Blaney McMurtry LLP is internationally recognized for its expertise in Canadian and United States immigration law. Our Immigration Law Group provides comprehensive expertise in issues relating to immigration, for both corporations and individuals. Our services extend to both individuals who wish to reside in Canada and to corporations who are seeking to attract employees.

Blaney McMurtry LLP provides the highest quality of legal services for its clients, while acting with the utmost professionalism and integrity. Our Immigration Law Group represents clients from all over the world; its members are familiar with the issues that affect immigration applicants and have the expertise to resolve them efficiently and effectively. Our staff is fluent in over 20 languages and is able to serve clients of diverse nationalities in their own language.

A non-exhaustive list of immigration-related legal issues for which the Immigration Law Group offers representation appears below:

Canadian Immigration law

Temporary Resident Status

• Temporary resident visa applications at Canadian consulates;
• Visitor admissions for business and pleasure;
• Work permits requiring Labour Market Opinions (“LMO”);
• Work permits pursuant to the North American Free Trade Agreement for U.S. and Mexican citizens (NAFTA professional, treaty trader, treaty investor, and NAFTA intracompany transferee);
• Work permits pursuant to the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement for Chilean citizens;
• Work permits pursuant to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (“GATS”) for citizens of member countries;
• LMO-exempt work permits (general intracompany transferees, significant benefit to Canada, International Experience Canada exchange programs, academic exchanges, Canadian Youth World Program exchanges, cultural agreement exchanges, spousal work permits, post-graduate work permits, off campus work permits for students);
• Work permits for performers and athletes;
• Study permits;
• Work permits for live-in caregivers;
• Temporary resident permits and rehabilitations for inadmissible persons;
• Extensions or stay; and
• Restorations of status.

Permanent Residence

• Provincial Nominee Program applications;
• Canadian Experience Class applications;
• Federal Skilled Worker applications;
• Immigrant Investor applications
• Entrepreneur applications;
• Self-employed applications; and
• Family Class applications.

Canadian Citizenship

• Naturalization applications; and
• Citizenship applications for persons born abroad.

Other Services

• Offshore trusts;
• Federal court appeals;
• Social Insurance Number applications;
• Customs issues;
• Canadian Pardon applications; and
• Ontario Health Insurance Plan (“OHIP”) applications.

United States Immigration Law

Nonimmigrant Status

• Nonimmigrant visa applications at United States embassies and consulates;
• Visitors for business (“B-1”);
• Visitors for pleasure (“B-2”);
• Work permits for Canadian professionals under NAFTA (“TN”);
• Work permits for specialty occupations (“H-1B”);
• Work permits for nationals of Chile and Singapore in specialty occupations (“H-1B1”);
• Skilled and unskilled temporary workers (“H-2B”);
• Intracompany transferee work permits (“L-1A/L-1B”);
• Work permits for treaty traders and investors (“E-1/E-2”);
• Work permits for Australian citizens working in specialty occupations (“E-3”);
• Student status (“F-1/M-1”);
• Exchange visitor status (“J-1”);
• Fiancés (“K-1”) and immigrant spouses (“K-3”) of United States citizens;
• Work permits for extraordinary ability aliens (“O-1”);
• Work permits for persons providing essential support to O-1 aliens (“O-2”);
• Work permits for internationally recognized athletes and entertainment groups (“P-1”);
• Work permits for artists, entertainers and entertainment groups pursuant to reciprocal exchange programs (“P-2”);
• Work permits for culturally unique artists and entertainers (“P-3”);
• Work permits for religious workers (“R-1”);
• Nonimmigrant waivers of inadmissibility under INA §212(d)(3);
• Applications for permission to reapply after removal; and
• Requests for NSEERS waivers.

Permanent Residence

• First preference employment-based immigration (aliens of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and multinational executives and managers);
• Second preference employment-based immigration (members of the professions holding advanced degrees, aliens of exceptional ability, national interest waivers);
• Third preference employment-based immigration (skilled workers, professionals and other workers);
• PERM labor certification applications;
• Permanent residence for Schedule A pre-certified occupations;
• EB-5 immigrant investor applications;
• Family-based U.S. immigration applications;
• Diversity immigration lottery applications and consular processing;
• Special immigrant religious workers;
• American Indians born in Canada;
• Immigrant visa processing at U.S. embassies and consulates;
• Adjustment of status applications;
• Immigrant waivers of inadmissibility; and
• Maintenance of lawful permanent residence (re-entry permits and commuter alien cards).

United States Citizenship

• Applications for United States citizenship through birth abroad to a U.S. citizen parent;
• United States naturalization applications;
• Loss of citizenship and dual nationality issues; and
• United States Passport applications.