Integrity. Excellence. Dedication.
Green and Spiegel knows that immigration issues have been impacted significantly by the global coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and that our clients are relying on us to provide guidance and solutions in these uncertain times. As Canada’s oldest immigration law firm, we have weathered a variety of challenges over the years and we will weather this one too.
What We Do Not Know
As the COVID-19 situation is constantly evolving, we do not know whether the Canadian government plans to implement bans with respect for foreign nationals from entering Canada. As of right now, there have been no changes to entry requirements other than health screenings upon arrival for individuals visiting Canada from counties that are deemed to be high-risk countries. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html
What We Expect
It is likely that processing times for permanent and temporary residence applications will be delayed. In most cases, the government has and will continue to provide grace periods where deadlines are looming and where it is impossible to extend statuses. For individuals in Canada on work permits, we expect that the government will be lenient in terms of allowing temporary foreign workers to work from home despite the fact that their home is not specified as a location of employment.
We expect that the following disruptions will continue:
- visa application centre closures
- service disruptions at Canadian visa offices
- travel plan disruptions
- limited access to local government offices and businesses
- limited access to a panel physician who can do the immigration medical exam
What We Do Know
Green and Spiegel is dedicated to providing you with continued integrity, excellence and dedication in these uncertain times. The incredible team of talented individuals at Green and Spiegel will continue to provide outstanding immigration legal services. We have a business continuity strategy in place that will permit us to continue to provide immigration legal services to you without disruption. To our clients in Canada and around the world, rest assured that you can rely on us to guide you through this challenge that we are all facing.
