Sarah Reid
Lawyer

Immigration applications are about more than just filling out application forms. Consulting with a lawyer early in the process can ultimately save you time, money and frustration in the long term. We can help you determine the type of application that is best suited to your situation and provide you with strategies to achieve your long-term immigration goals.

We can assist in a wide range of immigration matters including the following:

Why hire an immigration lawyer?

  • Lawyers in BC are regulated by the Law Society of BC which imposes stringent standards on ethics, quality of legal work, and professionalism.
  • Becoming a lawyer in Canada requires several years of post-secondary education (usually 4 years for an undergraduate degree and 3 years for a law degree) and one year of apprenticeship as an articling student under the supervision of a practising lawyer. Immigration law is complex and can have significant, life-changing consequences. These complexities are best navigated by a professional who has completed the extensive education and training required to practise law.
  • Clients are often surprised to find that legal fees charged by lawyers are comparable to or significantly lower than the exorbitant fees charged by immigration consultants.

For families

An application for permanent residence under the Family Class allows a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to sponsor certain eligible family members for permanent residence to Canada. 

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For workers & employers

We can help you with:

  • Work permit applications and extension applications
  • Applying for permanent residence as a skilled worker or semi-skilled worker
  • Hiring a temporary foreign worker
  • Supporting your employee for permanent residence
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For International Students

We can help you find the programs of study that will lead to a post-graduation work permit, or that will facilitate your entry into an occupation that will be favourable when applying for permanent residence in the future. We can also help you obtain a post-graduation work permit.

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Business & Self-Employed Immigration

Lawyers at Velletta Pedersen Christie have experience in assisting clients with permanent residence applications under the start-up visa program. We also have profound experience in business and technology, which helps clients hone their business ideas and implement start-up projects.

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I look forward to helping you
Sarah Reid

My practice is focused on immigration and citizenship law. I have experience in a wide range of immigration matters, with numerous successful outcomes for my clients. I look forward to helping you with your Canadian immigration and citizenship questions.

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Canadian Citizenship

Apply for grant of Canadian citizenship

Applications for grant of citizenship tend to be straightforward for people who meet the eligibility requirements. We encourage you to prepare these applications yourself, but if you find the process daunting or simply don’t have time to prepare the application yourself, we are happy to assist you.

Apply for proof of Canadian citizenship

Children born outside of Canada to Canadian parents will have Canadian citizenship by descent in certain circumstances. In order to formalize their citizenship, a proof of Canadian citizenship application must be submitted to obtain a Canadian citizenship certificate. If the Canadian parent of the child was born in Canada or became a citizen through naturalization (grant of citizenship) then the child will most likely be a Canadian citizen. 

There are other circumstances in citizenship law that aren’t as clear-cut. In these situations, Canadian citizenship law can be one of the most complex areas within Canadian immigration and citizenship law. A series of historical legislative changes to the Citizenship Act created, eliminated, and fixed various exceptions and loopholes. A proof of citizenship application is a low-risk method to verify Canadian citizenship status. Please contact us for more details.

Temporary Resident Visas

Visitor visa applications for entry into Canada

A visitor visa application can be one of the more challenging applications to prepare. If you have been refused for a visitor visa application, we can help you prepare a strong application to address the relevant factors, including ties to your home country, proof of finances and purpose of your visit to Canada.

Super visa applications for parents and grandparents

A super visa is an alternative to the Parents and Grandparents Program which is in very high demand every year. The super visa allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to obtain a multiple-entry, ten-year visa that allow them to stay in Canada as visitors for up to 5 years at a time. Unlike the Parents and Grandparents Program, there is no quota for the super visa, which makes this an attractive alternative.

Group of five refugee sponsorship

A group of five people or more can pool their resources to sponsor a refugee to come to Canada. This is a worthy initiative if you have the financial resources to help a family of refugees, but you should have a good understanding of the commitments that will be required from the sponsors before starting this process. Not all refugees are eligible to be sponsored under this program. If you have already identified a refugee that you want to sponsor, it is very important to have realistic expectations and clear communications with those you want to sponsor. Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring refugees to Canada under this program. 

Miscellaneous

There are other instances where consulting with a lawyer can be invaluable. We can assist with various situations involving inadmissibilities to Canada and requesting humanitarian and compassionate considerations. Among others, we can assist with the following matters:

  • Criminal rehabilitation
  • Temporary resident permit applications
  • Humanitarian and compassionate applications for permanent residence

Please contact us for details on how we can assist you.

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