What does an immigration lawyer in Montréal do?
A Montréal immigration lawyer guides people and employers through two governments at once, because immigration to Quebec is split between the province and Ottawa. The common files are permanent residence, work and study permits, family sponsorship, citizenship, and refused applications that need to be challenged. When a federal decision has to be reviewed, the case goes to the Federal Court, which sits in Montréal and hears immigration, refugee, and citizenship matters (Federal Court).
Clients come from across the island and the West Island, whether they're settling in Westmount or arriving to work near the airport in Dorval. A good lawyer matches you to the right program and keeps both tracks moving.
How does Quebec select its own immigrants?
Here's what surprises newcomers: Quebec chooses its own economic immigrants, and Ottawa does not. For most skilled-worker streams you first declare your interest in the Arrima portal, and the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) can then invite you to apply for permanent selection (Gouvernement du Québec). If you're selected, Quebec issues a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ).
The CSQ is not permanent residence on its own. Once you hold one, you apply to the federal government, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada makes the final permanent residence decision (IRCC).
What if your application is refused?
A refusal isn't always the end. You can ask the Federal Court to review a federal immigration decision through an application for leave and judicial review. Filing deadlines are short and run from the date of the refusal, so it's worth getting advice quickly. Only a lawyer, not a consultant, may represent you there.
For the application itself, Canadian law limits who you can pay to help. A paid representative must be a lawyer or paralegal in a provincial or territorial law society, a notary in the Chambre des notaires du Québec, or an immigration consultant in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (IRCC).
How do you choose an immigration firm in Montréal?
Start with a firm that regularly handles your kind of case, from a CSQ application or an employer work permit to a family sponsorship or a refusal headed for the Federal Court. Ask who will actually manage your file, how they coordinate the Quebec and federal steps, and whether they work in the language you prefer. Immigration firms serve clients across the region, from downtown Montréal to the West Island communities of Pointe-Claire, Kirkland, and Dollard-Des Ormeaux, so one is usually nearby.
You can confirm any lawyer's standing on the Barreau du Québec directory. Browse the immigration law firms in Montréal below.
