Entries by Elizabeth Wozniak

Adventures in Isolation-Land: exemptions from the mandatory 14-day quarantine period: US essential services and critical infrastructure workers

Many Canadian businesses rely on regular cross-border trips by US-based workers. Whether it is to maintain machinery and equipment or oversee operations, these visits are usually of short durations and are time-sensitive. Sometimes, the US based workers are even Canadian citizens or permanent residents who still have to isolate for 2 weeks upon arrival in […]

June 21, 2020 by

The Pandemic is a Portal (Law Practice 2.0 Edition)

Arundati Roy is one of my favorite authors. And while, as the uncracked spines of the pile of books on my windowsill attest, my reading over the past while has been profoundly disappointing, I love what she has written about the pandemic. To be sure, seeing the disruption and devastation the pandemic has caused as […]

June 18, 2020 by

Whiplash, immigration-style

It’s not business as usual, not even close. But here at North Star, we’ve been working hard to continue to serve and advise clients as the rules change and shift before our eyes, sometimes mid-sentence. Our national immigration lawyer listserv has been tireless in reacting to the various announcements and guidance like it is in […]

April 1, 2020 by

Our Coronavirus plan: a message to clients and colleagues

At North Star Immigration Law, we are making efforts to ensure that our clients and employees are safe, healthy and helping to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus. No one in our Halifax office has travelled by airplane since mid-January and we are all observing the recommendations (social distancing, no handshaking, coughing/sneezing etiquette and hand […]

March 13, 2020 by

From Russia with Vavilov

The sentiment may be holiday-induced, but certain passages in Vavilov feel like sips from a cup of fresh eggnog. The Court’s take on choice of standard may spill the most ink in administrative legal circles. Yet, it is snippets from the Court’s subsequent master class on “Reasonableness & the Culture of Justification” that immigration litigators should […]

December 20, 2019 by

North Star Immigration Law update: with a side of salt and vinegar chips

Apparently time flies when you’re practicing immigration law! We were in Guadeloupe then I blinked and now it’s Halloween. Nova Scotia continues to chart new territory with new immigration streams such as: Occupations in Demand: truck drivers and nurse’s aides– these are NOC C jobs which normally require 6-months experience with the NS employer before […]

October 31, 2019 by

Pop-up Law Shop? Why not!

Lawyers have mandatory continuing professional development but it can start to feel, at least in our office where there is almost constant collaboration, like everything we do is one big professional development session. Conference? Check. Lunch and learn? Check. Networking event? Check. Consultations with government? Check. Group yoga? Um, no (but we really wish we […]

May 4, 2019 by

Psst…this is how you can use the NS AIP Designated Employers list

Every morning, we wake up to many email inquiries sent from random people, around the world, trying their luck at email-blasting to find a job in Canada. Here are just the re lines from today’s emails: “Re: Looking for employment : Atlantic immigration pilot program” “Interested to get job offer for AIPP” “A Job Offer […]

November 12, 2018 by

Welcome Sophie Chiasson!

Halifax, Nova Scotia – October 22, 2018 – North Star Immigration Law Inc. is pleased to welcome Sophie Chiasson to the firm as an associate. Ms. Chiasson articled under two Justices of the Federal Court of Canada. She has lived and worked in Egypt, England, New Zealand and Uganda. North Star continues to assist individuals […]

November 3, 2018 by