The immigration office in Toronto handles work permits and helping large multinational clients establish operations in Canada. Philippe Tremblay manages the Canadian office of Fragomen Global Immigration Services. He works to streamline immigration processes for clients and educate them on border practices between Canada and the US. While the countries are similar, immigration rules differ and clients are often surprised. Tremblay draws on his experience moving to France as a teenager to help clients quickly with emergencies like obtaining visas the same day. Being part of Fragomen allows the Canadian office to leverage the firm's global network.

1. The o ce, located in Toronto, Ontario, handles all
types of Canadian work permits and nds the bulk of its
work on the inbound side, from granting visitors and
temporary workers from a host of countries entry, to
Canada’s Field Warriors helping clients—many of which are large
Philippe Tremblay and Fragomen Streamline Immigration in Canada multinationals—establish operations in the country, as
well as arranging permanent resident status.
“We’re servicing global clients who have the need to
move personnel into Canada,” Tremblay says, adding that
clients run the gamut of industries. “On top of that, we do
a signi cant amount of consular processing for clients who
must travel abroad.” It is also Tremblay’s objective to grow
the rm’s Canadian client base. “Canada is simply a huge
market,” he notes. “It’s the number one trade partner with “When a client calls, he might be
the United States, and there are untapped business
traveling the same day. It’s about
opportunities here.”
One of the distinct advantages clients enjoy when
helping him quickly meet his
moving personnel into Canada is the fact that immigration business needs.”
processes are generally the same amongst the country’s
provinces, Quebec being the one exception. And it is a Immigration expertise is something Tremblay has
market that is receptive to immigrants. “I would classify spent a lifetime cultivating. At 16, Tremblay moved with his
Canada as a receiving country,” Tremblay says. “We have family to France from Quebec when his father took a
lots of tools to work with to make the process smooth.” contract position in the country – but ended up needing
It’s not to say that Canada doesn’t have a robust the support of an immigration attorney when the post
immigration process. In fact, employees are often caught didn’t work out as planned. That attorney made a lasting
o guard, for example, when attempting to move back impression on Tremblay. “It had a dramatic impact on my
and forth between the US and Canada, Tremblay says. life,” he says.
“The countries are cousins, but this often leads to a lack of Fast forward to today, and Tremblay, who practiced at
knowledge about immigration,” he says. “I can’t count how his own rm in Montreal for 10 years before joining
many times clients have been stuck at the border…it’s this Fragomen, has been able to return the favor. “We recently
A
mindset that you can enter to work without the proper received a call that a Canadian citizen working in India was
sk Philippe Tremblay to describe what makes dime, so we have to be eld warriors so to speak. We
status. It creates urgency.” dealing with a family emergency and needed his parents
immigration unique – not to mention a challenge cannot have a service-center approach.” It’s about being
A major initiative for Tremblay and his colleagues, to travel from Canada right away,” Tremblay says. “Even
– in Canada and he will undoubtedly say one thing proactive as well as reactive, Tremblay continues. “It’s
then, is to properly educate clients before such issues arise though the Indian consulate was closed and a Canadian
without hesitation: the border. Stretching 5,525 miles long, critical for us to have good contact and communication
– creating this notion of a solid “border practice.” It starts holiday was the following Monday, we were able to obtain
the boundary between the United States and its northern with numerous points of entry, and we must be up to date.
with having an in-depth understanding of border visas for the parents within one day. The feeling when we
neighbor is the longest non-militarized common border in When a client calls, he might be traveling the same day. It’s
procedures on both sides, which in turn makes crossing succeed is so rewarding.”
the world, and it means, explains Tremblay, managing about helping him quickly meet his business needs.”
back and forth easier. “It’s about making it a more
director of the Canadian arm of Fragomen Global To that end, being part of the greater Fragomen entity
comfortable process,” he says. “We build the petition in Philippe Tremblay can be reached in Fragomen’s Toronto
Immigration Services, that he and the nine attorneys and is a major plus and the Canadian o ce is able to leverage
such a way that the o cer knows exactly where to look for o ce by calling +1 416 866 2188 or by email at
specialists he works with must take a slightly di erent the rm’s global presence. “The business community in
the proper information, making a decision come faster and ptremblay@fragomen.com. More information about
approach to immigration. Canada is discovering that we are the rst real major player
easier. We work with them as a colleague, and with our Fragomen can be found at www.fragomen.com.
“The ow of people and goods that cross the border in the global immigration eld,” Tremblay says. “We don’t
well-established credibility and expertise, in turn we
each day is truly amazing,” says Tremblay. “Canadian have to start from scratch for each client…I can connect
become facilitators for the client.”
businesses that trade with the US are used to turning on a immediately.”
GLOBAL IMMIGRATION
SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT