Frequently Asked Questions

1. Talk with our team – we’ll assess your situation.  If you’re needing or requesting specific answers and guidance, we’ll send you a link to book a scheduled paid immigration consultation. Otherwise, we’ll send you a brief proposal and outline of the services that we can provide you.

2. If you’d like to work with us, we’ll then send you a Retainer Agreement electronically through AdobeSign, as well as an electronic invoice that can be paid online.  We do everything electronically to make working with us as smooth as possible.

3. We’ll then schedule an initial call or meeting to triage documents and data that we’ll be needing from you.  We don’t believe in sending big blank forms or generic questionnaires for you to fill out without assistance.  Instead, we customize a set of instructions and checklists exactly to your situation and conduct the large parts of data collection WITH you, through calls and customized short-lists. We do everything possible to work in collaboration with you and to make things easy.

4. We’ll then prepare all necessary government applications and run them through our rigorous sets of internalization checklists and quality control processes.

5. We’ll then prepare and submit files to the appropriate immigration authorities on your behalf, acting as your appointed Authorized Representative before all levels of Canadian immigration departments (IRCC, ESDC, CBSA, PNP, and the IRB), as required.

6. We’ll process and manage all government correspondence, manage file number issuance, submission confirmations, as well as submit and manage all relevant maintained status documents and interim work authorization requests.

7. During processing, we’ll communicate with all Canadian government authorities as required and will prepare all responses to requested documentation.  Our secure downtown Vancouver mailing address will be available to receive any issued government documentation on your behalf – and we’ll mail it or courier to you once processed.  You will never miss any important mail or correspondence.

8. Upon final decision, we’ll process all government approvals and help facilitate necessary document transmission securely to you.  Should there be any errors or issues with the relevant government authorities, we will be there to assist in getting things rectified quickly for you.

We aim to make the decision to retain our services as efficiently as possible. To do this, we need to understand your situation, problem, and goals to offer a viable solution and package of services.

There are two ways to achieve this:

1. Request a Callback: Fill out our “Talk With Our Team” form to provide an overview of your situation. We will then reach out by phone, email, or text to understand your needs better and draft a proposal for you. If you accept the proposal, we’ll enter into a retainer agreement and get started.
   
2. Paid Immigration Consultation: For detailed, specific, and tangible output from a meeting, you can schedule a paid immigration consultation. These sessions, lasting 30 to 60 minutes, can be held by phone, video call, or in person. These consultations are ideal if you wish to self-file, self-represent, or need a detailed assessment and written roadmap of your situation. If you retain our services after the consultation, the cost will be credited towards your retainer.

Please note that we do not offer in-person meetings outside the context of a paid immigration consultation. However, we’re happy to discuss your situation over the phone, email, or text to generate a proposal for you.

If you need a complete assessment of your situation with a written response outlining your points calculations, options, and a thorough expert analysis, especially for permanent residence or complex work permit scenarios, then a paid immigration consultation is the right choice. If you’re unsure, simply fill out our “Talk With Our Team” form. We’ll chat with you briefly, analyze your situation, and, if necessary, send you a link to book a paid immigration consultation. We aim to make retaining our services simple and frictionless while ensuring we can provide specific advice within the professional constraints of a consultation.

Our fees vary depending on the complexity and specifics of each case. Here’s a general baseline to give you an understanding:

• Permanent Residence Applications (Economic Classes like Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs): Base fee of $4,000 CAD for a single applicant, plus government fees. Fees increase with the complexity of the program and the addition of family members.
• Work Permit Applications (Inside Canada): Base fee ranges from $945 CAD for simple renewals to more than $2,500 CAD for more complex cases.
• Work Permit Applications (Outside Canada): Base fee of $1,700 CAD, increasing with complexity, country of residence, country of citizenship, family composition, occupation and immigration history.
• Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs): Base fee of $3,500 CAD for a simple first-time application, increasing with complexity, including transition plan reporting, returning employers, multiple employees, unionized environments, and complex work scenarios, including tiered wages and hybrid occupations.
• Intra-Company Transfers: Base fee of $5,000 CAD for a master company file plus the initial work permit application.
• Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs) and Accompanying Family Members: Base fee of $1,500 CAD and up.
• Spousal or Common-Law Sponsorship for Permanent Residence: Base fee of $5,500 CAD, including an open work permit if needed.

For hourly work and consultations, our rate is $315 CAD per hour, with 30-minute consultations being $175 CAD.  All baseline fees above do not include government fees.

We don’t offer free immigration consultations because the value and specific advice we deliver far exceed what can be provided for free. Our professional responsibilities require that specific, regulated immigration advice be given with consideration. We value our time and yours. While we’re happy to learn about your situation and provide a proposal, we do not offer free immigration consultations in response to specific problems.

We typically operate on a fixed-fee basis and create customized payment schedules based on the services offered. Often, we ask for the full amount of our professional fees as a retainer. In other cases, we break the payment into segments, such as 50% on retainer and 50% on submission, or three to four instalments, depending on the file’s size, scope, complexity, and timeline. We do our best to offer payment terms that are relevant to the complexity and scope of the file and work with clients in various circumstances. We do not offer contingency billing, so our fees are not dependent on visa success or approval.

We accept payments by all major credit cards, EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer), wire transfer, Interac eTransfer, PayPal, MoneyGram, Western Union, and WISE. In limited circumstances, we also accept cash and cheques.

Our online booking system for consultations accepts all major credit cards and PayPal. If these options aren’t available to you, please email us or fill out our “Talk With Our Team” form. We’ll arrange for you to pay by Interac eTransfer or another digital wallet.

We have a no-refund policy in alignment with CICC guidelines, particularly regarding refunds for non-successful applications or negative decisions. All fees paid are for professional services rendered. Therefore, we do not provide refunds for fees in cases where applications have been unsuccessful.

At this time, we do not offer discounts on our fees. Our fees reflect the high level of professional services we provide and the value of our time and expertise. Past experiences have shown that discounts do not accurately reflect the quality and value of the services we deliver to our clients.

We understand the prevalence of scams and bad actors in the immigration and international recruitment world. You can verify us in a few ways:

1. CICC Registry: Verify our Senior Immigration Manager, Matthew Iwama, on the College of Citizenship and Immigration Consultants of Canada (CICC) registry here
2. B.C. Foreign Worker Recruiter Registry: Check our Foreign Worker Recruiter License with the Province of British Columbia. Search for Matthew Iwama.
3. Alberta Foreign Worker Recruiter Registry: Verify our license with the Province of Alberta. Search for “GMR Recruitment Corporation”.

Since 2012, we have assisted thousands of clients, including individual workers and companies, in navigating the complexities of the Canadian immigration system. Our expertise spans the Employment and Social Development Canada labour market impact assessment process, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, and the International Mobility Program. As leaders in our field, we frequently present on related topics in professional settings and are often called upon to assist in highly challenging circumstances.

As a matter of professional responsibility, we don’t provide a specific success rate number to prospective clients. With that said, in our 12+ years of operation, we’ve had very few refused files. We carefully select cases with a high probability of success and, in instances where applications are not initially successful, we reassess and often resubmit successfully. Sometimes, IRCC or ESDC may refuse an application in error, and we pursue reconsideration avenues when appropriate. We take pride in our high success rate but provide no guarantees regarding application outcomes. The decision to retain our services is yours, and we strive to instill confidence in our capabilities before you do so.

As much as we value face-to-face contact, walk-in or drop-in appointments disrupt our daily workflow, and we are unable to accommodate them. Please fill out our “Talk With Our Team” form. We are happy to discuss your situation over the phone, by text, or via video call to understand your needs and provide a proposal for services.

While in-person meetings can be beneficial, they involve significant costs in terms of travel, organization, and time. We’ve found that many issues can be resolved efficiently through video calls, phone calls, or even voice notes, especially in the post-COVID era. We respect your time and hope you respect ours as well. We reserve in-person meetings for retained clients only when necessary, such as for collecting in-person signatures, swearing affidavits for specific applications, and handling complex matters. Our preference is to communicate and work together through video, phone calls, text, or voice notes for efficiency.

Email is the best way for us to communicate. It allows us to communicate asynchronously and provides a reference for both parties. While in-person meetings should be reserved for specific matters, we also utilize modern communication channels like video calls and voice notes to respect time and provide clear instructions. When necessary, we can arrange phone or video calls for more detailed discussions. However, email remains the most effective way to organize our communication and provide thorough responses to your questions.

Yes, absolutely. We provide services to all individuals, including LGBTQ+ clients. We handle spousal, common-law, and conjugal partner applications for open work permits and family sponsorship, regardless of your background, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We are committed to working with you and supporting your immigration needs.