Shownotes
In this episode of the Ask Canada Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah podcast, Calgary immigration lawyer Evelyn Ackah talks to Business Immigration Lawyer Saja Raoof, a U.S. immigration attorney specializing in extraordinary ability visas for individuals wanting to move to the United States. Saja shares her personal background as an immigrant from Iraq and her journey to becoming a lawyer. She discusses the Alien of Extraordinary Ability category and the criteria for eligibility, including original contributions, publications, awards and impact on the field. Saja also talks about the challenges faced by immigrants and the importance of standing up for one's freedoms and liberties. She shares her experiences with clients and the delays caused by COVID-19 in the immigration process. Saja concludes by discussing the increasing interest in EB-1 applications as an alternative to H-1B visas, particularly in the STEM field.
Connect with Saja Raoof on LinkedIn
On the podcast, Evelyn and Saja discuss as an Iraqi immigrant to America, Saja's journey to becoming a business immigration lawyer.
Key points from Evelyn and Saja's conversation:
- Saja shares her background, including being born in Baghdad, Iraq, and later moving to the UK and Saudi Arabia before immigrating to the US.
- Saja's family decided to immigrate to the US in the early '90s under the category of Alien of Extraordinary Ability, which her father qualified for. She assisted in putting together the application.
- Saja discusses the challenges she faced as a woman, Arab American, and Muslim when she first moved to the US for college.
- She also talks about the decision to wear a hijab in college as a way to connect with the Muslim community and how 9/11 and its aftermath affected her choice to continue wearing it despite the challenges.
- Evelyn and Saja discuss the importance of standing up for one's freedoms and liberties, especially during difficult times.
- Saja talks about her transition from pre-med to law school and her focus on immigration law, particularly extraordinary ability visas. She shares her passion for helping clients navigate the criteria and process.
- The conversation touches on the challenges and delays in immigration processes caused by COVID-19.
- Saja explains the criteria for an Extraordinary Ability visa, which can be demonstrated through factors like original contributions to a field, publications, awards, and impact on the field.
- They discuss the variations in processing times for immigration applications, influenced by factors like place of residence and country of birth.
- Evelyn asks about the trend of individuals exploring EB-1 visas as an alternative to H-1B visas, especially for those in STEM fields. Saja confirms that it's a popular topic among immigration lawyers.
- Saja's practice primarily focuses on business immigration with a special emphasis on EB-1 visas for those with extraordinary abilities.
About Evelyn Ackah
Evelyn Ackah is the Founder and Managing Lawyer at Ackah Business Immigration Law. With offices in Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver, we work with individuals and business owners from all over the world who want to cross borders seamlessly. For more information on immigration to Canada or the United States, Ask Evelyn Ackah at Ackah Business Immigration Law today at (403) 452‑9515 or email Evelyn directly at contact@ackahlaw.com.
The Ask Canada Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah podcast by Calgary Immigration Lawyer Evelyn Ackah was named #1 Best Canada Immigration Podcast in 2023 by Feedspot.
