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Sara Espinal Henao

Associate

Queen’s Marque
600-1741 Lower Water Street
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 0J2

+1.902.444.1768

+1.902.420.1417

sespinalhenao@stewartmckelvey.com

Language(s) spoken: English, French, Spanish

Bar Admission(s): Nova Scotia, 2018

Legal Assistant(s): Linsay Newell

Sara works with foreign nationals and permanent residents who are seeking advice on immigration matters. She also assists Canadian businesses involved with the immigration system. Sara:

  • Advises clients on their immigration options, from temporary status to permanent residence and ultimately, citizenship.
  • Assists clients with the preparation of complex federal and provincial immigration applications.
  • Advocates for clients at various levels of the Canadian immigration system.
  • Assisting clients in overcoming criminal and medical inadmissibility issues
  • Assisting individual clients seeking immigration into Canada as traders, investors, self-employed persons, and entrepreneurs
  • Provide industry-specific immigration strategy for companies engaged in the IT sector
  • Provide immigration strategies for francophone individuals
  • Providing and implementing immigration strategies for corporations and individuals.
  • Assisting with Labour Market Impact Applications, Work Permit applications, and Business Visitor documentation.
  • Advising on permanent residency options and requirements.
  • Guiding employers on their responsibilities when hiring and employing foreign workers.
  • Acting as immigration representative on various applications for temporary workers and prospective permanent residents.
  • Facilitating the short-term entry of managers and professionals through work permit exemptions.
  • Assisting multinational companies in securing work permits for individuals transferring to a Canadian subsidiary for temporary work assignments.
  • Assisting companies in securing work permits for highly skilled foreign workers from various countries worldwide.
  • Advising employers on how to respond to immigration audits, maintain proper records related to the employment of foreign workers, and obligations as an employer of foreign workers.

Education & Career

Education

McGill University, B.C.L./LLB, 2017
McGill University, BA (joint honours in International Development Studies and Political Science), 2013

Activities

Member, Canadian Bar Association
Vice-Chair of the CBA NS – Citizenship and Immigration Section, September 2022 – Present
Atlantic chapter head, Canadian Hispanic Bar Association
Legal volunteer, reachAbility Association, April 2018 – present
Corporate secretary, Fusion Halifax, 2017 – present
Case worker, McGill’s Humanitarian & Compassionate Project, 2015 – 2017
Legal volunteer, Legal Information Clinic at McGill, 2015 – 2016
Senior editor, Inter Gentes – The McGill Journal of International Law and Legal Pluralism, 2014 – 2016

Accolades

McGill University Dean’s List

Thought Leadership

Presentations

“Avoiding and Dealing with a Study Permit Refusal”, Memorial University

“Study Permits: Refusals and Re-Application”, MUN Internationalization Office session

January 18, 2022

“The legal implications of chronic illness or disability on the pursuit of citizenship”, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

July 31, 2018

 
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