Start Up Businesses and Entrepreneurial Work Permit Options 

Dr. Alexei Titov is an RCIC and a member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, as well as a Senior Immigration Consultant at Anyvisa.

Since July 2014, he has had the honour of serving as an independent member of Ashton College’s Immigration Consulting Program Advisory Committee. In this role, he brings his extensive knowledge of Canadian immigration law and consulting experience to contribute significantly. His aim is to ensure the relevance of Ashton’s programs, alignment with current immigration industry practices, and the qualification of resources.

Dr. Titov holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Physics (1992), a Master’s degree in Finance (1998), and a Ph.D. in Business Administration (2000). He has more than 30 years of experience in the immigration field. 

Free Trade Agreement Updates – Business Visitors, Intra-Company Transferees, and Professionals

Craig is a partner at EY Law LLP in Vancouver. Craig has contributed to many different panels and working groups in Canada and abroad. He has served as an immigration expert at Global Affairs Canada conferences, was a member of the City of Vancouver’s economic trade team during the London 2012 Olympics and has spoken on industry hot topics at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. Over his career, Craig has been a voice at the negotiation table around work permit-related categories. This includes working on the Digital Media LMIA variation in 2013, and the Global Skills Strategy in 2017. Craig also sat on the immigration sub-committee of the BC Labour Market Partners & Workforce Development for Technology initiative.

Craig has been recognized by Who’s Who Legal in their Corporate Immigration and Canadian Lawyers listings since 2011. He was the chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s British Columbia Immigration Section from 2007 to 2009. Craig is also actively involved in legal education. He taught the temporary foreign workers module for the University of British Columbia’s Certificate in Immigration: Laws, Policies, and Procedures program from 2009 to 2019, and has co-chaired the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia’s biennial conference on temporary foreign workers since 2007. 

LMIAS and Updates

Divya Bakshi Arya is a highly experienced Immigration Consultant with more than 18 years of expertise in the field of immigration law. With her background as a foreign-trained lawyer and her extensive experience in Immigration Law since 2004, she has become a trusted adviser in all immigration-related matters.

Divya specializes in various areas of immigration, including spousal visas, work permits, business immigration, start-up investment visas, provincial nomination entrepreneur visas, and assisting corporates in hiring qualified foreign workers from around the world. Her broad range of specialization demonstrates her in-depth knowledge of the immigration landscape.

One of Divya's notable strengths is her representation of clients at Canadian visa offices outside of Canada. This experience equips her with the ability to provide comprehensive assistance and guidance to her clients throughout the different stages of visa applications. It also allows her to help them navigate the complexities of the immigration system with confidence and efficiency. 

Entertainment Industry Work Provisions

Katie Laughlin brings a strong background in immigration and relocation, recruitment, and event management, giving her a clear understanding of the challenges involved in moving people from point A to point B. Her approach is rooted in candour, attention to detail, and open, consistent communication.

Katie is passionate about the opportunities immigration creates—whether it’s reuniting families, building diverse workforces, launching new business ventures, or sharing knowledge that contributes to Canada’s economy and communities. She finds it both meaningful and exciting to be part of this work.

Her dedication lies in helping employers and employees craft immigration strategies that are both time- and cost-effective. She is known for managing details with professionalism and precision to achieve results that meet everyone’s goals.

A Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) since 2015, Katie also brings valuable experience from her previous roles in human resources and recruitment, where she navigated the complexities of the Canadian immigration system firsthand.

She holds a Certificate in Immigration: Laws, Policies and Procedures from the University of British Columbia, a Human Resources Management Certificate from the British Columbia Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Simon Fraser University. 

Temporary Updates

Steven Meurrens is a Vancouver-based Canadian immigration lawyer who advises clients on all Canadian immigration and citizenship issues. He has significant experience representing corporate and individual clients in obtaining visas and permits for many business-related purposes, including, but not limited to, Labour Market Impact Assessments, intracompany transfers, international trade agreements, specialty business visits, and transitioning from temporary to permanent resident under numerous federal economic streams. His corporate clients include businesses engaged in mining, telecommunications, construction, hospitality, and technology start-ups.

He also has an active practice assisting people who have been denied entry to Canada and to those who have had visa applications refused as well as had numerous appearances before the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.

Outside of his practice, Steven is the is a co-host of the Borderlines Podcast, a Canadian immigration law podcast consisting of in-depth interviews.