CLE Online

Welcome and Introduction

Peter D. Larlee — Larlee Rosenberg, Vancouver
Zool K.B. Suleman — Suleman & Company, Vancouver

Making a Business Case For Business Immigration

• does Canada need business immigrants?
• a look back to what worked well, what didn’t, and why
• reading the “tea leaves”: what is the future direction of the federal business immigration programs?
• what’s the rationale for the BC PNP business immigration program, and is it still relevant?

Ian Mellor — Executive Director, Economic Immigration Programs, Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, Vancouver
David L. Thomas — Thomas Immigration Law Group, North Vancouver

BC PNP Options For Business Immigrants: Program Overview and Practice Tips

• gaps, opportunities, and challenges from the BC PNP’s perspective
• business immigration success stories (and failures) including multiple entrepreneurs
• business application expectations—business plans and interviews

Michael Davis — Principal, TribeFinders Customer Strategies Inc., Port Moody
Craig K. Natsuhara — Spectrum HR Law LLP, Vancouver
Erin Seeley — Director, Business Immigration, BC Provincial Nominee Program, Economic Immigration Programs Branch, Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, Vancouver

Networking Break

Other Pastures:Options in Other Provinces

• cross-Canada overviews of PNP programs—if not BC, then where?
• practical tips, statistics, contact information, and assessment of what the programs “really” want from applicants
• ethical issues in advising on PNP programs

Stéphane Duval — Heenan Blaikie LLP, Montreal
Baerbel Langner — Zaifman Immigration Lawyers, Winnipeg
Suzanne I. Rix — Cox & Palmer, Halifax

Networking Lunch

CIC Update: Entrepreneurs and Federal Investors

• work permits for entrepreneurs and self-employed workers
• what is happening right now, processing priorities, anticipated effects of new change to IRPA, and more
• is the investor program in hiatus? what will the new entrepreneur stream look like? the effect of ministerial instructions
• “backlogs” and “frontlogs”—processing priorities

Leticia C. Siu — Lowe and Company, Vancouver
Meera Thakrar — Egan LLP, Vancouver

Multiple Representation: The Ultimate Conflicts Letter

• who is your client? to whom is your duty owed?
• conflicts—how to avoid or minimize them
• ethical scenarios to consider

Gerry A. Cuttler — Cuttler & Company, Vancouver 

Residency and the Business Immigrant: Residency Obligation Exemptions For the Business Individual

• how does CIC and CBSA view the residency obligation for business individuals—intent, evidence, policy, and jurisprudence
• ethical challenges in providing advice

Bonnie O.Y. Teng — Wlodyka MacDonald Teng, Vancouver

Intention to Reside: When Home Is Not the Province of Destination

• “do I have to physically live there?”
• what is the current law on intention to reside in a province—law, policy, and constitutional implications
• ethical challenges in providing advice
• is there a separate rule for Quebec

Dennis G. McCrea — McCrea & Associates, Vancouver

Networking Break

Planning Strategies For Wealthy Immigrants

• “astronauts”—immigrants who are not immigrants
• integrated planning: immigration, citizenship, and tax
• the “immigrant trust”
• the “granny trust”
• do’s and don’ts for astronaut immigrants seeking to avoid becoming tax residents

Peter M. Scarrow — General Manager/Private Clients, TMF Group Hong Kong, Vancouver

Tax Consequences of Immigration

• residency for Canadian tax purposes
• step-up in cost base upon immigration
• use of inbound trusts

Shane M. Brown — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Parveen B. Karsan — Koffman Kalef LLP, Vancouver