Herzing Blog

It was her personal experience with immigrating to Canada that got Michelle Peralta interested in the field.

A nurse in her native Philippines, Michelle came to Canada as a caregiver in 2018. After going through the steps to get her work permit and become a permanent resident, and helping some of her loved ones through the same process, she decided to pursue formal training in immigration.

So she enrolled in Herzing’s online immigration case manager program—and landed a job in the field even before she graduated!

We spoke with Michelle to get her reflections on the training and learn more about her career journey. Here are the highlights of that conversation.

After years of working in healthcare, Jacylou Pallorina was ready for a change. Having come to Canada from the Philippines, immigration was a subject that was close to her heart. She just needed a training course that was flexible enough to fit around her work schedule.

Herzing College’s online immigration case manager program fit the bill. She completed the training in November 2022 and now works for a Toronto-based immigration consultant—the very same immigration consultant who supervised her internship.

We interviewed Jacylou to learn more about her experience in the program and get her advice for prospective students.

Herzing College has been offering accelerated Paralegal and Immigration Case Manager diploma programs for several years. They’re designed to prepare students for rewarding roles in the legal field in just one year or less.

Experienced paralegal and immigration consultant Marilyn Taupan teaches both programs and has been with Herzing since 2021. Her students consistently give her stellar reviews, and she was recently recognized as Herzing College Toronto’s instructor of the year!

We spoke with Marilyn to get her thoughts on the honour and her overall career journey.

Here’s how that conversation unfolded.

Are you considering a career in the immigration industry? There's never been a better time to get started than right now.

According to federal government data, Canada plans to welcome more than 460,000 immigrants annually for the next couple years. That will continue to generate strong demand for professionals who help with visa applications and the often complex process of settling in Canada.

You may be familiar with jobs like immigration lawyer and immigration consultant. People in those roles focus on providing advice and developing customized strategies for clients seeking to immigrate.

But what does an immigration case manager do? How do they fit into the immigration process? And what does it take to thrive in this role?

Updated December 2022

Canada is experiencing an immigration boom. We are attracting hundreds of thousands of immigrants every year and expect the trend to continue well into the future.  

This boom has generated very strong demand for skilled immigration professionals. These are the experts who help applicants secure visas to study, work, and settle in Canada. 

The industry includes immigration lawyers, immigration consultants, and immigration case managers. Each has a different role to play in assisting clients, and each has different training requirements.

Are you considering a career in immigration, but don’t want to become a lawyer? Immigration consultant or immigration case manager are both excellent alternatives.  

Which path should you choose? 

Your first step is to understand the key differences between these roles. Immigration c0onsultants and immigration case managers often work closely together—but these two jobs are totally different.

Here's everything you should know about these two immigration career paths.

When Cassandra Fultz first came to Canada, she started out working in retail. A chance encounter with an immigration lawyer set her career on a whole new path.

Now, she’s a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and Managing Partner of Doherty Fultz Immigration, a consulting firm in Toronto.

She also teaches Herzing’s Immigration Case Manager program—and was recently recognized as our Instructor of the Year!

We sat down with Cassandra this week to get her reflections on the award, the immigration industry, and her overall career journey.

Check out her story.

Tara Alani already had more than a dozen years of immigration experience in both the nonprofit and government sectors.

It was an experience with a thief that sparked Marsha Swaby’s interest in an immigration career.

Once, while she was on a trip outside of Canada, Marsha had her personal documents stolen. Her ID and other important papers were gone, and she had to find her way through the bureaucratic process of getting them back.

That’s when she decided she wanted to help others facing similar problems.

Marsha signed up for Herzing’s Immigration Case Manager program, completed her internship, and landed a job as a legal services associate even before she graduated.

We spoke to Marsha to get her thoughts on the program and how it has shaped her career path.

Here’s what she had to say.

Updated December 2022

Looking for a quick route to an immigration career? An immigration assistant course may be just what you need.

An immigration assistant course will prepare you to become a key part of a team that helps newcomers navigate the complex process of securing visas and settling in Canada.

Immigration assistants are in charge of the administrative details that keep a client’s case moving forward.

They perform legal research, complete forms, draft submissions, manage deadlines, and communicate with clients and immigration authorities.

Sound like a path you’d like to pursue?

Before you jump into a training program, you need to be clear about basic details like what’s covered in class and what career options you’ll have after graduation.

Is an immigration assistant course right for you? Here are five things to think about as you decide.

Photo: Bonnie Tyler, immigration case manager at Doherty Fultz Immigration in Toronto, Ontario

Immigration case managers play an important role in securing visas and helping people navigate the process of studying abroad or settling in Canada.

They support licensed immigration consultants and lawyers by taking care of a wide range of administrative tasks, from interviewing clients and preparing documents to managing deadlines and communicating with government authorities.

Are you considering a career as an immigration case manager? Wondering what it's really like to work in this field?

To find out, we interviewed Bonnie Tyler, a Toronto-based immigration case manager with more than 10 years of experience in the industry.

Keep reading to get her thoughts on what being an immigration case manager is all about, and what skills and traits are key to success.