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Calgary immigration lawyer Evelyn Ackah discusses Ackah Business Immigration Law immigration case studies and success stories in Canada and the United States, including:
- A Filipino foreign worker whose immigration case was derailed when he was injured in a robbery and could no longer work, or bring his mother to Canada from the Philippines to assist him.
- A professional dancer who changed Canadian employers and had difficulties securing a work permit.
- An employee on TRP who applied for Permanent Residence, and an old DUI from his home country derailed the PR process.
- The challenges faced by an Iranian who went to school in Canada, but his employment opportunities ended due to Covid.
- An expedited citizenship application for an athlete who wanted to join the Canadian team to compete in the Olympics.
About Evelyn Ackah
Evelyn Ackah is the Founder and Managing Lawyer at Ackah Business Immigration Law. We work with individuals and business owners from all over the world who want to cross borders seamlessly. For more information on immigration to Canada or the United States, Ask Evelyn Ackah at Ackah Business Immigration Law today at (403) 452‑9515 or email Evelyn directly at contact@ackahlaw.com.
The Ask Canada Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah podcast by Calgary Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah was named #1 Best Canada Immigration Podcast in 2022 by Feedspot.
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Transcript:
Good day everyone. It's Evelyn Ackah from the Ask Canada Immigration Lawyer podcast, Evelyn Ackah. As well, I'm on a LinkedIn Live today, and I wanted to say hello to everybody. Thank you for joining or listening to the recording thereafter. Today, I want to focus on immigration case studies and some of our success stories with the team at Ackah Law. It's really exciting to do the work we do. Obviously, I've been doing it for 23 years, so I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't love it, but there are always some memorable files and cases that stay with you and that make it all worthwhile and that give you that real sense of achievement and accomplishment. So today, as we start the new year, I'd like to talk about some of those cases and explain some of the nuances and the dynamics and the things that we do so that our clients and potential clients have an understanding of our expertise and our passion.
So, one of the first cases that I'd like to talk about, and this goes back to probably about eight years ago, is a file that meant a lot to me. It came to me via a large corporation. You can find out all the details because the videos on the main page of Ackah Law, or one of our videos on the Ackah Law site. But it was the case of Filipino employee who had been brought to Canada under labour market impact assessment to work for a company in the convenience store. And really hardworking. He'd only been in Canada for a few months all by himself, and unfortunately he was working the night shift and the convenience store tied to the gas station he was working with was robbed and he was shot in the process, just devastating, and he had significant injuries. So, I was brought in at the time to see if I can assist with his status while he was recovering because he wasn't working, as well as to help bring his mother from the Philippines so he would have support.
He lost one or two of his digits and had some damage to his eyes as well as his face, so it was a very long recovery. And so I was privileged to be able to help this client and this family to be able to bring his mother to Canada to help stay with him as a visitor for quite a while, I think almost a year. And then although he was not working anymore, the wonderful corporate client supported [inaudible 00:03:00] financially so that... He wasn't even their employee. It was like a sub level of employee or contact. They supported him, they helped with his recovery in all his expenses and paid him, and they also helped him find employment when he was up and able to work again. And I'm pleased to say that he recently became a Canadian citizen late last year.
We helped him at his permanent residence, and then we helped him... He was able to get his citizenship. So, it's very grateful to have the opportunity to help in a situation like this where not a lot of people would've had the resources or the support that this client had. And I'm just thrilled. He's now married, and he's a Canadian citizen and his wife is on the way, I think, and they're starting their life all over again in Canada. So, that's one of the most memorable files I've ever had.
Another one of our files from last year was working with a professional dancer who had come to Canada under the cultural arts category. There's an exemption from the need to have a labour market impact assessment. And he had already been in Canada for a while working with another company, and he had moved on from that dance company and found a new employer. And it wasn't easy, but we were able to help get him as well a new work permit under the new employer.
And there were some interesting challenges with that file, but I was thrilled to be able to help with that. And he was very successful and got a three year work permit and will be helping with this permanent residence. This is one of those files where the person was applying and was transferring from, I think it was LA or California to Vancouver, and then Calgary, and did not realize when you booked his flight, you need to give yourself at least two or three hours in between the transfers because he would be doing his work permit application right at the airport in Vancouver, not in Calgary. Many people get this wrong. They don't realize that the first port of entry is their entry point to Canada. So, I was really stressed for him because I said he might need to cancel or he might miss his flight, but he managed to do his magic, maybe did some dancing, I don't know.
But he was able to get it all done in an hour before he had to get on the flight and didn't miss his flight, and was incredibly grateful and appreciative. And we were just so happy it all worked out because it wasn't easy for sure. So, that was last year, 2022, a wonderful story, wonderful professional, well-known global professional dancer to have the fund to be able to work with him and to help support the creative arts further here in Alberta and in Canada.
I'd like to then move on to another file that has been with me for a very long time. And it's very strange to me why it took so long, but this fall started originally with me doing a labour market impact assessment for the main applicant. And then his partner, his husband was also coming as a worker. And there was some issue back in the day, and this is very common, I think it was a DUI, and it was very common from the partner's perspective.
So, we had to clear that up, and he was able to join his husband in Canada and has been successfully integrated. They're both working, thriving, successful. As soon as we were eligible to do the permanent residence for them, they asked us to help with that, and we did it. And what was so interesting was this file just took so long. We've had other files approved and approved and approved. This file, for whatever reason, just seemed to fit on someone's desk in immigration. I'm not sure. And it was very frustrating and stressful for everybody, and we kept following up and following up and following up and following up. And I always say this is probably one of my longest PR files. I think the balance of having the TRP, the temporary resident permit requirement for the DUI may have impacted, but I've seen people who had the same that were pros faster.
So just at the end of last year, finally after probably two and a half years, we are able to get the approval. And the PR card is on the way, and I'm so excited to see my friends who are now basically my friends, and we're going to have a nice glass of wine to celebrate and toast them. But it's been a long haul, and we stick with you throughout the whole thing. And no matter what, we continue and continue and continue, and there are no additional fees, to make sure that you can get what you need and be approved and start your life in Canada. So, that one feels really, really fulfilling because it was such a long, stressful experience for the couple, and I'm just so happy that now Canada is their home.
One of my other files I want to talk about is one that was happening late last year. We were asked to help to see what was possible for a labour market impact assessment for somebody working in the arts, very high level, went to school in Canada, originally from Iran. And because of COVID and some of the challenges of finding permanent employment in that field, this person wasn't able to obtain that 12 months of professional work experience to qualify for permanent residence. And so he was brought to me, referred to me by one another of our existing clients, which we're always so grateful for, to receive referrals from clients who are happy, who've worked with us in the past. And we take such good care of them because they've come through a referral, even more so, if that's possible.
And we were able to find him, which is not what we do. We don't usually find employment, but we were able, with the help of our referral source and other colleagues, to help find him an employer that was needing his significant expertise working in film and television and was willing to do the labor market impact assessment for him. And it just broke your heart thinking that we'd have to maybe send him back to Iran early this year. So, we all worked really hard, we worked our networks, we prepared the application for the LMIA, we got all the approvals we needed, and he was approved for the LMIA, which is wonderful, and to continue working and did not have to go back to Iran, and was able now... We're starting his permanent residence. So I mean, those are such fulfilling files because we know what's at stake. We know the fear or the risk that's involved with having to return to a regime like that.
And we know that somebody who's been here going to school and educated here is perfectly adapted to Canadian society, but for COVID, and but for the inability to get consistent long-term work in that industry, he was in this difficult situation. And so, we're thrilled that we're going to be doing his permanent residence, and he will be able to become a citizen down the line. And he's going to be gainfully employed in the entertainment industry, I'm sure, for a very long time.
The last one I want to share is about... We did this one a few years ago. Sometimes people come to us and ask if we can expedite citizenship applications for a specific reason. And in this case, it was so cool. This client was a top ranked karate, I guess athlete, and was coming from another country, but has been living in Canada and was a permanent resident and training even with the Canadian karate team or whatever that team was called. And he wanted to represent Canada at the Olympics that were coming up, I believe. And usually, we never guarantee expedite a result.
However, we worked our networks, we pushed really hard, we contacted everybody we could, and we were able to get his Canadian citizenship application expedited so that he got his citizenship and was able to represent Canada. These are just three or four of the most amazing files I've worked on over my 23 years. It really is a labor of love to do this type of work and to get the results we're able to get for our clients. And they feel so appreciative, and we feel so honoured to be able to be a part of their immigration journey and the success that they are going to bring to Canada when they settle here in Canada. I have lots and lots more of these stories to share, but that's all I have time for today. If you'd like to learn more about the immigration services, we can provide at Ackah Business Immigration Law, please contact us at the details below, and we'd love to talk to you and see if we can help you or your family or your employee cross border seamlessly.
Take good care and stay well. Bye-bye.
