Why you should  use a lawyer to  apply for immigration

2. Experienced immigration lawyers are able to assess a case prior to commencing the immigration process and recommend the best strategy to ensure the success of the application. 

3. Because of the bureaucratic nature of the visa process, regular contact 
with the Canadian Consulate or Embassy handling the application is 
necessary. Savvy immigration lawyers know who to contact, how and when, to expedite the processing of an application. 

4. Immigration lawyers prepare applications checking all the information provided by an applicant in the application forms, prepare professional presentations which highlight the positive aspects of an applicant's 
qualifications and experience, and enclose relevant supporting documentation, thus maximizing the applicant's chances of success. 

 5. When problems arise during the processing of an application, the 
assistance of an immigration lawyer is essential. 

6. Immigration lawyers ensure that all supporting documents are presented in support of an application, avoiding unnecessary delays which may occurwhen documents are incomplete. 

 7. Immigration lawyers know how to take advantage of special policies 
which may benefit an applicant, and ask visa officers to exercise them in the appropriate case. 

8. In many cases, immigration lawyers are able to obtain a "waiver" of the interview for a client and avoid the trouble and expense of traveling to a Canadian Consulate or Embassy. 

9. Even when applicants are required to attend an interview at a Canadian Consulate or Embassy, lawyers are able to prepare clients to answer the questions likely to be asked by a visa officer. 

10. The professional presentation of a client's case may avoid unnecessary misunderstandings about his or her qualifications and experience that may result in the failure of an application. 
 

1. Lawyers are members of the Bar of one of the Provinces in Canada and 
are strictly regulated by the Provincial Law Societies. They undergo many years of study and rigorous training, not limited to immigration issues. Typically, lawyers must attend university for at least two years of an Undergraduate program, such as a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Science (B.Sc.), and may hold such degrees before being admitted to Law School. Candidates must undergo rigorous examinations and have very high grades in order to enter Law School, a very competitive environment. After three 
years of classes, they graduate with a Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B.). 
Upon completion of that part of their studies, candidates must "article" under the supervision of a lawyer or law firm for a year, and also attend and pass 
the Bar Admission Course, before they can be called to the Bar and become full-fledged lawyers, known as "Barristers and Solicitors". 
In contrast, "consultants" need not attend any school, as none provides any degree known as "immigration consultant". Many "consultants" have no 
degree whatsoever. 

2. Lawyers must carry, by law, professional liability insurance to protect clients' interests.  "Consultants" are not required to have any insurance at all, and in fact, most have none. 

3. Lawyers are regulated and monitored by the Provincial Law Societies. "Consultants" are unregulated and unlicensed. 

4. Lawyers cannot offer "guarantees" to clients in any legal proceedings, and can not make false or misleading claims in advertisements, including specific rates of "success", or doing comparative advertising. "Consultants" are not regulated in their advertising practices. 

5. Lawyers must abide by a written Code of Professional Conduct. "Consultants" are not bound by any such code of ethics.