Felicita's practice is exclusively focused on Canadian immigration law. Each file is handled with strategic clarity, cultural competence, and the precision that complex regulatory work demands.
Work, study, or visit: strategic guidance across the full range of temporary-status pathways, prepared with an eye on your longer-term goals.
Building a permanent future in Canada through skilled-worker pathways, family reunification, and discretionary relief.
Compassionate, rigorous representation for those seeking protection in Canada, from initial claim through hearing and appeal.
For clients removed from Canada who wish to return, an ARC requires careful preparation. Felicita builds the strongest possible case.
Solutions for clients facing criminal inadmissibility to Canada, focused on opening a clear pathway forward.
For those coming to Canada to work, study, or visit, the right temporary status is the foundation of everything that follows. Each pathway is matched to your circumstances and prepared with precision.
Work for any eligible employer in Canada, with no LMIA, no confirmed job offer, and no occupation restrictions. Typically available to those with a qualifying connection to Canada:
When no qualified Canadian is available, an employer can hire a foreign worker through a Labour Market Impact Assessment, a two-step ESDC and IRCC process:
Work permits that advance Canada's broader economic, cultural, and social interests, without labour-market testing:
Required for any program longer than six months at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). The permit is typically valid for the length of the program plus an additional 90 days to prepare to leave Canada or extend your stay.
An official document placed in your passport confirming you meet the requirements to enter Canada temporarily, whether as a visitor, worker, or student. Applicants must show they will be in Canada temporarily and that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and return home, are in good health, do not intend to work or study without authorization, and meet all admissibility requirements.
The pathways to building a permanent life in Canada, for skilled workers, families, and those whose circumstances call for discretionary relief.
Canada's flagship system for selecting skilled workers for permanent residence, managing applications under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Targeted draws for candidates who meet Canada's evolving labour-market priorities:
Allows a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to sponsor a spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner for PR. Built on careful documentation and strong evidence of a genuine relationship:
For those who would not normally be eligible for PR. An officer weighs factors such as how settled you are in Canada, your family ties here, the best interests of any children involved, and the hardship of a refusal.
Canada's refugee protection system offers safety to those who cannot return home because they face persecution, violence, or a risk to their life or freedom. The process is overseen by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).
A claim can be made at a port of entry (airport, land border, or seaport) or inside Canada at an IRCC office. If eligible, it is referred to the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) for a full hearing.
Strong claims rest on thorough preparation:
The RPD hearing is your opportunity to explain why you fled, the risks you face if returned, and why you need Canada's protection, presented clearly and supported by the evidence on file.
Following the hearing, you receive a decision. Where appropriate, Felicita represents clients in appeals to the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) and on related applications.
An ARC is special permission required for individuals who were previously removed from Canada and now wish to return. Whether you need one, and the case that must be made, depends on the order that was issued.
A mandatory ARC is required before returning to Canada.
An ARC is required only if you did not leave Canada within 30 days, or did not verify your departure with the CBSA.
An ARC is required if you wish to return before the one-year ban expires, or if you did not obtain a Certificate of Departure. In every case, the application is built around the strongest possible supporting documentation and clear submissions on the circumstances of your removal.
Individuals with past convictions or offences may be found criminally inadmissible, unable to enter or remain in Canada without resolving that inadmissibility. Two primary pathways exist to overcome the barrier.
You may be criminally inadmissible if you have any of the following, whether the offence was recent or many years ago:
A permanent solution that clears inadmissibility for past offences. You may be eligible if:
When you need to enter Canada before you are eligible for CR, a TRP can bridge the gap. It can be issued even shortly after an offence, allows entry for a specific purpose, and requires showing that the need to enter outweighs the risk.
Many immigration files cut across multiple categories. A consultation is the fastest way to map your circumstances to the right path forward.