Posts by Michael Niren

Recent changes to regulations have seen new rules come into play for dependent children of immigrants to Canada. As of August 1 2014, the cutoff age for dependent children to enter the country with their families changed from 21 to just 19. These new rules, which altered Canada’s definition of ‘dependent children’, have had serious […]

Great news for Canadian immigrants! Last month, it was revealed that humanitarian and compassionate decisions made by visa officers regarding immigration are now no longer protected from review, due to a recent ruling on a Winnipeg case, which had been awaiting a Federal Court of Appeal decision. Humanitarian, Compassionate Cases No Longer Protected from Review The recent Habtenkiel case had […]

Back in May, two new rules were proposed to relax US immigration rules in order to provide more support to highly skilled immigrants and specialists, along with their families. Immigration Rules to Support Specialists and Their Families The proposed rules will hopefully include a provision that will allow the spouses of skilled immigrants to work, and should […]

Canadian couples and their legally adopted children have been stuck in an immigration catch-22 for the past while. The Canadian government will not process visas for children without exit letters and, in the case of the Democratic Republic of Congo for instance, exit letters will not be issued for a child without a valid visa; […]

Bashar Kassir, a Toronto resident, applied to sponsor his parents to Canada in the midst of Syria’s civil war so he could be with them and ensure their safety, security, and overall well being. Months later, he received notice that the application had been refused, citing a lack of supporting documents that were allegedly requested […]

The Canadian government began recruiting in 50 separate occupations back in May in order to prepare for the launch of the highly anticipated Express Entry program at the start of next year. The new program is set to offer skilled immigrants a means of gaining express entry as permanent residents to work in jobs where there is a considerable […]

Any person with a criminal conviction may be considered inadmissible to Canada on the grounds of security. An individual can be considered inadmissible to Canada for a either a felony or a misdemeanor offense.  Canada has been known for especially strict entry requirements when it comes to persons with felony convictions. Felony Entry within Canada […]

Concerns have been raised over the past few months regarding the live-in caregiver program, which has been highlighted by the Conservative government as Canada’s next target for immigration reform. Live-in Caregivers and Immigration Reform Currently, Canada’s live-in caregiver program allows families to employ caregivers and nannies from overseas, but with recent plans from the government, we […]

(Below is a transcription of this video) Hi, this is Michael Niren, Founder of visaplace.com, an immigration lawyer. I’m pleased to announce that in 2014, the government has agreed to expand the Live-in Caregiver Program or the For Nanny Program. What You Should Know About the Live-in Caregiver Program They announced that they’ll be processing […]

(Below is a transcription of this video) Hi, this is Michael Niren, immigration lawyer and founder of VisaPlace.com. The Globe and Mail this morning reported that Russian and Chinese delegates have been refused a Canadian visitor visa to attend the 65th Annual International Astronautical Conference in Canada. Russian and Chinese Delegates Denied Visas Now this is […]

Few travel experiences are more frustrating, inconvenient and humiliating than arriving in a foreign country only to be denied entry at the port. This is especially disheartening if you have arrived on business or to tend to a family emergency. 10 Common Reasons for Denied Entry to Canada Upon traveling to Canada, you may have […]

The Post Graduate Work Permit Program allows students who have graduated from eligible Canadian designated learning institutions to obtain an open work permit to gain valuable Canadian work experience. Skilled Canadian work experience in NOC skill type 0 or skill level A or B that is gained through the PGWPP helps graduates qualify for permanent residence in […]

As recently reported by MSN News – Those who represent live-in caregivers are worried due to the federal government proposal to move the program to the new Express Entry immigration system. While the Express Entry system, being implemented in the new year, does provide skilled workers with a path to citizenship, live-in caregiver groups are […]

(Below is a transcription of this video) Hi, this is Michael Niren, immigration lawyer and founder of visaplace.com. The Canadian government is threatening to revoke passports of Canadian citizens abroad who are allegedly participating in terrorist activities. Revoking Passports of Suspected Terrorists Now this is a very serious development. Generally speaking, I support the government’s […]

If you don’t qualify for a visa, but want to immigrate to the United States or Canada, we have some options for you. Qualifying for a Visa Sometimes, you will take an assessment or be assessed by an immigration professional either in person or over the phone. There comes a time when there isn’t an […]