Immigration can be a headache when the glamour wears off and reality sets in. The bureaucracy is challenging and confusing, and one mistake can set you back. You don’t have to give up a new life. Getting an immigration consultant can save you time and money, and teach you so much about your upcoming experience.
Comprehensive Support for Your Application Process
Comprehensive is the keyword. People who research the process won’t get enough information or the benefit of experience. That’s the consultant’s job. They’ve been through the tough spots and will know the nuances you’ll miss.
The consultant will advise you on the timeline for completion. They’ll acquaint you with the application and documentation for the Canadian immigration authorities. Many people waste time and money redoing an application or hunting down documents that are wrong or missing.
You’ll Understand Your Specific Process
With an immigration consultant, you’ll understand your specific process much better. True, there are standard processes, but there are add-ons for unique situations. You’ll be grateful that you secured a professional should you have an issue.
After your consultant gets the administrative ball rolling, they can advise you on how to prepare emotionally. You’ll need to prepare your family and tie up loose ends. The consultant has experience watching the personal change of other clients. They can tell you what to focus on.
Practical matters such as bank accounts, real estate, or anything you can’t return for need attention. Rushing around at the last minute under the stress of immigration happens without the benefit of a consultant.
Legal Assistance throughout the Visa Application Process
Practical loose ends handled incorrectly can create legal issues. Your consultant may work with attorneys or can recommend one to help with complicated visa legalities. Those practicalities can show up in several ways.
- Failure to provide the necessary support documentation.
- You don’t have adequate financial resources for traveling to or living in Canada. If you have a family, this must be furnished for them.
- The immigration officer has a reason to believe you have illegal intent for entry.
- Your health status doesn’t pass.
- Failed security requirements such as a criminal record or already overstayed a visa in Canada or another country. It doesn’t matter how long ago it was.
The consultant won’t be able to do much about a criminal record and an attorney may have limited power in that area. This is a great example of extenuating circumstances supporting the need for a consultant. If there is a way, you won’t know without them.
Provision of Alternative Visa Options
Your immigration consultant has the resources to find alternative visa options. Sometimes the visa you need isn’t possible. This may be temporary, so the consultant may have to help you jump through some hoops and find a loophole. This scenario is common. Here are some of the alternative ways your consultant can secure an alternate visa. Keep in mind, these are only a couple of examples.
- Work visas may be impossible for the status they have right now. Your consultant will look into a visitor visa or a business visa, which would be longer-term. They could extend a visitor visa to lend the immigrant enough time to take care of the personal and financial side of the process.
- The next action an immigration consultant may take is to investigate alternative immigration programs other than the one they’re applying for. In consultation with the client, the consultant will cover each of the visa and program types the client may be qualified for.
Expertise in Canadian Immigration Law and Regulations
Immigration law is complicated. The consultant is an expert on the latest immigration law and regulations. They should be working with a legal specialist that can stand up for them if they get caught in a legal snare.
The point of an immigration consultant is that they can keep you out of trouble and make sure the process is as seamless as possible. Let’s break it down so you can see the benefit more clearly.
Let’s say you do the process yourself. The first step that most people would do is to get the application and start filling it out in a rush and send it in. Sure, they may get the package insured, so it doesn’t get lost, and even go as far as a signature required receipt. They’ll think they’ve done all there is to do and acceptance is up to the fates.
These are the top reasons people fail and that’s what most embassies and immigration count on. ‘Natural selection’ would take control and produce a solid failure rate. Only those who have the right connections would get in. That takes time and money. Meaning, less saturation on the country and immigration resources.
In fact, the process, when done solo can be so exhausting and discouraging that many will give up after the first try.
If you’re not a refugee or asylum seeker, they may not prioritize you in some countries that benefit from that. If you aren’t a rocket scientist or some other professional that country needs–guess what? You’re not getting in.
Canada has always been this way for as long as most can remember. Even Americans, Canada’s next-door neighbor, can’t just walk in and stay. This is one country you really want an immigration consultant for.
The Final Word on the Benefits of Hiring an Immigration Consultant
Immigration is a very personal experience. It’s a process that’s more than just papers–it’s about people. People who are seeking a better life for themselves and their families for those that have them. An immigration consultant can be an ally in the contentious fight between the client and the blocks that stand between them and that life.
There are other benefits. You have a human that’s not only trained in the process–but can empathize with your issues. There’s nothing better than the personal experience to bring comfort and knowledge into a stressful process.
Related article: How much does it Cost to apply for a Canada Visit Visa?