Join our team! TalentLift is a mission-driven, collaborative, and high-impact start-up expanding the job and skilled visa opportunities available to talented candidates living in refugee circumstances globally. We are hiring a full-time Immigration Lead who will have the opportunity to make a clear impact on individual and systemic levels and to create the scaleable and human-centred processes that power our work.

The team

TalentLift is a non-profit international recruitment agency. We support Canadian employers to recruit and relocate talent from within refugee populations to fill skills shortages, enabling candidates along with their families to lift to their potential as they advance their careers, secure their futures, and leave displacement behind.

There are more than 35 million people living as refugees worldwide with few options to achieve livelihoods and security. Many thousands have the skills and potential to qualify for jobs and skilled visas in Canada, just like talented people anywhere, but they’ve been historically excluded from recruitment and visa systems. This is changing as TalentLift and our partners drive more equitable access to these transformative opportunities.

TalentLift offers employers and the displaced candidates they hire in-house services encompassing talent search, visa application, and settlement coordination. We believe that access to opportunities should depend on potential and not the privilege of living without fear.

The role

Our Immigration Lead will report to the Head of Legal Operations and be responsible for:

Leading the preparation and submission of Canadian visa applications, working alongside Immigration Clerks, primarily working with candidates supported by TalentLift and our partners Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS), a global humanitarian assistance agency and an affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network; these candidates are living in refugee circumstances globally and represent diverse professions, English language abilities, and cultural backgrounds
Serving as the main point of contact for candidates carrying a file from start to finish
Managing various file lead duties including:
- Maintaining case management databases and software
- Requesting and reviewing information and documentation from candidates
- Completing forms required for immigration applications and following up with candidates to obtain outstanding information
- Providing timely updates and addressing any inquiries or concerns throughout the application process
- Drafting submission letters, working from precedents when appropriate
- Preparing final application packages for review and submission
Coordinating with immigration authorities, and internal stakeholders as needed
Ensuring that deadlines are recorded, scheduled and met
Staying up-to-date on changes to immigration laws, policies, and procedures
Performing research and other general administrative duties as required

Must have:

2 years of work experience in economic immigration processing
Knowledge of Canadian immigration practices and procedures
Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to work well under pressure
Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high attention to detail
Excellent communication skills in a cross-cultural environment
Empathy
Reliability
Adaptability and willingness to continuously learn

Nice to have:

A law degree and licensed (in good standing) to practice law in Canada, or equivalent accreditation with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants
Knowledge of Canada’s Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP)
Work experience or volunteerism in cross-cultural contexts is preferred
Experience supporting people living in refugee and displaced situations is preferred
Experience with project management and database software is preferred
Ability to communicate fluently in multiple languages

What we offer

Full-time and contract positions available for $31.25/hour (equivalent wage to a $65,000 annual salary)
Flexible hours and work from home in Canada
A supportive team – ask us more!

TalentLift is committed to equitable hiring. All candidates are welcome to apply and we warmly invite those who have lived experience in refugee or displacement circumstances, Indigenous backgrounds, and different abilities.
The deadline to apply for this role is September 20, 2024. To apply, please send your CV and a cover email to using this form.