I’ve had a long road to get to where I am today.  Fleeing from my home country as a teenager in the 1980’s, going through the refugee system in Canada where I was eventually successful in becoming a protected person.  I filed for my PR on my own but it was refused in 2012.  A few years later, I didn’t notice that my work permit had expired and I needed to restore my status.  I spoke with Guelph Immigrant Services and they referred me to Jennifer’s office.

I knew that I wasn’t getting anywhere on my own.  I’d fill out the form and send it off and they’d send it back because something was missing.  I’d fix that and then it would come back with something else.  I realized that I needed help.  I went for a consultation with Jennifer and decided to hire her, as I only had a short time to restore my status. I’m glad I hired them – even though it ended up being a lot of money over the years.

I kept getting into trouble, but they were able to rescue me.  Finally, I applied for PR again with their help; and today, I became a permanent resident.  Now I have security that I’m not going to have to leave my spouse of 20 years and my Canadian children.  I no longer have to fear being deported to a nation that I haven’t seen since I was a teen.

I would recommend Jennifer and her team to anyone who needs help.  They’re efficient, competent and helpful professionals.  They get the job done.  I appreciated the way I felt in their office.  They don’t talk down to their clients and I never felt like I was being interrogated.  It was a lot of money and sometimes I needed some time to pay them.  I’m grateful that they were helpful and came up with a payment plan that worked for both of us.

When I heard today that I can stay here in Canada for the rest of my life completely legally; that meant the world to me.   What relief and freedom I feel as that weight is lifted off my shoulders.  I know I’m going to be back as soon as possible for Jennifer and her team to help me finally become a Canadian citizen in this country where I’ve lived for 30 years.

Thank you

Moe

I knew my case was unusual and complicated.  My status had expired and my home country in South America was not a safe place any longer. I had not lived there for over 20 years and I had little reason and desire to go back given the crime and political instability.  I had contacted a few lawyers in the Toronto area about my situation and all of them told me the only route for me to stay here was on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds – and that application takes years and is very difficult to prove. Their estimates told me that I had a 50% chance of succeeding with my application and the fees quoted were very expensive.  My neighbor was the mother of a local lawyer, who works in other areas of law.  She asked her daughter if there was someone she would recommend I speak to about immigration.  The daughter recommended Jennifer and so I gave her office a call.

I wasn’t really expecting much from my first consultation with Jennifer.  I expected that she would give me the same advice that all the others had.  Everyone else that I’d spoken to focused on the broad strokes of my situation.  Jennifer delved into the specifics.  I was skeptical when she presented me a strategy that used the economic immigration pathway, through the express entry system.  I told her that everyone else had told me that wasn’t an option for me.  She looked at me and said ‘I don’t care what everyone has told you; I can see a path to making this happen and I have done similar things before”.  Her passion, experience and confidence led me to trust her and see what happens. She gave me 80% odds initially of estimated success. Today, I’m so glad I made that leap with her. She calls me her ‘miracle file’ and I’ll take that.

There were a few hiccups during my time with the office; some miscommunications and different expectations on both sides.  However, I appreciate that they worked with me to resolve those issues with a face-to-face meeting which sorted things out.  Everyone I dealt with at the office was competent, knowledgeable and friendly.  I was a bit concerned when Jennifer transferred the day-to-day aspects of my file to one of her senior staff, but after dealing with her, I’m happy to sing her praises.  I have a deep appreciation for all the hard work she put in on my behalf.  My questions were answered quickly and clearly.  There were a few times when I needed further clarification on an answer, but it was always given promptly and I was eventually clear on the communication.

I am happy to recommend Jennifer and her team to anyone who needs it.  No matter your situation, they will get you the right help for you. They will give you an honest and upfront assessment about your situation and your options.  They helped me through an impossible case so I’m fairly certain they can help you.

Looking back on my time with Jennifer and team, I remember when they had all the documents ready to be uploaded and every box was ticked off and we were good to go.  It was so reassuring to know that after looking over everything I’d given them, we were finally ready to get the process started.

Now, less than a year later, I have my permanent residency here and I see it as the key to freedom for the rest of my life.  My home country is not sustainable at the moment. If I had to return there, I’d be starving, dead, or a criminal.  I can now help my family come and stay in Canada.  I met someone during my time here in Canada and now I can look forward to planning our wedding and getting started on our future together.

Thank you Jennifer and team for getting me this first step towards freedom.

Leo

I came to Jennifer’s office on the recommendation of my lawyer. I was looking for assistance with bringing my wife from Laos.  After our consultation, I realized that Jennifer was the one to help me – there was no need to shop around. Sometimes cheaper isn’t better.

They were helpful and supportive and I never left a meeting confused about what was next.  I have learned that getting married to a citizen of Laos is complicated but Jennifer and her team were very helpful in pointing me to the right places to get information.  I learned a lot about the process which was very valuable – even though my relationship broke down and we never ended up submitting the application.

I still recommend people to go and see Jennifer to get help with their situation.  At least go for the consultation and find out where you stand.  That’s money well spent.  From there you can figure out if it’s best for you.

I’m still hopeful about the future and maybe I’ll be back to see Jennifer again.

— Mike

My wife and I came to Jennifer’s office terrified that I wouldn’t be able to stay here. We had a horrible experience at the Sarnia border and I was only given a short visitor visa. Because our relationship isn’t legal in my state, we had chosen my wife’s home as the place we wanted to build our lives. That now seemed impossible. We googled immigration lawyers and called a few places. One didn’t answer; another gave no information over the phone. When we called Jennifer’s office, they gave us a lot of information and asked a lot of questions that let us know that they knew what they were talking about.

We were able to get in for a consultation very quickly and we were given assurance within 15 minutes that I didn’t have to leave; that there were options that would extend my stay. It felt like I was able to draw my first full breath in days. We both got the feeling that Jennifer and her office knew the system and how to work within the rules. They could navigate our way through so we didn’t have to worry.

We decided right then that these were the people to help us. Our experiences with them were perfect. They’re efficient, friendly and broadminded. They were responsible with our resources and always explained any new fees. It was never more than 24 hours before we had an answer to a question. They gave us relevant and helpful information even if that was outside of their job; like providing us with information on where to go to access services in other government departments that impacted our lives (customs, health cards, SIN number etc).

The value of the peace of mind that came from having Jennifer and her team behind us is hard to put into words. We had planned some ‘bug out’ solutions if this didn’t work out, but we didn’t need them. Now I’m able to stay with my wife and no one is going to force me to leave her.

We’ve already recommended friends to speak with Jennifer. If you want a direct answer, no matter how convoluted your personal situation is or how desperate you are, go to her. You’ll get an honest, complete and easy to understand answer.

Ever since our first meeting with Jennifer, my sense of security (that feeling that this would work out) came from Jennifer and her team. The paperwork that I now have is the cherry on top. For me, the real trust came from having Jennifer on my side. I knew that that she would get it done and now I don’t ever have to hide. I can work, live and enjoy my life here with my partner.

Thank you, Jennifer, for making Canada home.

— C & N

I came here as a child refugee from Cambodia. I don’t have a country to call my own technically, although I’ve grown up here in Canada as a permanent resident. I fell in to the wrong crowd and ended up losing my PR status. I didn’t know where to turn and I didn’t have any hope that my life would ever change. I had met a wonderful woman and we’d started a life together but I still didn’t belong anywhere or have any legal status. My uncle and I came to see Jennifer as a last ditch effort to see if anything could be done for me. I found someone who was honest with me about the long road ahead of us and that nothing was guaranteed but she still had some options that she thought might work.

I had found an honest lawyer close to my home so we decided to hire her to see if I could find a way to regain my PR status in Canada. It was hard to talk about my former life and mistakes. I had now met a wonderful partner who loved me and we were starting a family together. I wanted to leave my past behind me and so it was hard to talk about it with my lawyer however; they were very professional and I trusted that they were on my side. They told me the truth and sometimes that’s hard to hear but today, now that they rescued me, I can honestly tell them that they saved my life, that’s how I feel. I’d be an idiot to make those mistakes again.

I’ve learned that it’s better to be honest and poor than dishonest with money. They gave me hope and their plan succeeded. It doesn’t matter how much money it cost, I was thinking that there was no chance and now I’m able to be a real partner and father to those who love me. I can earn a living and hold my head high. I can be proud of the man I’ve become and I’m grateful to Jennifer and her team for allowing me to have a second chance to prove myself. Thank you for believing in me.

This time, I’m looking forward to becoming a Canadian citizen and having a real home to belong to.

— Ky

My husband and I were looking for an immigration lawyer to help us as we felt really stuck with regards to my situation with Immigration. I had come over to assist my former spouse’s family as a caregiver and that situation had really ended badly and left me worried about my status here in Canada. I had three children to support back home and I didn’t know where to turn. My partner, now husband, Bob was looking on Google and came across Jennifer’s website. He read all the reviews and it seemed like they really knew what they were talking about.

We knew that we needed the best person working for us because our case was complicated. When we left our consultation with Jennifer, although she speaks really quickly and gave us a lot of information, the overall impression we had was hope. Although she had given us honest options, we both felt confident that we had a plan that was going to work.

Jennifer’s team was confident but very polite and understanding of our situation. They gave us confidence just in how they carried themselves. Everything was organized yet friendly and welcoming. As Bob said, we don’t mind paying extra money for a good lawyer – and that’s what we found.

Everyone we dealt with at the office, and I think we met with everyone at some point, was excellent in how they interacted with us. Bob makes me smile when he recommends Jennifer to others. He always says ‘Michelle had a tough case but they tackled it no problem. It went just as they’d said it would‘.

I’m a permanent resident now and we’re thrilled that my boys flew in last week to join us and meet their Canadian baby brother for the first time. But the thing I remember most is back at the beginning, almost two years ago, during that first consultation with Jennifer; I was in tears and Jennifer looked at me and said ‘we can do this’. Thank you.

— Michelle & Bob