H&C applications are discretionary. Officers weigh your entire story. Without a clear, compelling narrative supported by evidence, most are denied.

H&C ApplicationsГуманітарна програмаГуманитарная программа

When You Don't Fit a Program,
Your Story Still Matters.

H&C applications are for those outside standard immigration pathways — no valid status, Canadian-born children, or deep roots in Canada. Your case deserves to be told with care and precision.

Discuss Your H&C Case · $200 Consultation

$200 CAD

Consultations in
English  ·  Українська  ·  Русский
What is an H&C Application? 3:42

Alisa explains when H&C is the right path, what officers look for, and how a strong submission makes the difference.

We Don't Just File Forms.
We Tell Your Story.

Every H&C case turns on its specific facts and circumstances. There is no universal template for what works. The difference between a submission that succeeds and one that does not is almost always invisible from the outside.

Most clients come to us after being told they have no options. We often find they do, but the window to act is narrow.

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The Cases I Have Seen Succeed Were Not Always the Most Dramatic. They Were the Best Prepared.
H&C is one of the most complex applications in the system. What determines the outcome is not simply the circumstances themselves, but how completely and accurately those circumstances are presented. I know the difference, because I have seen it from both sides.
H&C Requires Someone Who Understands What Officers Are Looking For, Not Just What Applicants Are Going Through
My mother's H&C application was approved. I know what it means to need this process to work, and I know what it takes to build a submission that can succeed. That combination is not common, and it shapes every case I take on.
What You Have Built in Canada Over the Years Is Relevant. Making It Visible in a File Is Not Simple.
The time someone has spent in Canada, the life they have built, the people who depend on them, all of it matters. Translating that into a submission an officer can act on is a different skill, and it is not one that comes naturally to people who have never done it before.
Every H&C Case Is Different. That Is Exactly Why Experience Matters More Than Any Checklist.
There is no template for what succeeds in H&C. What works in one case can be irrelevant in the next. The judgment required to know the difference is something I have developed by working through many of these cases over many years.

Real People. Real Approvals.

Cases Like Yours Have Been Won.

H&C Approved After 9 Years Without Status
Alisa ImmigrationSubscribe
Client had no valid status for 9 years. We documented her full life in Canada. H&C approved.
Canadian Children Saved the Case
Alisa ImmigrationSubscribe
Best interests of the child argument built around school records and community letters. Application approved.
H&C After a Failed Refugee Claim
Alisa ImmigrationSubscribe
Refugee claim denied. H&C built on 11 years of establishment evidence and health conditions. Approved.
H&C Approved · No Prior Status
"I had been afraid to come forward for years. Alisa made me feel safe and understood. She turned my whole story into something the officer could see clearly. We got the approval letter eight months later."
Fatima · Toronto, Ontario
H&C Approved · Canadian-Born Child
"My daughter was born here. She is six years old and has never left Canada. Alisa built the entire case around her future and our family's roots. I cannot describe what it means to finally have status."
Olena · Hamilton, Ontario
H&C Approved · Post-Refugee Denial
"After my refugee claim was rejected, I thought it was over. Alisa explained H&C to me and we started building the case immediately. She never gave up, and neither did I."
Viktor · Vancouver, BC

How It Works

Three steps to a complete H&C submission.

Consultation: Your Case, Heard

We sit down and go through your situation fully, without judgment. Everything relevant to your application comes out in this conversation. Nothing is assumed and nothing is minimized.

Case Building

We build your submission from the ground up. Every element is reviewed, organized, and prepared to the standard the file requires. Nothing is included that weakens the case. Nothing important is left out.

Filing & Follow-Through

We prepare and submit your complete application. You receive copies of everything filed. We are available throughout the process and you are never left without someone to ask.

Alisa · RCIC
Why I Do This Work

My Mother's Case Is Why I Became an RCIC.

She came to Canada to visit me and her grandson. A simple occasion. What we discovered a short time after she arrived changed everything: a stage four cancer diagnosis. Suddenly the question was not when she would return home. The question was how to keep her here, close to family, where she could receive care.

We filed an H&C application. Nine months later, it was approved. My mother now receives cancer treatment in Canada, covered through the provincial health system. I am deeply grateful to this country for that outcome. That gratitude is a large part of why I do this work.

H&C applications exist precisely for moments like this: when life changes without warning and the standard immigration categories simply do not fit the situation in front of you. I know what it feels like to be in that position. I know what it means to need someone who understands both the law and what is genuinely at stake. That is what I bring to every case I take on.

"The law has to work for real people in real situations. My mother's case showed me that it can. I became an RCIC to make sure it does."
ALISA · RCIC R1055424

Why H&C Applications Fail

H&C decisions are discretionary. Officers are not looking for reasons to feel moved by your situation. They are looking for legal justification to exercise discretion in your favour. Those are different things, and a submission that only provides the first rarely produces the second.

One session is enough to understand whether you have a case and what it would take to present it properly.

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Most H&C applications that are denied were not lacking merit. They were lacking structure. I have reviewed submissions that were clearly sincere and clearly unprepared at the same time. The outcome in those cases is not determined by the circumstances. It is determined by the file.
The cases that succeed are built from the beginning with the officer's decision in mind. Not assembled at the end. H&C is not a place for guesswork or last-minute organization. Every element of the submission needs to be working together, and that takes deliberate preparation from the start.
H&C is one of the most complex applications in Canadian immigration. The people who tend to navigate it alone tend to underestimate that, right up until they receive a decision they could not have predicted. I have been through enough of these cases to know where the risks are before they become outcomes.

H&C Applications FAQ

Who can apply for H&C?
Anyone in Canada, including people without valid status, can apply for permanent residence on H&C grounds. There are very few bars to applying. However, eligibility is different from success. An assessment of your specific circumstances will tell you how strong your case is.
I overstayed my visa by years. Can I still apply?
Yes. Overstaying a visa, while a compliance issue, does not automatically disqualify you from H&C. Length of time in Canada and the hardship of removal are both considered by officers. Your case history matters, and we evaluate it honestly.
My refugee claim was denied. Can I still file H&C?
In most cases, yes. A failed refugee claim does not bar you from H&C, but the bar 12 months bar may apply in certain circumstances. We will tell you exactly where you stand and what options remain during your consultation.
How long does an H&C application take?
Processing times vary widely, but H&C applications typically take 2 to 4 years. Filing does not guarantee a stay of removal. If you are under a removal order, we discuss urgent steps alongside the H&C application.
What happens if my H&C is denied?
A denied H&C can be appealed to the Federal Court on judicial review. We discuss this option during consultations. In some cases, a new application with stronger evidence is also possible.
Will you tell me honestly if my case is weak?
Always. We do not take cases we do not believe in, and we do not give false hope. During the strategy session, we give you our honest assessment of your chances and what would be needed to strengthen your application.

Your Life in Canada Is Worth Fighting For.

Every year you have built here is evidence. Let us help you present it properly.

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$200 CAD · 60-minute consultation · Confidential

Consultations in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.

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Alisa
RCIC · Regulated Consultant
Hi, I'm Alisa. What brings you here today?