Legal Representative (Team Lead)

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 Legal Representative 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 and displaced 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 Legal Representative will report to the Legal Director and be responsible for overseeing the file processing aspect of our legal team and ensuring efficient management of our growing caseload. Some of of the duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Managing and overseeing the day-to-day operations of TalentLift’s legal team efficiently and effectively.
  • Managing the growth of TalentLift’s legal team.
  • Reviewing and ensuring the appropriate and timely preparation and submission of Canadian immigration applications.
  • Ensuring that deadlines are set, recorded and met.
  • Supporting the strategy and goals for the legal team in alignment with broader organizational objectives.
  • Ensuring compliance with governing laws and regulations and with TalentLift’s internal policies.
  • Conducting immigration assessments and advising of the appropriate immigration pathway(s) in consideration of the best interests of all parties involved. 
  • Conducting ongoing research on laws, procedures and keeping up to date on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) changes.
  • Contributing to a positive and supportive working environment.

Must have: 

  • 5 or more years of work experience in immigration law or a related field
  • Broad, detailed knowledge of and demonstrated expertise in Canadian immigration law 
  • Proven experience in gathering information, constructing compelling arguments, and developing narratives based on immigration law and regulations
  • Strong conceptual thinking and decision-making skills 
  • Excellent communication skills in a cross-cultural environment
  • Excellent organizational and project management skills
  • Empathy
  • Reliability
  • Adaptability and a commitment to continuous learning

Nice to have:

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

What we offer:

  • Salary starting at $80,000, commensurate with experience
  • Dental and extended healthcare benefits
  • 4 weeks vacation
  • Flexible hours and work from home in Canada
  • Equipment provided
  • 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 March 8, 2024. To apply, please use this form and attach your CV and a cover letter.