Humanitarian and compassionate
When no regular pathway applies, an H&C application asks IRCC to grant permanent residence based on your circumstances. The record you build decides the outcome. We will tell you your realistic odds before you retain us, including when another route gives you a better chance. If you have a removal date, call (437) 800-1918 rather than filling in the form. An H&C filing does not pause a removal on its own.
Overview
Humanitarian and compassionate applications are discretionary. There is no checklist that guarantees approval. Officers weigh your establishment in Canada, the hardship of leaving, and the best interests of any children affected. These files are won on evidence and presentation, and they are usually a one shot application. The authority to grant it comes from section 25(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and IRCC publishes its own guidance on how officers apply it.
What officers weigh
How we work
Tell Josh what you are dealing with. You get legal advice on your actual situation, written next steps, and a flat fee for the work, before you commit to anything. We quote after we diagnose, never before.
You work in our secure client portal to gather and organise the evidence. Our software handles the assembly and cross-checks the file against itself, which is why a lawyer reading every page personally still fits inside a flat fee.
A licensed Ontario lawyer reviews every page before it is filed.
Flat fees. Once you are a client, a reply within one business day. No surprises.
What to know
The law lets IRCC grant permanent residence to someone who does not qualify under any program, where refusing them would be unjustified in the circumstances. Officers treat it as the exception it is. The bar is real, and so is the discretion.
People without status, people whose other applications failed, and people whose situations simply do not fit a category. It is usually the route of last resort, which is exactly why it has to be done well.
Establishment means how rooted your life here is: years in Canada, work history, tax filings, language, community involvement, and family. It is built over time and proven with documents, not adjectives.
Hardship is what returning would actually mean: separation from family, medical care that does not exist at home, discrimination, or conditions in your country. General claims fail. Specific, evidenced ones can succeed.
Officers must weigh how the decision affects any child involved, Canadian or not. School records, medical needs, and the child's ties are often the strongest part of a file.
A refused H&C has no appeal, only judicial review at the Federal Court. Only a lawyer can appear for you there, which is one reason the choice of representative matters more on an H&C than on a routine application. That reality shapes how we prepare: the record we file is built to win, and built to stand up to review if it must.
Why us
H&C files are decided on paper. We build a complete, organized, and persuasive record of your life in Canada.
We tell you up front whether H&C is your best route, or whether another program gives you better odds.
A refused H&C is hard to redo. We prepare yours like the one shot it usually is.
Legal submissions tie your evidence to the factors officers must consider, so nothing is left to inference.
FAQ
Do not see your question? Ask us directly. A member of our team will reach out almost instantly.
Ask a questionEvery matter is different. Results vary, and past outcomes do not predict future ones.
Meet our founder
Founder
Josh is a Toronto-based lawyer who has been practising immigration law for more than nine years. He has helped thousands of individuals and companies navigate Canadian immigration, from work permits to permanent residence, study permits, citizenship, LMIAs and more, and he built the software this firm runs on. Josh always puts his clients first, and believes quick and thoughtful communication is most important to making the process as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Ready to get started
Tell us about your time in Canada and your family's situation. A member of our team will reach out almost instantly to book your consultation, where an Ontario licensed immigration lawyer will assess whether H&C is the right route and quote a flat fee. If you have a removal date, call (437) 800-1918 instead. Timing changes everything.