The New Pilot Programs -RedFM -Punjabi Media Interview

New: Permanent Residence for International Graduates Working in Essential Occupations

More good news from IRCC. There is a new pathway for international graduates for those that work in essential occupations.  The foreign national must: Have accumulated at least one (1) year of full-time work experience, or the equivalent in part-time experience (1,560 hours), in Canada, in an eligible occupation listed in Annex A or Annex

Judicial Review -Challenging a finding that claimant is excluded from the Refugee Convention

It was a pleasure appearing before Justice Mosley of the Federal Court this last Monday. We challenged a decision of the Refugee Appeal Division that excluded our client from Refugee protection because of his permanent residence status in Italy. Like all exclusion clauses Article 1E is a complicated analysis and one that lends itself to

Discussing the Procedural Fairness Regime on the Borderlines Podcast

Borderlines · #48 – Responding to Procedural Fairness Letters, with Raj Sharma Firm founder Raj Sharma joined Steven Meurrens and Deana Okun-Nachoff on their excellent podcast, Borderlines. The discussion started with the Procedural Fairness Letter and went on to talk about Officer bias/tunnel vision among other interesting topics.   Transcript follows:   Steven Meurrens: Hello,

Record Suspension

Record Suspension   A criminal record can have severe adverse consequences on parts of your life such as your employment prospects and your ability to volunteer with vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. It can also limit your immigration opportunities. Your record may prevent you from many opportunities that would otherwise be available

Discussing the Potential Deportation of Jaskirat Sidhu Driver involved in the Humboldt Tragedy -January 22, 2021 -The Danielle Smith Show -AM770

Danielle Smith: Get to that though, we have another topic that we want to deal with. I feel I’m going to be off side was you guys all day today because I was sort of talking this over with my producers and there’s a story in the news about the Humboldt Broncos crash truck driver

Sania Chaudhry -discussing the most Frequently Asked Questions on Divorce/Separation

November 3, 2020 -Interview with CTV -the Impact of the US election on Canada’s Immigration System

It was a pleasure talking to CTV’s veteran reporter Kevin Green yesterday on the impact of the US election on Canada’s immigration system.   Immigration benefits One group that would benefit from a Trump win are those helping people immigrate to Canada. . Raj Sharma, a Calgary Immigration lawyer, said a Trump win would drive

Firm Founder Raj Sharma -Appearance before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration -Opening Statement

It was a pleasure appearing before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration today (Friday, November 6, 2020) regarding its study of the impact of COVID-19 on the immigration system.  My opening statement follows the video embed: Thank you Madam Chair; committee members. It’s my pleasure to appear before this Committee again

Discussing a Pathway to PR for So Called Low Skill Workers -Appearance before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration

On November 6, 2020 I appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration on the impact of COVID-19 on our immigration system. I made an opening statement and took questions regarding a pathway to permanent residency for so-called low skilled workers (revealed as front-line and essential workers by this pandemic). I

The Family Class

IRCC has announced the new family class based on a lottery system with the sponsor expressing their interest during a window. To sponsor, you will need to establish that you are eligible to sponsor and that the family member falls within the family class according to the Regulations. You can’t be on social assistance (CERB

Dealing with Financial Inadmissibility

Foreign nationals can be denied admission into Canada pursuant to s.39 of the Act –if there are concerns that they will rely on social assistance. After all, the objectives of the IRPA include the pursuit of the maximum economic benefits of immigration as well as the support and development of “a strong and prosperous Canadian economy” According to the relevant Manual, the provision is “designed to

Interview on CBC Alberta at Noon -Discussing the New Family Class Sponsoring Your Parents or Grandparents October 20, 2020

Judy Aldous:                       The challenges of trying to help your family immigrate in the middle of a pandemic. This is Alberta at Noon, I’m Judy Aldous. The next two weeks will be stressful ones for Albertans who want to sponsor your parents, your grandparents to immigrate. The first step in this sponsorship system is a lottery

Interview on the New Parental/Grandparent Family Class Sponsorship Program

I discussed the new (but old) immigration lottery process for Parents and Grandparents with Danielle Smith on CHQR AM770 on October 14, 2020. It’s been a bit of a merry go round with this non-economic, family class program. Parents/grand-parents are still subject to medical assessment; the sponsor is still required to meet minimum necessary income

Parents and Grandparents Family Class reopening for 2020!

There’s some good news for families looking to reunite in Canada. The parents/grandparents family class is reopening. Sponsors have a three week window, starting October 13, 2020 to indicate their interest in sponsoring parents/grandparents to Canada.   10,000 applications will be drawn this year; 30,000 next year … There are clear instructions as to how the

Internal Flight Alternative or IFA -Essential for Pakistan or Nigerian Refugee Claims

A safe and reasonable Internal Flight Alternative -or IFA -is often used as justification to refuse a refugee claim from Pakistan and Nigeria. The (availability of an) IFA must be addressed by counsel and claimant -it allows the RPD to deny a claim even if there is credible evidence that there is risk upon return.

CHC Delhi and Findings of Misrepresentation -Spousal Open Work Permits

July 24, 2020 Interview with Danielle Smith on the Federal Court striking down the Safe Third Country Agreement

Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Immigration Lawyers · July 24, 2020 Interview with Danielle Smith -Court Rules Canada – U S Safe Third

Practicing Immigration Law in the Time of COVID-19

I have practiced immigration law for over 17 years; prior to that I was a Refugee Protection Officer -sort of tribunal counsel to the RPD -the largest Division within the IRB, itself the largest administrative decision making tribunal in Canada. COVID-19 and the response to the pandemic was an unprecedented disruption to the practice of

Safe Third Country Agreement Struck Down

History Safe Third Country Agreement between US and Canada – in effect since Dec 2014 CDN and US declare each other as safe for refugees Applies to refugees arriving from US at a Canada land POE … with some exceptions (family member in Canada, unaccompanied minors, stateless individuals) First legal challenge to the constitutionality of