Canadian Immigration Simplified
Visto, no it’s not the latest coffee machine or tea brewer (for my fellow non-coffee drinkers), but rather the latest game-changer in Canadian immigration law.
What the Mayflower was for the New World in the 17th century, is what Visto is for Canada in the 21st.
Visto is an immigration platform that helps international students and skilled workers navigate the immigration journey from start to finish, with all the resources a newcomer to Canada would need, found and accessed easily in one place.
Co-founded by Joshua Schachnow, an immigration lawyer who saw the potential in automating the immigration process, specifically the Canadian Express Entry program, which is a permanent resident program targeting skilled workers.
Joshua notes,
“I realized, after working with a lot of tech companies, immigration is kind of boring and repetitive. A lot of filling out forms, gathering documents, and it’s not overly difficult to automate. No one was really doing anything about it. There was very little innovation happening, especially in Canada.”
Joshua searched to see if there was a platform like the one he envisioned. To his surprise, the search turned out to be drier than a desert.
He recalls,
"There wasn’t really a reliable, affordable option for those looking to immigrate. It was either you pay a lot of money for a lawyer or pay no money and figure everything out for yourself, which can be very stressful.”
Visto has been in operation now for the past year, launching in June 2019, with many positive experiences.
As one user reflects, “I was able to navigate the Canadian immigration process without the added stress of having to do it alone, which can be very daunting”.
Wondering how it works?
A user simply signs up at the Visto Home Page and they’ll instantly get access to an abundance of resources. For example, a free Express Entry video course, and guides that help determine the user’s eligibility for Express Entry, a study permit or a post-grad work permit.
In the short span of time Visto has been active, it has provided a breadth of services aside from just automating the application process.
Joshua explains,
“ We also help with preparing for the language exams, such as where to get certain documents, how to prepare them, and which links to click on the Canada website to submit your application. As well, if you’re looking to hire a professional, such as a lawyer, an agent to help you apply to colleges and universities, or an IELTS tutor, you can get all of that at Visto.”
However, Visto’s team has just begun. As a burgeoning legal tech startup, they hope to continue their expansion.
Joshua states,
“We want to build up Visto so that we’re helping many more people every year. This will allow us to bring on a small team so we can continue to grow the platform and start automating more of these applications. Ultimately, expanding into other immigrant-friendly countries where we can start automating their processes as well.”
In a country like ours, we can only be as prosperous as the immigration processes within it will allow.
With Visto barging open doors that have been forgotten, it is offering a lifeline to a system in dire need of innovation.
To find out more about Visto please visit: Visto
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