Scope of ServiceJGPC acts in matters before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, including refugee protection claims and related hearings, within the scope authorized by the Law Society of Ontario. Applications made to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, such as study permits, work permits, permanent residence, sponsorship, and citizenship, are outside that scope. For those, we refer you to a trusted immigration lawyer or licensed immigration consultant. See
referrals.
How we help
Every file begins with an honest assessment of eligibility, timing, and risk, so you know where you stand before any application is filed.
- Eligibility assessments and program selection
- Application preparation and document review
- Responses to procedural fairness letters and requests for evidence
- Status tracking and correspondence with IRCC
- Referrals where a matter falls outside our authorized scope
Working in your language
Instructions, forms, and government letters are explained to you in plain English, Arabic, or French. Nothing is signed until you understand it.
Common scenarios & your rights
ScenarioAn email arrives: a procedural fairness letter questioning your work experience, with 30 days to respond. Panic sets in.
Your Rights
- You are entitled to respond and to file evidence before a decision is made.
- You may use an authorized representative: a lawyer, another licensee acting within scope, or a licensed immigration consultant. Verify anyone who offers help on the public LSO or CICC registries.
- At Immigration and Refugee Board hearings you are entitled to an interpreter.
- Never sign blank forms, and never let anyone submit an application you have not read.
What to do: Calendar the deadline the day the letter arrives, gather documents immediately, and have the letter reviewed. The response is often your last chance to fix the record.
Watch: Immigration Services in plain language
Why having someone act for you matters
A refugee hearing turns on credibility, consistency, and documents assembled long before the day itself. Small contradictions between a form filled in under stress and testimony given a year later can decide a claim. Having someone prepare the file, gather country evidence, and rehearse the questioning is not a luxury in a proceeding where the stakes are this high.
Common questions
Do you handle all immigration matters?
We act within the scope authorized to Law Society of Ontario licensees under federal immigration law. At your consultation we confirm whether we can act on your specific matter and, if not, refer you appropriately.
What should I bring to a consultation?
Identity documents, any IRCC correspondence, prior applications and refusals, and a short timeline of events. Copies are fine.
