Welcome Home: An Immigration Law Podcast

• S1E15 - When the Work Hurts: Mental Health in Legal Practice

  Have you ever felt like your career success came at the expense of your mental health? In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Registered Psychotherapist Dawn Binkowski, whose two decades of experience—including a background as a court reporter—give her unique insight into the intersection of mental health and Canadian immigration law. Dawn shares powerful reflections on why mental well-being matters profoundly in the legal and immigration space, especially in a profession that often overlooks emotional needs. We explore common mental health challenges in the field—burnout, anxiety, people-pleasing, and vicarious trauma—and the impact of unresolved childhood experiences on legal professionals’ coping mechanisms. From navigating shame and the fear of judgment to understanding generational differences in work culture, this episode explains why setting boundaries, cultivating self-awareness, and fostering human connection are essential—not only for personal health, but also for improved client outcomes. We also discuss the importance of community, the risks of compassion fatigue, and how practitioners can support each other while respecting emotional boundaries. In this segment of “Things I Wish I Knew,” Chantal and Cathryn share tips on making mindful decisions around opportunity and burnout, including how to assess returns on investment—financial or otherwise—before saying “yes.” Whether you’re a legal professional, immigration advocate, or simply curious about how emotional well-being impacts high-stress careers, this episode offers practical advice, validation, and a reminder that self-care isn’t a luxury - it’s a professional necessity. Other topics include: Coping with shame and the fear of being judged in professional settings How unmet childhood needs manifest in legal careers The role of self-soothing and emotional numbing within the legal profession Generational shifts in workplace culture and expectations The risks of remaining in the profession for external validation Special Guest: Dawn Binkowski is a Registered Psychotherapist based in Mississauga, Ontario, who focuses on supportive and compassionate approaches to mental health. Before transitioning into psychotherapy, she worked as a court reporter in the civil litigation field—an experience that inspired her to pursue a more active role in mental health support. Dawn completed her training at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto, building on her undergraduate studies in Psychology and Women's Studies at the University of Toronto. Her private practice specializes in areas such as anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, and low self-esteem.

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• S1E14 - From Advocacy to Algorithms: AI’s Role in Immigration

  Can automation truly redefine immigration systems without sacrificing equity and trust? Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way Canadian immigration processes operate, with promises of increased efficiency and reduced backlogs. However, these innovations bring complex questions: Are biases baked into the algorithms? Is decision-making still truly in human hands? What does this mean for the future of immigration advocacy? In this episode, Chantal Desloges and Cathryn Sawicki are joined by Zeynab Ziaie Moayyed and Will Tao, leading voices in immigration law and technology. Together, they explore the growing role of AI in visa processing, risk triaging, and border security—while unpacking the critical challenges around transparency, procedural fairness, and regulatory oversight. Key topics include: The tools shaping Canadian immigration—from Chinook to facial recognition systems. Practical advice for preparing applications in the age of automation. The ethical dilemmas of AI-powered decision-making. Strategies for leveraging tech to streamline legal practices while safeguarding client confidentiality. In this segment of "Things I Wish I Knew," the hosts share essential tips for avoiding professional scams, including maintaining secure signatures, enabling dual-factor authentication, and screening for fraudulent collaborators. Tune in for an engaging discussion on how immigration practitioners can adapt to—and thrive in—an evolving landscape of AI-driven systems. Special Guests: Zeynab Ziaie Moayyed is a partner at My Visa Law Group in Toronto, where she combines business and immigration law to advise clients on a wide range of immigration matters. She provides strategic advice for short-term visa planning, long-term immigration purposes, and compliance obligations for businesses and tech start-ups. Zeynab regularly represents clients before the Immigration Appeal Division and the Federal Court of Canada, advocates for the use of technology to increase access to justice. Will Tao is the founder of Heron Law Offices in Burnaby and has over a decade of experience in all areas of Canadian immigration and refugee law. He focuses on complex applications, overcoming refusals, inadmissibility matters, appeals, and judicial reviews. Will frequently appears before the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada, and currently serves as Co-Chair and a founding member of the Canadian Bar Association’s National Immigration Section Anti-Racism Committee.

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• S1E13 - Canadian Citizenship: What Practitioners Need to Know

  In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that Canada’s current “first generation” limits on citizenship violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  In this episode, citizenship experts Amandeep Hayer and Lisa Middlemiss join us to break down the proposed controversial Canadian Citizenship amendments. We discuss the limitations of first-generation citizenship, the Bjorkquist case, Bill C-71, and more. While Bill C-71 promises to abolish discriminatory limitations, many aspects of the Bill remain uncertain, including the “substantial connection to Canada” test. Does this new test make it too easy to qualify? Will these changes lead to a continual succession of Canadian citizenship or issues in population growth? Tune in to hear how practitioners can keep abreast of these changes and prepare clients for the uncertainty ahead.  In this segment of “Things I Wish I Knew,” we discuss nightmare clients and how to avoid them. We explore the red flags – clients who refuse direction, constantly look for shortcuts and discounts, ask irrelevant "what ifs,” or bombard you with too much communication. We share our advice for stepping away from an unresolvable situation while upholding your professional responsibilities.    Special Guests:   Amandeep Hayer is the principal lawyer at Hayer Law, a boutique immigration law firm in Langley, British Columbia. His firm specializes in citizenship by descent, business immigration, BC PNP applications, spousal and family sponsorship, criminal inadmissibility, and more.  Lisa Middlemiss, founder of Middlemiss Immigration Law, a boutique immigration law firm in Montreal specializing in work and study permits, permanent residence, citizenship applications, contesting refusals, and more.

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• S1E12 - Making Connections South of the Border, with Erick Widman

  Has the US immigration system earned its negative reputation and is Canada’s immigration system as welcoming as we think it is? In this episode Chantal and Cathryn sit down with Erick Widman to discuss United States’ immigration pathways and their unique barriers, including the "H1B Cap,” spousal sponsorship restrictions, filing fees, permanent residence country caps, and waiver requests.   How does the uncertainty, wait times, and expenses generated by these barriers affect the United States in the global talent and investment competitions? Many companies today are transnational and if there is no clear pathway to permanent residency, immigrants and companies will go elsewhere.  Many believe the US immigration system is tougher than the Canadian system, but Canada in some ways rolls up our welcome mat too. Listen to Chantal, Cathryn, and Erick unpack the US and Canada’s surprisingly dissimilar stances on criminal inadmissibility.   Other topics include:  Marijuana and US immigration.  The politicization of legal immigrants vs. refugees.  US immigration reform  Travel during application processes  Humanitarian parole  Inter-company transfer visas  As an immigration practitioner, have you ever felt like you needed an entire workday just to go through your inbox? Instead of feeling overwhelmed, follow Chantal and Cathryn’s tailored time-management tips for immigration practitioners. In this segment of “Things I Wish I Knew,” Chantal and Cathryn discuss, utilizing outlook, managing client expectations concerning communication, farming out work when it is not your speciality, and more.   Special Guest: Erick Widman, former expat, US immigration lawyer, and founder of Passage Immigration Law in Portland, Oregon. Erick’s firm specializes in both immigration and business Law, helping his clients to live globally and navigate the US immigration processes.

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• S1E11 - How Artificial Intelligence is Influencing the Canadian Immigration Application Process

  What degree of transparency should we expect from a government body that leverages AI to expedite processes that have a life-changing impact on thousands of people each year?  The IRCC has introduced the use of artificial intelligence to expedite the processing of immigration applications, with assurances that AI does not have the power to determine or influence the outcome of applications. However, the details of its usage are opaque, and many questions remain unanswered – what exactly is the scope of AI’s current and future contributions? Who are the architects behind its intellect? What rules and information has it been fed?   In this episode, Mario Bellissimo, Cathryn, and Chantal unpack the risks and possibilities of artificial intelligence as a tool to enhance – or undermine – the effectiveness of our immigration system. While AI offers promising improvements to a system that has been criticized for being slow, inefficient, and “broken,” it also has the potential to create new problems that come at a high cost and take decades to resolve. How can we be certain that AI is not perpetuating hidden biases or introducing new biases through its assessments? What digital privacy protections have been established, if any? Have safeguards been put in place to limit the scope of AI usage and to ensure human oversight?   Other topics include:  Paving the way for AI's transformational impact through robust legislative and regulatory measures  Other countries that we can look to as examples of how to successfully integrate AI  Embracing transparency and open dialogue in this new era of AI-supported government processes  In this segment of “Things I Wish I Knew,” what can you do when the volume and complexity of work required for a client expands beyond the scope of the original retainer? Instead of doing too much work for too little money, follow Chantal and Cathryn’s tips for crafting a retainer agreement that will protect you while ensuring clear and open communication with your client.  Special Guest: Mario Bellissimo, founder of Bellissimo Law Group PC and former Chair of the Canadian Bar Association National Immigration Law Section. Mario's firm is exclusively committed to Canadian citizenship, immigration, and refugee matters, and represents clients from around the world at every stage of the immigration process.

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