Will Tao has been recognized as one of Canada’s Leading Legal Practitioners in the 2025 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. This prestigious accolade is the result of an extensive peer-review process that identifies top legal professionals across the country.
Will Tao, alongside CBA Chair Kamaljit Lehal, represented the Canadian Bar Association before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration at Parliament on December 2, 2024. Highlighting critical issues facing international students, they presented five key recommendations to address systemic challenges and create fairer pathways to permanent residency.
We are excited to share that the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada™ has continued to recognize Will Tao as one of the Best Lawyers in Canada™ in Canadian Immigration since 2019.
Will Tao has been quoted in a Reuters report discussing the increasing trend of visa denials and applicants being denied entry into Canada: Border crackdown: Canada turning away more foreigners.
Heron Law Offices’ Principal Lawyer, Will Tao, was recently featured in the Toronto Star discussing CBSA’s proposed Traveller Compliance Indicator (TCI). This AI border screening tool, set to launch by 2027, raises concerns about bias, procedural fairness, and disproportionate impacts on immigrants and non-citizen travellers.
Our principal lawyer, Will Tao, was featured in The Independent discussing Canada’s Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) and the challenges travellers face. He explains how recent changes to the system have led to delays, unpredictability, confusion at airports, and why it’s more important than ever to plan ahead before flying to Canada.
Heron Law’s Will Tao was featured in a Canadian Press article on growing delays caused by CSIS security screenings. He shares how these backlogs are impacting immigration and citizenship applicants, especially those from geopolitically sensitive countries.
When an international student, temporary foreign worker, or permanent resident is scheduled for an interview with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), it is often a sign of serious underlying concerns that could impact their status in Canada. These concerns may pertain to potential inadmissibility, violations of immigration conditions, or broader issues of non-compliance. CBSA interviews can lead to significant immigration consequences, including removal from Canada. In such cases, it is critical to secure strategic legal guidance as early as possible. At Heron Law Offices, we provide focused and experienced representation for clients dealing with enforcement interviews.
Get to know Karina Juma, Heron’s former articling student and now Canadian Immigration & Refugee Lawyer!
Heron Law Offices is in the heart of Burnaby, steps from Patterson Station, in a secure, private office designed to ensure client privacy and confidentiality.
We have the capacity and technology to assist clients all over Canada and the world utilizing secure cloud-based solutions.
We acknowledge that our main physical and virtual offices are located on the traditional, ancestral, unceded, and stolen territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Qayqayt Nations.
Disclaimer
The information on these pages is for general use only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. It does not establish a lawyer-client relationship.
No information from this website, emails, or other correspondence from Heron Law Offices (HLO) except professional legal advice given during a formal consultation or a retainer agreement constitutes legal advice. HLO disclaims any liability from reliance on such information.
HLO highly recommends consulting with a competent lawyer before acting on any information from this website.
National and Regional Tier 1 in Immigration Law by Best Lawyers:
Visit Will Tao’s Clawbie Hall of Fame (2023) Award-Winning Companion Blog:
Vancouverimmigrationblog.com
Heron was proud to have been named a finalist for the following awards:
Canadian Law Awards Pro Bono Initiative of the Year (2022) finalist for Indigenous Name Reclamation Project
Clio Reisman Award (2022) finalist for Best New Law Firm among North American entrants.
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