiency if necessary or applicable.
When in doubt – consult an immigration lawyer. You don’t have to hire him or her. But chances are the pros outweigh the cons.
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
