British Columbia
1 lawyer whose firm covers immigration work in Victoria. Each lawyer was checked on their provincial law society's public directory before being listed — check again before you hire, as people move firms. Browsing Lawvoo is free.
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Alison Rhynas · Partner, Family Law · Immigration · Victoria
931 Fort Street, 4th Floor, Victoria, BC V8V 3K3
Family law partner who represents clients in the Provincial Court and the Supreme Court and negotiates out-of-court settlements. The firm also covers immigration, employment law, real estate, wills and estates, and personal injury.
Work and study permits, Express Entry and permanent residence, family sponsorship, refugee claims and citizenship. Immigration is federal — applications go to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — and British Columbia nominates some applicants through the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP).
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.
The BC PNP is British Columbia's immigration program for workers, entrepreneurs and businesses seeking permanent residence in the province. See the BC government's WelcomeBC website for the current streams and requirements.
To practise law in British Columbia a lawyer must be a member of the Law Society of British Columbia. You can look up any lawyer in the Law Society's public Lawyer Directory, which shows their practising status and any discipline history. Each lawyer on these pages was checked in that directory before being listed, but people move firms, so check again before you hire. Complaints about a lawyer go to the Law Society.
Listings are provided for information only and are not legal advice or a recommendation. Always check a lawyer in the Law Society of British Columbia's Lawyer Directory before hiring them. Looking for a different area? Browse all practice areas.