How can a Canadian immigration lawyer help?
01
Ontario OINP
Ontario Workforce Priority, employer registration, job applications and expression of interest planning.
02
Quebec CSQ
PSTQ categories, PEQ eligibility, the Arrima pool and French thresholds.
03
Spousal sponsorship
Inland and outland sponsorship, parents and grandparents, dependent children and proof of a genuine relationship.
04
Business immigration
Open provincial and federal programs, entrepreneur routes, intra-company transfers and business plan compliance.
05
Work, study and visitor visas
LMIA and LMIA-exempt work permits, study permit renewals, accompanying family permits and visitor visas.
06
Permanent residence and PR card
Express Entry, provincial nomination, PR card renewal and residency obligation appeals.
07
Refusals and Federal Court
Procedural fairness letters, IAD appeals, judicial review and reapplications.
Choose a pathway before preparing documents
Select your current status and main goal to see which routes usually need to be reviewed first. Identical profiles can lead to different outcomes depending on age, language, occupation, province, previous applications and program status.
Routes to review first
Select your current status and main goal.
Select both options to see guidance.
Routes to review first
- Express Entry, including category-based draws
- Ontario Workforce Priority (OINP) with a qualifying job offer
- Quebec PSTQ or the time-limited PEQ, if you intend to settle in Quebec
Check whether your current status allows you to apply from inside Canada.
Routes to review first
- Spousal or common-law sponsorship, inland or outland
- Dependent child sponsorship
- The Parents and Grandparents Program is paused; eligible parents and grandparents may still apply for a Super Visa.
Check whether your current status allows you to apply from inside Canada.
Routes to review first
- LMIA-based or LMIA-exempt work permit
- Intra-company transfer
- Provincial entrepreneur streams or Quebec business projects
Check whether your current status allows you to apply from inside Canada.
Routes to review first
- Study permit and provincial attestation letter
- Work or study permits for accompanying family
- Post-graduation pathways in Ontario or Quebec
Check whether your current status allows you to apply from inside Canada.
Routes to review first
- Response to a procedural fairness letter
- IAD appeal (sponsorship or residency obligation)
- Federal Court judicial review: 15 days in Canada, 60 days outside
Check whether your current status allows you to apply from inside Canada.
Routes to review first
- Express Entry, including category-based draws
- Ontario Workforce Priority (OINP) with a qualifying job offer
- Quebec PSTQ or the time-limited PEQ, if you intend to settle in Quebec
Confirm your remaining permit validity and which Canadian experience counts.
Routes to review first
- Spousal or common-law sponsorship, inland or outland
- Dependent child sponsorship
- The Parents and Grandparents Program is paused; eligible parents and grandparents may still apply for a Super Visa.
Confirm your remaining permit validity and which Canadian experience counts.
Routes to review first
- LMIA-based or LMIA-exempt work permit
- Intra-company transfer
- Provincial entrepreneur streams or Quebec business projects
Confirm your remaining permit validity and which Canadian experience counts.
Routes to review first
- Study permit and provincial attestation letter
- Work or study permits for accompanying family
- Post-graduation pathways in Ontario or Quebec
Confirm your remaining permit validity and which Canadian experience counts.
Routes to review first
- Response to a procedural fairness letter
- IAD appeal (sponsorship or residency obligation)
- Federal Court judicial review: 15 days in Canada, 60 days outside
Confirm your remaining permit validity and which Canadian experience counts.
Routes to review first
- Express Entry, including category-based draws
- Ontario Workforce Priority (OINP) with a qualifying job offer
- Quebec PSTQ or the time-limited PEQ, if you intend to settle in Quebec
Confirm your NOC/TEER classification and that your actual duties match it.
Routes to review first
- Spousal or common-law sponsorship, inland or outland
- Dependent child sponsorship
- The Parents and Grandparents Program is paused; eligible parents and grandparents may still apply for a Super Visa.
Confirm your NOC/TEER classification and that your actual duties match it.
Routes to review first
- LMIA-based or LMIA-exempt work permit
- Intra-company transfer
- Provincial entrepreneur streams or Quebec business projects
Confirm your NOC/TEER classification and that your actual duties match it.
Routes to review first
- Study permit and provincial attestation letter
- Work or study permits for accompanying family
- Post-graduation pathways in Ontario or Quebec
Confirm your NOC/TEER classification and that your actual duties match it.
Routes to review first
- Response to a procedural fairness letter
- IAD appeal (sponsorship or residency obligation)
- Federal Court judicial review: 15 days in Canada, 60 days outside
Confirm your NOC/TEER classification and that your actual duties match it.
Routes to review first
- Express Entry, including category-based draws
- Ontario Workforce Priority (OINP) with a qualifying job offer
- Quebec PSTQ or the time-limited PEQ, if you intend to settle in Quebec
Most routes will be outland applications; plan document authentication early.
Routes to review first
- Spousal or common-law sponsorship, inland or outland
- Dependent child sponsorship
- The Parents and Grandparents Program is paused; eligible parents and grandparents may still apply for a Super Visa.
Most routes will be outland applications; plan document authentication early.
Routes to review first
- LMIA-based or LMIA-exempt work permit
- Intra-company transfer
- Provincial entrepreneur streams or Quebec business projects
Most routes will be outland applications; plan document authentication early.
Routes to review first
- Study permit and provincial attestation letter
- Work or study permits for accompanying family
- Post-graduation pathways in Ontario or Quebec
Most routes will be outland applications; plan document authentication early.
Routes to review first
- Response to a procedural fairness letter
- IAD appeal (sponsorship or residency obligation)
- Federal Court judicial review: 15 days in Canada, 60 days outside
Most routes will be outland applications; plan document authentication early.
Routes to review first
- Express Entry, including category-based draws
- Ontario Workforce Priority (OINP) with a qualifying job offer
- Quebec PSTQ or the time-limited PEQ, if you intend to settle in Quebec
Confirm the date you received the decision first. Deadlines may already be running.
Routes to review first
- Spousal or common-law sponsorship, inland or outland
- Dependent child sponsorship
- The Parents and Grandparents Program is paused; eligible parents and grandparents may still apply for a Super Visa.
Confirm the date you received the decision first. Deadlines may already be running.
Routes to review first
- LMIA-based or LMIA-exempt work permit
- Intra-company transfer
- Provincial entrepreneur streams or Quebec business projects
Confirm the date you received the decision first. Deadlines may already be running.
Routes to review first
- Study permit and provincial attestation letter
- Work or study permits for accompanying family
- Post-graduation pathways in Ontario or Quebec
Confirm the date you received the decision first. Deadlines may already be running.
Routes to review first
- Response to a procedural fairness letter
- IAD appeal (sponsorship or residency obligation)
- Federal Court judicial review: 15 days in Canada, 60 days outside
Confirm the date you received the decision first. Deadlines may already be running.
This is a starting point, not an assessment of your file.
Ontario Provincial Nominee Program: the 2026 reform
| Ontario Workforce Priority | Requirements |
|---|---|
| TEER 0–3 | Generally a full-time, permanent Ontario job offer and meeting work or licensing requirements. Language and education thresholds vary by occupation. |
| TEER 4–5 | A full-time, permanent offer plus prior experience with the same employer in the same position. Lower language threshold; high school or equivalent education. |
| Self-employed physicians | Possible without a traditional job offer if conditions such as CPSO registration and OHIP billing are met. |
Closed streams
- Foreign Worker
- International Student
- In-Demand Skills (employer job offer)
- Masters Graduate
- PhD Graduate
- Express Entry Human Capital Priorities
- Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker
- Express Entry Skilled Trades
- CLOSED
How we help
- Employer registration and job applications
- NOC classification and payroll compliance
- Eligibility reassessment
- Expression of interest materials and score checks
- Responses to requests for documents and authenticity concerns
- Federal permanent residence after nomination
Status of the new system
As of October 28, 2026, Ontario’s Workforce Priority stream has launched. Most applicants register an expression of interest after their employer starts the process; eligible self-employed physicians do not need a job offer. Check current OINP requirements and application instructions before applying.
Practical tip. Only TEER 0–3 and eligible self-employed physician nominees who choose, and remain eligible for, the federal Express Entry route receive the 600-point bonus. TEER 4–5 and other non-Express Entry routes do not.
Quebec immigration (CSQ): an independent selection system
Quebec economic immigration generally does not use Express Entry. Applicants first obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) from MIFI, then apply to IRCC for permanent residence. French is a core requirement for the main economic programs.
| PSTQ category | Profile and French |
|---|---|
| Category 1 | Highly skilled and specialised occupations; higher French requirement. |
| Category 2 | Intermediate and manual skilled occupations; usually intermediate oral French. |
| Category 3 | Regulated professions; thresholds vary by FEER level. |
| Category 4 | Exceptional talent; special conditions and limited invitations. |
Is the PEQ open in 2026?
The 2026 PEQ intake runs from July 2 to October 31. Eligibility depends on a Quebec diploma or two years of TEER 0–3 Quebec experience obtained before November 19, 2025. It is not a full reopening of the program.
The PSTQ requires a genuine intention to settle in Quebec, which cannot be contradicted by Express Entry applications to settle elsewhere. French is usually proven through a recognised test converted to a Quebec level, and a Quebec values requirement may also apply. Family sponsors in Quebec also sign a provincial undertaking and obtain a CSQ; business projects have separate net worth, investment, operating and French conditions.
| Comparison | Ontario | Quebec |
|---|---|---|
| Selection | OINP nomination | MIFI CSQ |
| Express Entry link | Limited link through Workforce Priority | Independent: PSTQ and PEQ |
| Language | Depends on the stream | French is a core threshold |
| Job offer | Generally required | Not always required for PSTQ |
| Platform | OINP e-filing | Arrima |
Spousal sponsorship and family reunification
Common situations
- Inland spousal sponsorship with an open work permit
- Sponsoring a spouse who lives abroad
- Proving a common-law relationship
- Parents and grandparents, and the Super Visa
- Reuniting dependent children
- Challenges to the sponsor's eligibility
Undertakings are binding
Spousal undertakings generally last three years. Parent and grandparent undertakings last 20 years outside Quebec and 10 years in Quebec. A relationship breakdown does not usually end the undertaking. As of October 28, 2026, the Parents and Grandparents Program is paused; eligible parents and grandparents may still apply for a Super Visa.
- UNDERTAKING
Inland or outland?
Inland applications can come with an open work permit but carry risk if the applicant leaves Canada. Outland applications depend on current status and family arrangements.
Business and entrepreneurship immigration
| Program | Status and notes |
|---|---|
| Federal Start-up Visa | New applications suspended from June 30, 2026; existing files follow transition rules. |
| Federal Self-Employed Persons | No new applications since April 30, 2024. |
| Provincial entrepreneur streams | Assessed against currently open streams, net worth, investment and performance commitments. |
| Quebec business projects | Reviewed by MIFI, with net worth, investment, operating and French conditions. |
| Intra-company transfer | LMIA-exempt route requiring proof of the corporate relationship, the position and real operations. |
Do program suspensions change our obligations?
No. You must still be accurate about business plans, funding and team roles. Misstatements can lead to refusal or a misrepresentation finding.
Work permits and LMIAs
Work permits are either LMIA-required, where the employer must first obtain a positive labour market impact assessment from ESDC, or LMIA-exempt, based on trade agreements, intra-company transfers or qualifying spouses.
What are the employer's risks?
ESDC and IRCC may verify that the actual job, wages and location match the approval. Non-compliance can bring fines, public naming or a ban on hiring foreign workers. We help with hiring records, job descriptions, wage support and inspection responses.
Study permits and visitor visas
Common refusal reasons are a weak link between the study plan and the applicant's background, insufficient funds, and doubts about leaving Canada when the permit expires. Responses should be consistent with education and work history rather than simply adding more documents. Study permit and provincial attestation letter rules change often and should be checked at the time of filing.
Permanent residence and PR card
Routes include Express Entry and provincial nomination. Ontario Workforce Priority nominations receive 600 points only in the eligible Express Entry scenario described above. Quebec PSTQ and PEQ are independent of Express Entry. Category-based Express Entry draws can give different results at the same score.
What is the residency obligation?
Permanent residents generally must be physically present in Canada for 730 days in any five-year period. Time abroad accompanying a Canadian spouse, or on assignment for a qualifying Canadian company, may count. An adverse decision must be appealed to the IAD within the deadline.
Visa refusals, procedural fairness letters and judicial review
Procedural fairness letters and misrepresentation
Respond to each concern with verifiable evidence, and explain any errors and corrections. A misrepresentation finding can bar admission for five years.
- PFL
- MISREPRESENTATION
Immigration Appeal Division
Certain sponsorship refusals and residency obligation decisions can be appealed. Sponsorship appeals generally must be filed within 30 days. The IAD can review the facts and accept new evidence.
- IAD
Federal Court judicial review
Most visa decisions can only be challenged this way. The deadline is generally 15 days for decisions made in Canada and 60 days for decisions made outside Canada. Success usually means the decision is sent back for a new decision, not that the application is approved.
- JUDICIAL REVIEW
- 15 / 60 DAYS
Provincial nomination or Quebec selection refusal
The OINP has an internal review process, and Quebec has its own administrative review. Separate eligibility, documentary and authenticity issues, and follow the deadlines in the decision.
Practical tip. Judicial review and some IAD deadlines are set by statute. Confirm the date you received a refusal immediately.
The process of working with us
Preliminary assessment
First meeting
Preliminary assessment
We review your background and goals, identify feasible routes, timelines and main risks, and tell you which options are unrealistic.
Plan and fee estimate
Within days
Plan and fee estimate
A recommended plan with a written fee estimate.
Prepare documents
Weeks
Prepare documents
We assemble and organise supporting evidence and draft submissions.
Submit and follow up
Per program
Submit and follow up
We file the application and monitor its progress.
Respond to complications
As needed
Respond to complications
Requests for information, procedural fairness letters, refusals and appeals.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a lawyer and a licensed consultant (RCIC)?
Both can represent immigration applications within their authority. Lawyers can also handle Federal Court judicial reviews and issues involving corporate, contract or criminal law.
Can former Ontario master's graduates still apply?
The eight closed streams cannot accept new applications. Transition rules apply to submitted files and older uninvited expressions of interest and should be checked against official notices.
Do Ontario and Quebec programs require a job offer?
Ontario Workforce Priority generally requires a qualifying full-time permanent offer, except for self-employed physicians. The PSTQ does not require an offer but requires French, an invitation and an intention to settle in Quebec.
How much French do I need for Quebec?
It depends on the PSTQ category, the FEER level of the occupation and the project. Test scores must be converted to Quebec levels to compare.
Can I apply to Quebec and Express Entry at the same time?
Your stated intention to settle in Quebec or elsewhere must be consistent with the facts. You cannot make contradictory statements to keep both options open.
After a refusal, should I reapply or seek judicial review?
Missing evidence usually points to a reapplication. A clear error or procedural unfairness may support judicial review. Deadlines keep running while you prepare a reapplication.
How long does spousal sponsorship take?
It varies by application type and location. Incomplete files, requests for more documents or interviews often extend the timeline.
Can I renew my PR card without enough days in Canada?
Exceptions, humanitarian factors and time abroad that may count should be analysed first. An adverse decision needs an IAD appeal within the deadline.
Will a criminal record affect admissibility?
It depends on the foreign offence, its Canadian equivalent, the sentence and timing. A temporary resident permit or rehabilitation may be available.
What to prepare for your consultation
Bring your current status, target province, language test scores, work and education history, document expiry dates, and any refusal letters, procedural fairness letters or provincial decisions. Program rules change often; official rules at the time of filing and our written advice on your file control.
A short summary is enough to start
Your corporate structure, the jurisdictions or activities you are considering, your target launch date and any correspondence you have received from a regulator. We confirm the conflict check and respond within one business day.
Book a 30-minute assessment
The content on this page is general legal information and is not legal advice. Contacting us or submitting information does not create a lawyer–client relationship. A written retainer agreement is required before we act for you.
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