Immigration in Ajax
Family, protection and a place to stay
Ajax’s newcomers arrived by every route. Of the Ajax immigrants counted in the 2021 Census who were admitted between 1980 and 2021, about 45% came as economic immigrants, 37% were sponsored by family and 17% came as refugees (Statistics Canada, Census Profile).
That mix shapes what people in Ajax need from an immigration lawyer. Some want to bring a spouse, child or parent here. Others came as refugees or claimants and now have relatives in danger, or are still without permanent status years after arriving. Our immigration law page explains every pathway; this page concentrates on refugee protection and humanitarian applications, where timing and evidence decide a great deal.
How we work with Ajax clients
We have one office, in Toronto. Consultations are by phone, so nobody needs to travel to have a first conversation, and they are confidential. You speak with Rosalie Wannes directly, in English or Armenian (service in Arabic is also available). Where a document has to be sworn, such as an affidavit from a family member or a common-law declaration, we commission it at the office. For spouses, children and parents, our family sponsorship page covers the process in depth, and our Ajax page lists the other work we do here.
Refugee protection
Refugee claims and private sponsorship in 2026
The rules on who can have a claim heard changed recently, and private sponsorship through groups of five is largely paused. Get advice early rather than relying on what worked for someone a few years ago.
Claims made inside Canada
Before a refugee claim is heard by the Immigration and Refugee Board, the government decides whether it can be referred. Under changes that became law in March 2026 and apply to claims made on or after June 3, 2025, a claim is not referred to the Board if it is made more than one year after the person’s first entry into Canada after June 24, 2020, or, for someone who crossed the Canada–US land border between official ports of entry, more than 14 days after entering. Unaccompanied minors are exempt. A person whose claim is ineligible may still have access to a pre-removal risk assessment. If you are in Ajax on a visa or permit and afraid to go home, don’t wait for your status to run out before speaking to a lawyer.
Sponsoring refugees from abroad
Groups of five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents can sponsor refugees living abroad. As of September 2026, IRCC has paused new private sponsorship applications, and groups of five can only sponsor through the Blended Visa Office-Referred program for now. Under the Group of Five route, the person must already be recognised as a refugee by the United Nations refugee agency or a foreign state.
After a refusal
A reconsideration request can fix an obvious error but doesn’t stop the clock on judicial review: 15 days to apply to the Federal Court for a decision made in Canada, 60 days for one made outside Canada.
Why Wannes Law
A Toronto law firm that keeps you informed
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A licensed Ontario lawyer
Rosalie Wannes, licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, is responsible for your file from start to finish.
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Fees before you commit
Instant online quotes and published flat fees, so you know the cost before you retain us.
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Every step explained
Plain-language explanations of what happens, what you provide and what we handle, at every stage.
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Direct access
Reach your lawyer and law clerk directly by phone and email while your matter is underway.
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Sign in person or remotely
Meet at our Sheppard Ave E office in Toronto, or review documents by video and courier the originals.
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English, Armenian and Arabic
Talk through your matter in the language you are most comfortable with.
Humanitarian & compassionate
Showing an officer the life you have built in Ajax
An application on humanitarian and compassionate grounds asks IRCC to grant permanent residence, or an exemption from a requirement, because of your circumstances. It is discretionary, and it is won or lost on specific evidence.
Establishment, in local detail
Officers weigh how settled you are in Canada. For an Ajax family that means records with dates and names: employment letters and pay records, notices of assessment, your lease or mortgage, report cards from your children’s schools, and letters from employers, neighbours, faith communities and organisations where you volunteer. A letter is strongest when it says how long the writer has known you and what you contribute.
Children and hardship
Where a child is directly affected, the officer must look closely at the child’s best interests: school, health, friendships, and what leaving would mean. Hardship has to be tied to you personally, not described in general terms. IRCC’s H&C application guide (IMM 5291) lists the factors.
Limits to know first
Only one H&C application can be under consideration at a time. You generally can’t apply while a refugee claim is pending, or within 12 months after a claim was rejected or abandoned, subject to limited exceptions. An H&C application doesn’t on its own give you status or stop a removal. Our H&C applications page explains how the evidence and written submissions are put together.
Support in Ajax
Local services that work alongside your application
Free settlement services in Ajax help with the practical side of life here, and taking part in local programs can also form part of the establishment evidence in an H&C file. They don’t prepare immigration applications; that is where we come in.
Free help in Ajax and Durham
- Welcome Centre Immigrant Services has an Ajax location offering help with forms, housing, health cards and English classes
- IRCC’s newcomer services finder lists funded services by postal code for permanent residents, protected persons and some others
- English classes, job programs and credential information through the Durham Immigration Portal
What we do
- Advice on refugee protection options and timing
- H&C applications, with evidence and written submissions
- Family sponsorship once a family member has status
- Reviewing a refusal and weighing reconsideration against judicial review
Bring to the first call
- Every immigration document you have, including refusals
- Dates you entered and left Canada
- Any charge or conviction anywhere, even an old one
Questions
Ajax immigration questions
I have been in Ajax for two years on a visitor record. Can I still make a refugee claim?
Possibly not with a hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board. Claims made more than a year after first entering Canada (after June 24, 2020) are no longer referred to the Board, though a pre-removal risk assessment may still be available. Speak to a lawyer before you act.
Can our community group sponsor a refugee relative right now?
As of September 2026, IRCC has paused new private sponsorship applications. Groups of five can only sponsor through the Blended Visa Office-Referred program for now, and because those refugees are referred by the UN refugee agency, sponsoring a specific relative that way isn’t generally possible.
Does an H&C application let me stay in Canada while it is decided?
Not by itself. Submitting it doesn’t give you status or stop a removal. If you have a removal date, tell us straight away.
Is my conversation with you confidential?
Yes. What you tell your lawyer is confidential. Tell us everything, including past refusals and charges, so the advice is accurate.
Do you have an office in Ajax?
No. Our office is at 3319 Sheppard Ave E, Suite 103, in Toronto. Consultations are by phone, in English, Armenian or Arabic.
My application was refused yesterday. What now?
Send it to us today. You may be able to ask for reconsideration, but the deadline to seek judicial review, 15 days for a decision made in Canada, keeps running while you wait.
Areas We Serve
Immigration advice across Durham and the GTA
Phone consultations wherever you live, with local detail on each page.
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Scarborough
Immigration lawyer for Scarborough clients. Our office is on Sheppard Ave E.
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North York
Immigration lawyer for North York clients.
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Markham
Immigration lawyer for Markham clients.
Here to help
Timing matters. Speak to a lawyer early.
Book a free 15-minute call, or tell us about your situation in the quote form.
Prefer to talk now? Call (647) 707-7718 · Service in English, Armenian and Arabic