IRB – Part One – IAD Updates, PRRA, Removal Orders, Special Measure Programs, AI and Legal Research

CATEGORY

SEMINAR

FORMAT

LIVE

CPD HOURS

4 Hours

STREAM DATE

MARCH 19, 2026 @ 1:00 p.m. - 5:25 p.m. PT

EXPIRATION DATE

MARCH 19, 2027

Price

$54

ABOUT THIS SEMINAR

The March 19, 2026 Immigration Practitioner Centre Continuing Professional Development Seminar’s Event Title is ‘IRB – Part One – IAD Updates, PRRA, Removal Orders, Special Measure Programs, AI and Legal Research’.

This seminar is the first in a three-part Continuing Professional Development series focused on the Immigration and Refugee Board. The series continues on June 18 and September 24, 2026, with each seminar running for four hours.

‘IRB – Part One – IAD Updates, PRRA, Removal Orders, Special Measure Programs, AI and Legal Research’ addresses key areas of IRB practice, including Immigration Appeal Division updates, Pre-Removal Risk Assessments, Removal Orders, Special Measure Programs, and the use of Artificial Intelligence in legal research and IRB case preparation.

The March 19, 2026 seminar features four experienced presenters who provide practical insights on the following topics:

  • Sonia Sekhon, Lawyer – Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) Updates

  • John Edwards, RCIC and LSO Paralegal – Pre-Removal Risk Assessments (PRRA) and Removal Orders

  • Mahsa Saurez Mehrvarz, RCIC-IRB – Special Measure Programs

  • Neha Batta, RCIC-IRB – Artificial Intelligence and Legal Research in IRB Case Preparation

Each presentation concludes with a dedicated Question-and-Answer session.

This three-part IRB seminar series provides Immigration Practitioners with practical and current guidance for representing clients before the Immigration and Refugee Board.

Pending approval for 4.0 CPD Hours by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants and the Law Society of BC. 
OUR SPEAKERS

MEET THE SPEAKERS

John Edwards 

RCIC, LSO Paralegal 

PRRA and Removal Orders

John Edwards has been a licensed immigration consultant since 2006 and is currently a member in good standing with the College of Immigration & Citizenship Consultants (CICC). He holds a BSc from the University of Guelph and worked in the environmental sciences field for approximately 10 years. He also taught English in South America and Asia prior to entering the immigration consulting profession.

Mr. Edwards is proud to have had the privilege of working alongside and under the guidance of Cecil L. Rotenberg, Q.C. (deceased), known as the "grandfather" or "dean" of Canadian immigration law, where he gained valuable experience in dealing with complex immigration matters.

In addition to being a licensed immigration consultant, Mr. Edwards is a licensed paralegal and a member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario. His representation includes clients in both temporary resident classes and permanent residence applications.

Over the years, he has successfully represented clients before the Immigration and Refugee Board at the Immigration Division, the Refugee Protection Division, and the Immigration Appeal Division. Currently, Mr. Edwards focuses on assisting clients with Humanitarian and Compassionate applications, immigration appeals, and with in-Canada and overseas applicants dealing with inadmissibility issues.

He also enjoys teaching and has taught immigration consultancy students at two private colleges in Toronto, as well as paralegal diploma courses at a private college in Hamilton, Ontario. 

Neha Batta 

RCIC-IRB 

AI and Legal Research in IRB Case Preparation 

Neha Batta is a seasoned Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC-IRB) with several years of experience navigating the complexities of Canadian immigration law. She holds a Certificate in Immigration: Law, Policies, and Procedures from the University of British Columbia and a Master’s degree in Technology.

Neha is the owner of Orion Immigration Services, and with a deep understanding of Canadian immigration policies and procedures, she provides consulting services to individuals, families, and businesses on a wide range of immigration matters. Over the past 17+ years, she has acquired extensive knowledge and experience in various domains, including Education, Customer Service, Aerospace, Customer Experience Management, Banking, and E-commerce.

As an immigrant herself, Neha understands the challenges of moving to a new country and the emotional weight it carries. She approaches each case with empathy and understanding, recognizing the profound impact immigration decisions can have on her clients' lives.

Beyond her work as an immigration consultant, Neha is actively involved in the immigration and immigrant communities. Breaking barriers, encouraging women to pursue careers in Technology, mentoring women to grow into leadership positions at work, and integrating immigrants into the Canadian work environment are some of the causes Neha is passionate about. 

Mahsa Suarez Mehrvarz 

RCIC-IRB 

Special Measure Programs  

Mahsa immigrated to Canada at the age of 16 from Iran. She holds a BA degree in Psychology and Gender, Sexuality, and Women Studies from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia.

She also completed her Immigration Consultant Diploma in March 2020 from Ashton College in downtown Vancouver. She started her own immigration business in January 2021 after successfully passing her Entry to Practice Exam. Mahsa established “Mehrvarz Immigration” with the goal of assisting people who want to immigrate to Canada for a better life and career opportunities.

Mahsa provides services in many areas of immigration, refugee, and citizenship and she has been representing clients before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada for the past two years. Mahsa has been a tutor/mentor for the past 10 years and she is excited to curate her passion for teaching and affinity for immigration. 

Sonia Sekhon 

Lawyer 

IAD Updates
Sonia Sekhon is a licensed Canadian Barrister and Solicitor in the Province of Ontario and the founding principal of The Legal Café, a boutique law firm based in Niagara Falls, Ontario.


Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Sonia completed her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) with Honours at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia. During her time abroad, she gained invaluable international legal experience working with private law firms in Brisbane as well as with the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

Sonia’s dedication to immigration advocacy led her to earn an Immigration Consultant Diploma with Honours in 2019 and subsequently obtaining a secondary licence in 2022 through the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC), reflecting her commitment to comprehensive immigration representation.

Throughout her legal career, Sonia has worked in several practice areas, including Immigration Law, Family Law, Criminal Law, Civil Litigation, Personal Injury, and Administrative Law. Sonia’s passion for helping individuals and families build better futures led her to focus her practice primarily on Canadian Immigration Law.

In addition to her legal work, Sonia serves as a co-founder and chairwoman of a Niagara Falls based not-for-profit organization dedicated to cultural engagement and community development. 

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