Immigration lawyers in Halifax

No. You can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) yourself. A lawyer is most useful when something has gone wrong — a refusal, a finding of misrepresentation or inadmissibility, a removal order — or for a refugee claim or an appeal. If you pay someone for advice, they must be a lawyer licensed by a Canadian law society, a Quebec notary, or a consultant licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.

You must have been physically in Canada for at least 1,095 days (three years) in the five years before you apply, and be a permanent resident. Applicants aged 18 to 54 also need to show English or French skills and pass the citizenship test.

It depends on the type of decision. Some refusals can be appealed to the Immigration and Refugee Board. Others can only be challenged by asking the Federal Court for leave to seek judicial review, and the deadline is short: 15 days for a matter arising in Canada, 60 days for a matter arising outside Canada. Speak to a lawyer quickly.

Through the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP), prospective immigrants who have the skills and experience needed by Nova Scotia employers may be nominated to immigrate. See the province's immigration website for the current streams and requirements.

To practise law in Nova Scotia a lawyer must be a member of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society. You can look up any lawyer in the Society's public lawyer search to check their status and to see whether they have been formally disciplined. Each lawyer on these pages was checked there before being listed, but people move firms, so check again before you hire. Complaints about a lawyer go to the Society.