by Elias Munshya, LLM, MBA, M.DIV.

Munshya Law (www.munshyalaw.com), is a Canadian immigration law firm based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Elias Munshya is the principal of the law firm. Munshya is a member of the Law Society of Alberta. He holds various academic and professional degrees including an MBA in Law, an LLM, and an LLB from England.

We want to answer a few questions here to highlight what we can do for you as a law firm. We will do it in a question and answer format.

1.       Question: How is Life in Canada

Answer: Canada is a beautiful country. It has a cold climate. Most Canadians live within 100 km of the USA border. Canada has wonderful welcoming people. Settling in life in Canada can be quite challenging, but the government of Canada has several programs that help professionals to settle. Some of these programs are not very adequate, but it is expected that the immigrant will have some money to help them settle for a couple of months if not a year.

2.       Question: I want Immigrate to Canada. Do I qualify?

Answer: Our law firm specialises in the skilled worker program. Without bogging you into much detail now, our firm’s specialisation is for professionals who wish to immigrate. Typically, they will be assessed on several criteria, including English (IELTS score), French (if any), level of education, experience, and adaptability.

3.       Question: Does Munshya Law help prospective immigrants find employment in Canada?

Answer: No. Munshya Law is a law firm whose responsibility to provide immigration and legal advice to people who wish to immigrate to Canada as permanent residents. The firm does not help prospective immigrants find employment in Canada.

4.       Question: Does Munshya Law guarantee Permanent Residency?

Answer: No. Our firm does not guarantee that its clients will be picked for permanent residency. Our firm will provide legal and immigration advice to our clients. We will also help our clients fill out the forms and help them submit the forms to the Government of Canada. It is ultimately the officers of the Canadian government who decide whether someone has satisfied all the requirements.

5.       Question: What is the process involved?

Answer: Deciding to immigrate to Canada is not an easy decision for many. It can be a long and laborious process. It can be quite expensive too. As a law firm, we come alongside our clients to make this process easier. We will provide advice to our clients to ensure that they understand what is involved. The first step is to retain us so that we can begin evaluating our client’s credentials.

Kindly fill out the following assessment Form. Download it here: Preliminary Eligibility Assessment (PEA) Fillable Form (1)

6.       Question: Is there a charge for Munshya Law services?

Answer: Yes. Munshya Law, being a law firm, charges for the legal services it provides clients. Our rates are very competitive within the legal market in Canada. Our fee is USD 1,500.00. This fee includes our legal and immigration advice, filling out the appropriate forms for our clients, submitting the forms to the Government of Canada, creating an entry profile for our clients, and other related duties. We do accept payments in instalments, and for the convenience of our clients, we do accept wire transfers and credit card payments.

7.       Question: Can I practice my profession in Canada?

Answer: Our services do not include advice on whether one can practice their profession in Canada. For example, if you are a medical doctor in Zambia and wish to immigrate to Canada, Munshya Law cannot advise if after immigrating, you would be able to practice as a medical doctor. We encourage those clients to contact the regulatory bodies directly to find out if they can practice. As lawyers ourselves, we are somewhat familiar with the process involved for lawyers. However, even then, we expect that our prospective lawyer clients will make some effort to contact the legal regulators in Canada regarding their chances to practice. What we know is that many immigrants have been integrated into their professions. These professionals are usually required to do a few additional courses and then follow their professional regulators’ processes.

8.       Question: I am a Patriotic Zambian; I feel guilty about emigrating.

Answer: Unfortunately, our law firm cannot answer that question for you. Those who feel like they have answered that question for themselves and wish to consider immigrating to Canada would find our services helpful.

If there is any comfort for some, the Zambian government has a wonderful diaspora policy encouraging the Zambian diaspora to remain engaged with their motherland. Further, the government of President Dr Edgar Lungu signed a new constitution which guarantees Zambian nationality to those who take on a secondary citizenship. Immigrating to Canada does not automatically mean that someone has become a Canadian. You become a permanent resident of Canada. If you wish to apply for Canadian citizenship, you may do so if you meet the qualifications.

9.       Question: I need more information. What can I do?

Answer: Kindly fill out the preliminary assessment form, Preliminary Eligibility Assessment (PEA) Fillable Form (1), and make arrangements to pay the legal fees. Once we have received the payments, we will then provide you with advice to proceed.

We can be reached via social media. However, due to the sheer volume of social media inquiries, it is challenging to respond on time. Our social media team must sieve through a huge volume of questions. We recommend that you email us in addition to using social media. That way, it is much easier for us to get in touch quicker. Mr Munshya can be reached at elias@munshyalaw.com. Kindly expect a response within 36 hours.

10.   Question: I am Considering Immigrating, But I need some confidentiality

Answer: We are aware that many clients would want to have their decision to immigrate remain confidential. Munshya Law is regulated by strong ethics and guidelines of the Law Society of Alberta. We do not share information regarding our clients and their intentions. Both prospective clients and retained clients will be assured of the highest level of confidentiality.