Canadian Immigration Podcast
Education & Explainer
About
This podcast is all about Canadian Immigration law, policy, and practice. Periodically Canadian immigration lawyer Mark Holthe will address various topics related to the Canadian immigration process. If you are looking for up-to-date information on where the government is going with the latest round of changes, this is the place to come. If you are looking for specific answers, tips to completing IRCC application forms, and other useful information, visit the Canadian Immigration Answers podcast also on iTunes or visit our website at www.holthelaw.com.
Episodes
- CIP 179: Tax Implications of Moving to Canada
Episode Summary: In this special episode, Mark Holthe speaks with cross-border tax consultant Sonya Dolguina about the financial and tax implications of moving from the United States to Canada. They discuss why tax residency is separate fr…
- CIP 178: Black Box Immigration - Express Entry and AI Hallucinations
Episode Summary: In this special episode, Mark Holthe speaks with immigration lawyer Luca Vukolic about a bizarre Express Entry refusal involving a French citizen and McMaster research associate whose application was refused based on job d…
- CIP 177: Farming your way to Alberta - Who qualifies and who gets left out?
Episode Summary: In this episode, Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry discuss Alberta’s AAIP Farm Stream, a niche immigration pathway for experienced farmers. They explain who may qualify, what documents are needed, and the practical ch…
- CIP 176: Express Entry Getting it Right - Can You Claim Concurrent Work?
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry explain whether applicants can claim Canadian and foreign work experience at the same time for Express Entry. They break down how c…
- CIP 175: Express Entry Getting it Right - 2026 Category Based Draws
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe continues the Express Entry: Getting It Right series by exploring what the future of Express Entry looks like in 2026 . Mark breaks down recent changes to cat…
- CIP 174: Express Entry Getting it Right - How your spouse can make or break your CRS score
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry kick off 2026 by continuing their Express Entry: Getting It Right series—this time tackling one of the most misunderstood a…
- CIP 173: Business Immigration Series - LMIA Violations
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry return to their Business Immigration series to unpack a costly misconception: promotions, bonuses, and job changes can be L…
- CIP 172: Immigration Levels Plans 2026-2028 - How It impacts you!
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry break down Canada’s new 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan and what it really means for workers, students, and families tryi…
- CIP 171: Spousal Sponsorship - Work permit options for spouses and kids
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, hosts Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry shine a light on one of the most overlooked pathways to staying in Canada: the open work permit for spouses and dependent chi…
- CIP 170: Business Immigration Series - What is going on with LMIAs in 2025
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, host Mark Holthe and immigration lawyer Alicia Backman-Beharry relaunch the Business Immigration Series with a timely update on the evolving LMIA process in 2025. As IRCC…
- CIP 169: Time's Up Series - How to respond to a PFL
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, host Mark Holthe is joined by guest co-host Igor Kyryliuk to tackle one of the most critical yet misunderstood components of Express Entry applications: responding to Pro…
- CIP 168: Express Entry Getting it Right - Language Tests
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, host Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry unpack one of the most overlooked but impactful aspects of Express Entry: language testing. As one of the few areas wh…
- CIP 167: Express Entry Getting it Right - Canadian Work Experience
Episode Summary In Episode 167 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman- Beharry dive into one of the trickiest parts of Express Entry: properly claiming Canadian work experience under the Canadian Experience Cla…
- CIP 166: Express Entry Getting it Right - Mistakes Doctors Make
Episode Summary In this essential episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry return with another instalment in the Express Entry “Getting it Right” series—this time focusing on physicians and health…
- CIP 165: Express Entry Getting it Right - Statutory Information Questions
Episode Summary In this critical episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry dive deep into one of the most overlooked yet high-stakes sections of the Express Entry process: the statutory information…
- CIP 164: Express Entry Getting it Right - Changes to your eAPR after ITA
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry dive into one of the most critical yet confusing areas of Express Entry: what happens when your situation changes after rec…
- CIP 163: Express Entry Getting it Right - Reference Letters
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast , host Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry tackle one of the most critical yet frequently misunderstood aspects of Express Entry applications: proving work expe…
- CIP 162: Time's Up Series - New measures to support construction industry
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast , host Mark Holthe breaks down the latest immigration measures introduced by the Liberal government, focusing on their impact on temporary residents, construction workers,…
- CIP 161: Express Entry Getting it Right - Show me the money - Settlement Funds
Episode 161 Show Notes Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast , host Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry dive deep into one of the most common and misunderstood aspects of Express Entry— settlement f…
- CIP 160: Express Entry Getting it Right - 2025 Category-Based Draws
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast , host Mark Holthe and co-host Igor Kyryliuk dive into the latest category-based Express Entry draws and the major changes announced by IRCC. With some occupations removed…
- CIP 159: Express Entry Getting it Right - Police Clearances
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast , host Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry kick off the Express Entry Getting It Right series by tackling one of the most misunderstood aspects of Express Entry…
- CIP 158: Express Entry Getting it Right - Certificate of qualification points
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast , host Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry continue the Time’s Up series with an in-depth look at the Certificate of Qualification (COQ) and how it affects Expr…
- CIP 157: Time's Up Series - Applying for a BOWP? Don't make these costly mistakes
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast , host Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry continue their Time’s Up series with a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood aspects of Canadian immigr…
- CIP 156: Time's Up Series - No Points for LMIAs: What this means for Express Entry?
Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, host Mark Holthe and co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry dive deep into the recent announcement by Immigration Minister Marc Miller regarding the removal of LMIA-based job off…
- CIP 155: Time's Up Series - When not to claim refugee status in Canada
Episode 155: When Not to Claim Refugee Status in Canada Episode Summary In this installment of the Canadian Immigration Podcast , host Mark Holthe is joined by co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing…
- CIP 154: Time's Up Series - H&C Applications: What you need to know
Episode 154: Humanitarian & Compassionate Applications: A Lifeline for Those Without Options Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, host Mark Holthe and returning guest Igor Kyryliuk delve into one of the most…
- CIP 153: Time's Up Series - No Extensions for PGWPs
Episode 153: "No Extensions for PGWPs: Navigating Post-Graduation Work Permit Challenges" Episode Summary In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry tackle the recent changes impacting Post-…
- CIP 152: How to move to Canada for US citizens post 2024 election (2nd Edition)
Episode 152: "How to Move to Canada 2.0: Dedicated to US Citizens Post-Election" Episode Summary In response to the recent U.S. election results and a renewed interest among U.S. citizens exploring Canadian immigration options, Mark Holthe…
- CIP 151: Time's Up Series - My work permit expires soon: Can I change to a visitor status?
Episode 151: Time's Up Series - Transitioning from Worker to Visitor Status in Canada In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and Igor Kurliuk continue their "Time’s Up" series by discussing a critical question fac…
- CIP 150: Time's Up Series - The High Cost of Staying in Canada Illegally
Episode 150: Time's Up Series - The High Cost of Staying in Canada Illegally In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast , Mark Holthe and immigration lawyer Alicia Backman-Beharry continue their Time’s Up series by delving into th…
- CIP 149: Time's Up Series - What to do when your work permit is expiring?
Episode Summary: Time's Up – What to Do When Your Work Permit is Expiring In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast , Mark Holthe and immigration lawyer Alicia Backman-Beharry kick off the Time’s Up series, designed to address th…
- CIP 148: AAIP Expression of Interest System - Everything you need to know!
Episode Summary: In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe is joined by Alicia Backman-Arcand to discuss the latest developments in the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), specifically the launch of the bra…
- CIP 147: Uncovering TFWP Abuse: What Every Employer and Worker Needs to Know
Podcast Show Notes: Uncovering TFWP Abuse: What Every Employer and Worker Needs to Know In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry discuss the growing issue of abuse within Canada's Temporar…
- CIP 146: Mastering the 'Intention to Reside' in Canada's PNPs
Podcast Show Notes: Provincial Nominee Programs and the "Intention to Reside" Requirement In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry delve into the intricacies of Canada's Provincial Nominee…
- CIP 145: Lengthy Delays in Security Screening
Episode Title: Lengthy Delays in Security Screening Host: Mark Holthe, Immigration Lawyer, Holthe Immigration Law Guest: Will Tao, Immigration Lawyer, Heron Law Offices Sponsor: Canadian Immigration Institute - Subscribe to the 2024 Expres…
- CIP 144: The Real Costs of Immigrating to Canada
In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, your hosts Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry dive deep into the real costs associated with immigrating to Canada. From government fees to travel expenses, Mark and Alicia break down…
- CIP 143: The Dangers of Crowd Sourcing Canadian Immigration Information with Robert Leong
Show Notes for Canadian Immigration Podcast Episode 143: The Dangers of Crowd Sourcing Immigration Information Episode Overview: Join host Mark Holthe, as he welcomes back Robert Leong, a seasoned immigration lawyer from British Columbia,…
- CIP 142: The PNP Battle for PR in Canada - From Temporary to Tenuous
Episode Number: 142 - The PNP Battle for PR in Canada - From Temporary to Tenuous Introduction: Host: Mark Holthe Co-Host: Alicia Backman-Beharry Overview of the episode: Discussing the intensifying challenges within provincial nominee pro…
- CIP 141: Major Shifts in Canada's Start-Up and Self Employed PR Programs with Pantea Jafari
Episode 141: Impacts of the Closure of the Self-Employed Persons Program and Changes to the Startup Visa Host: Mark Holthe Guests: Alicia Backman-Beharry, Pantea Jafari Date: May 13, 2024 Introduction: Welcome to Episode 141 of the C…
- 140: What if I am not invited in an Express Entry Draw?
Podcast Episode 140: What if I am not invited in an Express Entry Draw? Host: Mark Holthe Guest: Alicia Backman-Beharry Introduction: Welcome to another episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast. In today’s episode, we delve into what ha…
- 139: Making Sense of Filipino TFW Exit Visa Requirements with Lou Janssen Dangzalan
Title: Making Sense of the Filipino Temporary Foreign Worker Exit Visa Requirements Introduction: Welcome back to another episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast. Today, we delve into one of the most complex aspects of immigration for…
- 138: Budget 2024 - Top 6 Immigration Takeaways
Welcome to Episode 138 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast. In this episode, Mark Holthe and Alicia delve into the freshly released Budget 2024 to unearth the key takeaways impacting immigration. They offer insights into the potential dire…
- 137: Flagpoling - The Good, the bad, and the ugly
Welcome to Episode 137 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast. In this deep dive, your host, Canadian immigration lawyer Mark Holthe, along with co-host Alicia Backman-Beharry, unpack the complexities and risks of flagpoling, a practice many…
- 136: The Future of Immigration in Canada 2024
Show Notes for Canadian Immigration Podcast Episode 136: The Future of Immigration in Canada 2024 Welcome to Episode 136 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast. In this episode, Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry discuss the future of imm…
- 135: Humanitarian and Compassionate Applications - When all else fails!
Show Notes for Canadian Immigration Podcast Episode 135: Humanitarian and Compassionate Applications - When All Else Fails! Welcome to Episode 135 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast. In this episode, Mark Holthe and special guest Ronalee…
- 134: Top 10 Essential Tips for Employers of Foreign Workers
Show Notes for Canadian Immigration Podcast Episode 134: Top 10 Essentials for Employers with Foreign Workers Welcome to Episode 134 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, where hosts Mark Holthe and Alicia Backman-Beharry discuss the Top 10…
- 133: AAIP Tourism and Hospitality Stream
Welcome to Episode 133 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, where we dive into the newly announced Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) Tourism and Hospitality Stream. Host Alicia Backman-Beharry and guest Igor Kyryl…
- 132: Closure of the Alberta Opportunity Stream and Creation ofNew Tourism Program
Welcome to Episode 132 of the Canadian Immigration Podcast, where we dive into the recent changes to the Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) and the introduction of a new pathway for the tourism and hospitality sector. Host Alicia Backman-Beh…
- 131: Express Entry - Top 5 wrong answers given in online forums
Title : Express Entry - Top 5 Wrong Answers in Online Forums Host : Mark Holthe Sponsor : Joorney Business Plans - The leading immigration business plan writing service provider in Canada. Mention the code HOLTHEJOORNEY10 for a 10% discoun…
- 130: Business Immigration Series: Canada Chile Free Trade Agreement
Title : Navigating Work Permit Options Under the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement Host : Mark Holthe Guest : Alicia Backman-Beharry Introduction : Mark Holthe welcomes listeners to the podcast and introduces the topic of free trade agreem…