Success: Residency Obligation Appeal
All PRs in Canada should be aware of the 730 day rule re: Residency Obligation. In this case, our clients landed in 2014 while the Principal Applicant was completing his PhD program. They spent 2 weeks in Manitoba and then he returned to finish his degree. He intended to spend only one (1) year outside Canada, complete his studies, and then come back. But his university offered a three (3) year research contract that he could not refuse. He tried to enter Canada in 2018 and the CBSA Officer conducted the examination. As he failed the 730 day rule, he and his family were at risk of losing their Permanent Resident status. They called us and we filed the Residency Obligation appeal to the IAD.
In the five (5) years prior to examination, these clients were in Canada for only 14 days. This IAD appeal was a challenge. Thankfully, we were able to successfully postpone the IAD hearing date twice and give the family additional time to establish themselves in Manitoba.
We prepared +300 pages of supporting documentation, meticulously drafting each documentation for relevancy and strength. We spent hours to prepare the family and their witnesses to practice (practice and more practice) their testimony.
We won the appeal, of course. Alastair still has a perfect record at the IAD. This was a challenging appeal. With only 14 days in Canada during the requisite period, this family was not even close to meeting the 730 day rule. Thankfully, our legal arguments and preparation won the day. In my view, Canada also gained a prominent academic who is doing significant research. This was a win-win-win!
On a sad note, Alastair spoke with unrepresented appellants at the IAD who decided to try to fight for themselves. Alas, they lost their appeal and they made an appointment at Clarke Immigration Law to discuss their limited options. Please note that appealing an IAD Residency Obligation decision to Federal Court is extremely challenging. I would highly recommend that anyone subject to an IAD appeal find a good lawyer as soon as possible!
