Joshua & Team are Ready to Help
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Vancouver Immigration Lawyer
Joshua is the senior partner in our immigration department, providing full-range immigration services to individual and corporate clients world-wide.
Joshua assists clients with immigration processing, admissibility issues, procedural fairness matters and refusals. He regularly appears before the Immigration and Refugee Board (“IRB”), its Appeal Division (“IAD”), and the Federal Court of Canada. Joshua specializes in cases that involve misrepresentation, criminality, security, residency, and detention.
Joshua has a diverse background in immigration law, which includes litigating complex immigration matters and the processing of various temporary residence, permanent residence / citizenship applications, and labour market impact assessments (“LMIA”) to Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada / international Canadian visa offices, Canada Border Services Agency, and ESDC / Service Canada.
Joshua is well-known in the industry for accompanying clients to ports-of-entry across Canada to resolve admissibility issues, and to facilitate the processing of complex work permit applications. He also works with individuals and families – with an emphasis on employment, investment, humanitarian / compassionate and family sponsorship-based applications.
Joshua prides himself in his client-responsiveness, and endeavors to bring his positive and upbeat attitude to every file, regardless of the difficult circumstances that the client may find themselves in. Joshua is passionate about immigration law – and is committed to helping clients turn visions into working realities through creative and innovative immigration strategies and a client-focused approach.
Joshua graduated from law school in 2009 with distinction and a gold medal. He was first called to the Bar in North Dakota, and later called to the Bars in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia. Prior to joining Coal Harbour Law as a partner, Joshua practiced immigration law with other leading immigration firms in Canada. Joshua has been listed as a top-10 Vancouver immigration lawyer.
Joshua started law-blogging for The Huffington Post in 2012 – and is regularly consulted by media outlets regarding Canadian immigration law and policy. He previously sat on the Canadian Bar Association’s Executive Committee – Immigration Division, where he participated policy developments that impacted the Canadian legal profession. He has become a regular on the immigration-lecture circuit nation-wide, where he enjoys sharing his working knowledge of complex immigration issues with fellow and prospective immigration professionals and students. Joshua also serves as an adjunct-professor at Queen’s School of Law in Kingston, Ontario, where he teaches Family-Class Immigration.
Outside of work Joshua enjoys trying new restaurants, walking and sailing in the Gulf Islands and Puget Sound.
Joshua also has law offices in Surrey, Victoria and Abbotsford, British Columbia. He can be contacted at joshua@slayenlaw.com and 604-754-2405.
Education
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Winnpeg
- Juris Doctor, University of North Dakota
Attention to Detail
Joshua has a diverse background in immigration law, which has included litigating complex immigration matters, and the processing of various temporary residence, permanent residence and citizenship applications to Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency and international Canadian visa offices.
Experience
Prior to joining Coal Harbour Law, Joshua practiced immigration law with other leading immigration firms in Canada. He was first called to the Bar in North Dakota (2009), and later called to the Bar in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.
James D. Hayes Immigration Lawyer
James is Canadian and US Immigration Counsel here at Slayen Immigration Law and offers his clients legal services in both jurisdictions.
Before coming to Slayen Immigration Law, James worked as an immigration lawyer in Canada and the US. Early on, James took an interest in litigation and has since decided to make it a focal point of his practice. He regularly litigates immigration and appellant matters in both countries and builds strong client relationships through cultural knowledge, language, and passionate representation. James is proud to appear on your behalf before Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), Refugee Appeal Division (RAD), Immigration Appeal Division (IAD), Immigration Division (ID), Federal Court of Canada, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), and US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
For clients seeking US services, James offers legal advice and representation for non-immigrant visas, including B-1/B-2 Business/Tourist Visas, F-1/J-1 Student Visas, and US-Mexico-Canada Agreement TN Visas. He also prepares H-1B Specialty Occupation Visas, L-1 Intercompany Transfer Visas, E-1/E-2 Treaty and Investor Visas, as well as K-1 Fiancé Visas. James also helps clients with immigrant petitions such as family sponsorship and employment sponsorship, i.e. EB categories, including the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. He also prepares Citizenship and Naturalization applications and represents clients before immigration authorities in the US. James also handles cross-border issues, such as advance parole, re-entry permits, travel documents, and various waivers like the 212(d)(3), 237(a)(1)(H), and 601/601A waivers.
On the Canadian side, James represents clients seeking Detention Review Hearings, Inadmissibility Refusals, Federal Court Appeals, Orders of Mandamus, Refugee Protection Claims, Humanitarian and Compassionate Applications, Procedural Fairness Responses, and Judicial Reviews. James also assists clients with Temporary Residence, such as Work and Study Permits, Visitor Records, Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) and Supervisas, Permanent Residence, Spousal Sponsorship, Express Entry Applications, and Canadian Citizenship Applications. An immigrant himself, James understands the difficulties of navigating a new environment and immigration system. He looks forward to helping you and your family immigrate to Canada.
James carries a natural appreciation of language, culture, art, and diversity everywhere he goes. He often says that a client is so much more than a file and his work ethic, success, and client connections confirm that. James has spent extended time in China and France and has a particular fondness for both cultures. Above all, James appreciates that every client teaches him something new.
James offers legal services in French and can speak some Mandarin Chinese.
Outside of work, James can be found reading philosophy, playing guitar, or walking the Vancouver Seawall with his spouse.
Education
- Seattle University School of Law (2017)
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2014)
Memberships
- Law Society of British Columbia (2023)
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2020)
- Washington State Bar Association (2018)
Miguel A. Martins Pereirinha Immigration Lawyer
Miguel’s academic journey began at the University of Kent, where he earned an LLB with honors. While at Kent, he was actively involved in the Legal Advice Clinic, offering pro bono legal services and gaining invaluable experience across a range of legal matters.
After graduation, Miguel served as the case manager for his local Member of Parliament. During this time, he developed a deep passion for helping newcomers to Canada. This experience gave him unique insights and a strong foundation for his career as a Canadian immigration lawyer.
As an associate lawyer, Miguel specializes in a wide range of immigration-related services, including work permits for businesses and individuals, study permits, visitor visas, and permanent resident applications. When necessary, he represents clients in Federal Court.
Miguel’s approach is characterized by a detailed and compassionate understanding of each client’s unique situation, ensuring they receive the best possible guidance and support throughout their immigration journey. His dedication to making the complex immigration process accessible has earned him the trust of his clients.
Called to the bar of British Columbia in January 2021, Miguel is a member of the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association.
Guin Sykes Administrative Assistant
Guin is our talented Administrative Assistant who now assists with a wide range of matters after initially joining the firm as a receptionist.
Outside of the office, Guin enjoys rock climbing, fine art, and coffee.
Emily Mountain Junior Legal Assistant
Emily joined the firm in August of 2022 as a Junior Legal Assistant. Being one of the youngest members of our firm, she is passionate about her studies in criminology, which is what sparked her interest in working in the legal industry, and is quickly learning the ins and outs of law. Emily has an extensive background in Customer Service, and loves learning and exploring new skills.
On the weekends, you can find Emily at home with her family, including her cat, Flicker, and her two dogs. She enjoys being outdoors, especially on horseback, and loves hiking up mountains to admire the multitude of colours of autumn from above.
We'll be there for you
How Can Joshua Help You?
Joshua Slayen is a Vancouver immigration lawyer with several years of experience helping people immigrate to Canada. Called to the bar in 2009, he’s helped hundreds of people from all walks of life and he can help you too! His services are affordable and effective, so don’t hesitate – contact him and his team today for a consultation that could change your life.
