Presenter/s: Patricia Mendes RISIA and Tiffany Osman-Chi RCIC-IRB
Date: 23 April 2026
Time: 2 - 4 pm Pacific
Location: webinar
Type: webinar and recording
Price: $50.00
CPD approval:
- CICC 2 hours - 2 CDP hours approved. Video recoding will expire 23 April 2027. Includes 30 minutes of professionalism.
- LSBC 2 hours - 2 CPD hours approved. Video recording will expire 31 December 2025. Attendance to this course will provide you with .5 hours/30 minutes of ethics and professional responsibility component for your BC Law Society reporting.
- Law Societies of Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia
- For members of these Law Societies, consider including this course as a CPD learning activity in your mandatory annual requirements.
Outline:
Spousal Work Permits (SOWP): Strategy, Eligibility & Application Best Practices
- Overview of Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) framework
- Eligibility requirements (inside vs. outside Canada)
- Relationship genuineness & supporting documentation
- Principal applicant considerations (status, program, occupation)
- TEER/NOC alignment and its impact on eligibility
- Common application mistakes and refusal triggers
- Step-by-step application walkthrough (IRCC portal)
- Document checklist and practical tips for stronger submissions
- Maintaining status and timing considerations (extensions, bridging)
- Case scenarios and Q&A
Competency mapping
RCIC
Foundational Knowledge
1.4 Differentiates the principal categories and classes of temporary and permanent immigration.
1.4.2 Analyzes the requirements, procedures and limitations for each category and class of immigration.
Professionalism
6.1 Demonstrates and maintains competence in practice
6.1.2 Stays current and complies with legislation, regulation, professional standards, policies and guidelines.
Communication, Counselling and Advocacy
8.2 Uses effective counselling skills when interacting with the client.
8.2.4 Dynamically assesses and sorts through the information for importance and relevancy to the issues
RISIA
Foundational knowledge
1.4 Differentiates the principal categories and classes of temporary and permanent immigration, with greater focus on student class.
1.4.2 Shows familiarity with the requirements and limitations for each category and class of immigration.
Student Advising and Coaching
2.1 Conducts a preliminary assessment of the student's profile and needs to determine the appropriate approach to the case.
Professionalism
5.1 Demonstrates and maintains competence in practice
5.1.2 Stays current and complies with legislation, regulation, professional standards, policies and guidelines.
Patricia Mendes RISIA
Patricia is a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA) with over five years of experience supporting international students as they navigate both academic and immigration pathways. She began her career in 2020 at an immigration consultancy and, in 2021, joined a well-respected school in Toronto, where she discovered her passion for helping students and institutions alike. Since obtaining her RISIA license in 2023, Patricia has been with the University of Niagara Falls Canada, developing practical strategies to guide students toward success.
Tiffany Osman-Chi RCIC-IRB
Harbour Rowe Immigration Advisory
Founder
Tiffany started her immigration career as a student Border Services Officer with the Canada Border Services Agency. She is a registered member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). Tiffany holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of British Columbia, and is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law at Queen's University. She specializes in economic classes, family class, provincial nominee programs and has presented numerous seminars and served on numerous panel discussions within the industry. Tiffany is the Communications Director for Imm Seminars. She lives in Calgary, Alberta.
While speakers and topics are confirmed at the time of publication, sometimes things happen which are beyond the control of Imm Seminars. If that happens substitutions or cancellations to speaker/s and/or topic/s may be necessary. In those cases, Imm Seminars will advise all registrants by email as soon as possible. We will also update the Imm Seminars website. We appreciate your cooperation in these cases.
