Immigration consultancy offers a wide range of opportunities for those looking to assist others in finding the right path to citizenship in their legal career. Through the Immigration Administrative Assistant Program, you’ll learn to work alongside licensed lawyers or immigration consultants to guide visa applications for workers, visitors, students, and families.  

When it comes to family sponsorship, there’s a lot to consider in order to get legal status in Canada. From determining the options to developing a case strategy and preparing the right documentation, you’ll be instrumental in helping family class clients on the best pathway for them. If this sounds like a career for you, keep reading for a brief guide to family unification and how you can help after immigration assistant training. 

What Is Family Unification?

In Canada, family unification refers to an immigration stream that allows for the sponsorship of spouses, common-law and conjugal partners, dependent children, children to be adopted, parents, and grandparents. In many cases, Canada’s family class is the only pathway for individuals looking to reunite with their families and gain entry to Canada. In other cases, couples living inside Canada are eligible for “in-Canada sponsorship.” The person looking to immigrate to Canada must be sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, who must also submit a sponsorship application on behalf of the foreign spouse. 

At AOLCC Alberta, students in the legal administration assistant training will take an in-depth look at the subject of family unification. You’ll cover client fact situations and determine the options open to different individuals–including family sponsorships, genuineness of marriage or adoption, qualification to sponsor, common-law, conjugal and same-sex relationships, and “In-Canada” spousal applications.

Learn about the requirements for family sponsorship in Canada during legal assistant training

What Are Some of the Obstacles Involved?

During your legal career, you’ll need to be aware of the different conditions and obstacles that exist for family unification. When it comes to family-class clients, it can not only be difficult to qualify for permanent residency, but it can also be difficult to prove the validity of a relationship. Particularly for common-law or conjugal partners, you’ll need to help your clients provide evidence that their relationships are legitimate. That could include bank documents, joint leases, and more. 

At the same time, there are limitations around who can sponsor a family member. For example, only permanent residents living in Canada can sponsor a spouse to Canada. The responsibilities of the sponsor include a commitment to provide basic needs and financial support to that person.

How You Can Provide Support During Your Legal Career 

Students in legal assistant training will go over the process of determining qualifications, researching pathways, and selecting and preparing the right documentation. The Government of Canada has introduced a number of measures to improve the process of family class applications, including digitization, remote processing, conducting remote interviews, online application portals, and more. As a legal administrative assistant, you’ll need to stay on top of current measures to ensure you’re providing relevant legal counselling to streamline the immigration process for your clients. With a focus on case and file management, time and financial management, client communication, and record-keeping in compliance with professional standards, your training at AOLCC will set you on the path to success.