Immigration lawyers in Saskatoon

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 Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), the province nominates successful applicants to the federal government for permanent residence in Canada. Approved applicants must still apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, within six months of being nominated. See the Government of Saskatchewan's website for the current categories and requirements.

To practise law in Saskatchewan a lawyer must be a member of the Law Society of Saskatchewan. You can look up any lawyer in the Law Society's public directory, which shows where they practise and has a discipline column; the Law Society also publishes its discipline decisions. Each lawyer on these pages was checked in that directory before being listed, but people move firms, so check again before you hire. Concerns about a lawyer go to the Law Society.