christopherjames

Hi All,

We are UK Citizens and are looking to find an immigration Lawyer help us obtain visas. I am 40 and my spouse 36, and we are going to try for a work visa (probably heading to Toronto).

I have spoken to one lawyer who after searching on this forum has not been recommend. We definitely want to use one as I have dispraxia and dyslexia and things can get a little muddled up with forms etc.

Should I be looking for someone in UK or Cananda? We have been doing our research and there is a wide range of lawyers and agents out there. If anyone can recommend someone that they have previously used and had a positive experience with that would be much appreciated.

Any help or info appreciated. TIA!

Former Lancastrian

You can also use a Registered Consultant who might be slightly cheaper than a lawyer

Use this link to find one
Search

As for lawyers make sure they are a dedicated Immigration lawyer and not general purpose. A Canadian based one might be preferable but there are ones in the UK.

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

If you're planning on a work permit and you're from the UK, then there's no form filling for you to do anyway - the employer has to do the LMIA app, and then you just get your work permit at the airport when you arrive.

So definitely not worth hiring an immi lawyer for that imo, although you might want to when/if the time comes to apply for PR.

christopherjames

Hi & thanks for your response.

Maybe I haven't understood the process? I was told by a lawyer to apply for a work visa it takes 12-18 months to obtain a visa. Then you have 6 months to enter Canada (to activate the visa) and then up to 3 years to make the move and find a job.

Do you need to have a job/be sponsored in order to obtain a visa?

Thanks

rivingtonpike

It sounds to me like you will need a job offer to secure a work visa.

christopherjames

Thanks for your reply. From these free tests online it seems they tell you anything to get your money! I need real legal advice I think!

Siouxie

Quick Guide to Canadian Immigration : British Expat Wiki

Pulaski

If you share a few more details about your circumstances and what you are trying to do, you may find that with help from the many knowlegable and experienced members here on BE you don't necessarily need a lawyer, or at very least you will be much better informed about the process and options open to you when you do speak to a lawyer.

As you appear to have already discovered, many lawyers will confuse matters unnecessarily and make the process seem more complex than it actually usually is for most people.

christopherjames

Thank you!

christopherjames

Our goal is to immigrate to Canada and have been told this could be possible by obtaining a work visa.

Our situation is married couple UK citizens one 40 the other 36. We would like to obtain a working visa (based on the 36 old) who has a degree/work experience (over 10 years) in Finance (Risk Management).

Apparently we are not "Canada work ready" without having a work visa and employers would not consider such applicants.

Needless to say I am quite confused on where/how to start this process now

Snowy560

See this IRCC video about choosing your immigration representative:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TviX...ature=youtu.be

and this IRCC (Canadian Government) link which explains more about what Representatives do and how to select:

Using an immigration and citizenship representative

scilly

As Christmasoompa posted .......

...... obtaining a work visa requires an employer here to offer you a job, then for the employer to prove that there is no Canadian citizen or resident available and/or able to do that job. That means advertising the position across the country, interviewing applicants and keeping all the records to prove that there really is no Canadian available. That all takes about 6 months. Then the employer applies for the visa .............. the whole deal costs an employer around $1000.

As you may see, the applicant from the UK has to be really special for an employer to go through that process.

What you are looking at is finding the correct visa to come to Canada that will allow you to find work here, either before you come or afterwards. I think it is possible that more emigrants find jobs after they arrive here than before.

A lawyer will cost you a lot of money over and above what you will have to pay to the Canadian government, AND, most importantly, you will do all the work for them!!

YOU will have to collect together all the documents that you will need, the police checks, the medicals, etc ........... you will just get communications from the lawyer telling you what to get next and "send to us".

Plus ............... no lawyer can get you into Canada, that is all based on you yourself, and whether you are seen to be a potential contributing immigrant by Canada.


I tend to say things in very simplistic ways .................... but the people on here have loads of experience, both from their own emigration and from helping others. They will even guide you through most of the process!

Put the idea of a lawyer to one side for now, read some of the links provided above, ask questions on here about everything that you don't understand .... and see if you and your spouse together a file without paying out a couple of thousand pounds over and above all the other costs.

Pulaski

This!

In almost all cases, you either qualify for a visa, or you don't. There are no "hidden routes" to a visa that only immigration lawyers have access to.

Siouxie

You could also have a look into the Atlantic Pilot Project - no LMIA required to obtain a work permit while you are applying for PR, but you have to be offered a job from a designated employer and then approved by the Province. Nova Scotia has international shows (like a job fair) that you can register for. The other Provinces also have email addresses on their websites - you could contact them for further info.

How to immigrate to Canada through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot

https://novascotiaimmigration.com/ev...stration-form/

christmasoompa

Ah, I think something has been lost in translation - I think when you say 'work visa', you mean an application for PR via Express Entry. That's not a work permit, it's Permanent Residency and would mean you could work for any employer without needing sponsorship.

A work permit is usually temporary, no paperwork required, and yes, you need a job offer - but I don't think that's what you're talking about applying for.

OK, so going back to the start on that, you need to check your wife is eligible first, make sure she scores at least 67 as a Federal Skilled Worker, using this points system - Selection factors: federal skilled workers

Then once you've done that, take this test to see what her CRS score would be and let us know what it says - Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) tool: skilled immigrants (Express Entry)

A PR app will definitely be more involved, and perhaps you might want to hire a lawyer to help, but given that it's you that has dyslexia etc, and that it's your wife's application, she might feel she's happy to do it? Particularly now you've found BE and we can help! But start with the above and we can try and help you work out the next steps.

HTH get you started at least, good luck.