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There have been a lot of changes in the immigration process since Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant Kay Wilson first immigrated to Canada in 2011. Even back then there were a lot of hiccups and unanswered questions in the immigration process, which compelled Kay Wilson to get involved helping family and friends with their immigration applications. This naturally resulted in Kay Wilson making the leap to become a licensed immigration consultant and opening Northern Connections Canada Immigration in 2017.
“It’s not something that I desired to do. It was more about me following my passion for helping people. That’s how it started. I usually try to volunteer and provide a service to my community. This provided me with an outlet to help even more people then it grew to providing immigration services professionally and it is something that I definitely enjoy.”
Wilson, graduated with her Immigrant Consultant Diploma in December 2016 from Ashton College in Vancouver. She was licenced by Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) in March 2017. Kay Wilson, who is based in Regina, Saskatchewan, is the owner of Northern Connections Canada Immigration and specializes in:Express Entry/PNP, Study Permit, Family Sponsorship, Visitor Visa. She also practices Super-Visa, Work Permit, Business/Self-Employed, Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations.
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Kay Wilson uses her professional experience along with her education to guide immigrants in the right direction when it comes to the immigration process.
“Generally I try to provide personalized guidance. I bring them into a consultation process where I can offer tailored advice because it’s not a one size fits all. Not every program works for everyone and sometimes it depends on the applicants’ goals. Some clients may want to immigrate to Canada right away, while others have a two or three year plan. We work with our clients based on their goals, profile and eligibility for programs.”
An obstacle many consultants face today is building trust with potential clients and that relationship is a big step for a client deciding on whether they want to move forward.
“I believe in always being honest and transparent. I am upfront with my clients and prospects. I feel if they have a pathway and a good chance I will communicate that with them. If they don’t I will also communicate that and provide them with options to get them to that place if they are not eligible. I encourage them to do their own research. I say here is our information. Here is the ICCRC’s website and feel comfortable with the decision you are making before proceeding with anyone.”
Kay Wilson said one of the biggest differences between immigration ten years ago and today is the competitiveness of immigration programs like the ones in the Express Entry System where it’s not just about qualifying for the programs. It is also about being in the pool, getting selected over other applicants and everything is based on your score and your completed profile. The new reality of immigrating today also allows immigration consultants to look for ways to pathways where their clients can be best positioned for success, said Wilson.
Some changes that Kay Wilson is excited about include changes to economic immigration programs managed by the Express Entry system. There will be changes to the NOC system and a new program in New Brunswick which will see the provincial immigration department partner with private colleges, which Kay Wilson said will be a great opportunity for international students who want to study at private colleges. One of the most attractive features for students will be lower tuition fees and they will still have the opportunity to apply for permanent residency after graduation.
One change that Wilson is especially excited about is the ICCRC transitioning into the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, later this year. A move that will give the college more executive powers to crack down on fraudulent consultants operating without a license.
Through all the changes, clarifying and education that comes from preparing clients for the process of immigrating to Canada, the satisfaction of experiencing when a client has a successful application is what it’s all about for Kay Wilson.
“It feels very rewarding, firstly knowing that you can help someone achieve their dreams and help them experience this transformation. Coming to Canada is a big decision and a huge move. You are uprooting yourself from your country, life as you know it, your family, friends. A lot of them will be left behind. For some of them it is a dream come true and just being able to help them achieve that goal is definitely very rewarding.”
If you are interested in booking a consultation time with Kay Wilson of Northern Connections Canada Immigration and you have questions about programs, documents, processing times or you want to know more about what to expect from the immigration process you can check out her ImmiSearch consultant profile here.
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