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Deanna Okun-Nachoff and Andrew Carvajal
May 21, 2026 at 12:00pm EST
$120
4 hours
Attend Live Online and On-Demand Recording
This course explores how to successfully re-submit immigration applications after a prior refusal. Participants will learn how to analyze refusal reasons, interpret GCMS and ATIP notes, and rebuild strong, well-documented new submissions across a range of case types—including study permits, visitor visas, work permits, LMIAs, family sponsorships, and H&C applications. The course covers best practices for client consultations, ethical considerations when taking over previously represented files, and strategies for deciding between reapplication and judicial review. Using real-world examples and case analysis, the instructors provide practical, step-by-step guidance for turning refused cases into approvals while maintaining professionalism and compliance.
• Three possible outcomes
o Give up on the application
o Prepare a better application and apply again
o Judicial review
Preserve client’s rights while awaiting officer’s notes
• ATIP requests
• Ethical issues
o Clients who are still on retainer with a different representative
o The limits of a second opinion consultation
o Not jumping to conclusions
o Speaking with the other representative
o Advising clients of their rights
• Interpreting ATIPs and GCMS notes
• Representative’s cover letters in a re-submission
• Tackling reconsideration applications following a judicial review
• Refusals due to purpose of visit
o Genuineness of studies
o The study plan
• Refusals due to financial means to pay for studies
• Refusals due to ties to home country
• Refusals due to misrepresentations – general application to all types of applications
• Refusals due to purpose of visit
o General advice
o Applicants visiting close family members
o Business visitor applications
• Refusals due to financial means to pay for trip and stay in Canada
• Refusals due to ties to home country
• Refusals due to employer’s active engagement or financial ability to meet the obligations of the job offer
• Refusals due to reasonable employment needs and urgency of the position
• Refusals due to problems with the advertisement and recruitment efforts
• Technical refusal
o Missing LMIA or LMIA-exempt online job offer
o Failure to meet work permit test under an LMIA exemption
• Refusals due to genuineness of job offer
• Refusals due to employer’s active engagement or financial ability to meet the obligations of the job offer
• Refusals due to employee’s qualifications to perform the job being offered
• Refusals due to ties to home country
• Returned (incomplete) applications vs. refused applications
• Res judicata
• Appeal rights to Immigration Appeal Division
• Deciding between reapplying or appealing
• Reviewing the reasons for refusal
• Advising the client on pros and cons
• Looking for new arguments
• Bolstering the new application
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Managing Partner
Carvajal Law
Andrew is a Toronto immigration lawyer and the Managing Lawyer of Carvajal Law. He received a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Civil Law from McGill University. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2011.
Andrew’s immigration practice focuses on all types of business immigration, including the relocation of foreign workers through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the International Mobility Program. This involves the representation of employers and employees on all types of Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications and Canadian work permit applications. He also assists professionals and entrepreneurs around the world with permanent residence applications under federal and provincial economic programs.
Having been involved in the international student industry for over 10 years, Andrew also assists clients with study permits and visitor visas. He is the CEO of the education consulting firm mobility.study.
For over 10 years, Andrew has taught at the university and college levels, as well as professional development courses to immigration lawyers, Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants and paralegals. He is the Curriculum Developer for LPEN and an instructor of multiple online courses and workshops dealing with labour mobility programs, permanent residence and study permits. He is also a frequent contributor to several publications dealing with immigration law and has been invited to speak about immigration changes on local and national news segments, as well as to testify before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.
Prior to practising law, Andrew was a sociology professor at McGill University and a university researcher in projects dealing with criminal justice, equality laws, family transformation and social research methods. He is also the host of the biweekly wine and immigration podcast “Vivir Afuera”.
Partner and Lawyer, Evolution Law Group
Deanna has been working in the immigration field for over 20 years, and has recently founded Evolution Law Group – to further focus her work on strategic litigation aimed at redressing systemic injustices in the immigration system. She started her career in the non-profit sector serving the needs of foreign live-in caregivers. Her current practice focuses on litigation and permanent migration to Canada, especially for those seeking to overcome admissibility and eligibility barriers. She represents refugees, foreign nationals and permanent residents at all levels of the IRB and at the Federal Court. Deanna runs a trauma-informed practice and has extensive experience assisting victims of domestic violence and undocumented workers.
Deanna speaks at various conferences and for grassroots organizations and has been an active volunteer with the Canadian Bar Association’s national immigration section, where she has served in various executive positions over the years, including that of section Chair. She also co-hosts Borderlines, a weekly podcast and YouTube show on immigration and other topical social justice issues.
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Absolutely. Every LPEN course is recorded, and the recording is added to your account within a few business days. You can log in anytime to watch it on demand and still receive your digital certificate of completion.
LPEN seeks accreditation for each course from the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) and the Law Society of Ontario (LSO),the Law Society of BC (LSBC) when applicable. Accreditation details and approved CPD hours are listed in the CPD Credits section on each course page, so you can easily confirm how the course qualifies toward your professional development requirements.
A digital certificate of completion will be available once the course recording has been uploaded. After that, you can follow the steps at the top of your My Courses page—where you’ll also find a short video explaining how to download your certificate. Be sure to save it as part of your documentation for your CPD hours.
This course may be included in one or several LPEN Passes. Passes offer discounted rates and access to multiple courses, making CPD compliance simpler. Check out our Passes page to see where it is included.
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