Entries by Elizabeth Wozniak

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The Little 🇨🇦☂️

We often get inquiries from people who are permanent residents (PRs) of Canada and have lived here for several years. They need to depart Canada for job opportunities, or sick relatives or other reasons that will take them away for a number of years. And they are worried about losing their PR status. Often they […]

IRCC’s New IT: There is such a thing as too many portals

@CitImmCanada used to have 2 online systems for submitting electronic applications: MyCIC for individuals and the Rep Portal for representatives (lawyers/consultants). This was in addition to some specific portals, for example for employers and universities. But the bulk of immigration applications would be submitted through those 2 main portals. They are glitchy and cumbersome but […]

On your mark, get set for May 6! Three new PR pathways

On April 14, 2021, IRCC announced three new pathways to PR for people who are presently in Canada (and intend to live anywhere except Quebec): People currently employed in Canada who also have one year of work experience in health care or an essential service (cap: 20,000 health stream and 30,000 essential stream) French-speaking applicants […]

OH HAI…

It’s 2021. Obviously I need to post some updates. Where to start? Elise Welcome Elise Mercier, our newest lawyer! In October, the intrepid Elise packed up her belongings and moved here from Ontario to join North Star. And from her first week in the office, she has been a huge help with our volume of […]

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#lovematters: New process for extended family reunification

IRCC recently announced that people with a close connection to a Canadian can request authorization to travel. Until now, the exemption has only applied to close family members, shutting out everyone other than children, parents and spouses. And, oh ya, guardians. With last weeks’ announcement of expanding the exemptions to relieve hardship to people who […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]