Can Paralegals in Ontario provide legal services related to immigration law?
Bill C-35, An Act to Amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act came into force on June 30, 2011 and paralegals who are licensed by the Law Society are eligible to provide legal services in the field of immigration law pursuant to Law Society Bylaw 4.
Information provided by Citizenship and Immigration Canada in Operational Bulletin 317, June 30, 2011 states:
Bill C-35 amends section 91 of the IRPA (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act) to, among other things, recognize paralegals as authorized to act as paid representatives if they are a member in good standing of a Canadian provincial / territorial law society. Thus, paralegals regulated by a law society should be treated in the same manner as Lawyers and Quebec notaries, as outlined in section 5.2 of manual chapter IP9.
Whether you are looking to start a refugee claim application, sponsor a family member or become a permanent resident in Canada BGM Legal Services can assist you in navigating the complexity and highly detailed aspects of your immigration application with Citizenship and Immigration Canada. (CIC)