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Is Globevisa a law firm or a consulting firm specializing in the immigration industry? This is a question I’ve thought deeply about, and I now believe the answer is a consulting firm.nnWhen I first started my career, I considered us a law firm. At that time, my work mainly focused on the Quebec Immigrant Investor program. My daily tasks involved gathering client information, listening to their business stories, and providing documentation to prove their qualifications for the Quebec Immigration Bureau. I did this for eight years, often staying up late into the night to assist clients. At one point, Globevisa secured 400 of the 1,200 quotas available worldwide, holding one-third of the world’s share. I believed no one could be more professional than us. So, back then, I saw our work as that of a law firm.nnHowever, as Globevisa expanded into more markets with various programs, my perspective gradually shifted.nnIn the past, when there was only the Quebec Immigrant Investor program, anyone seeking immigration advice would receive a straightforward answer: Quebec Immigrant Investor. But as new immigration programs emerged worldwide, my role shifted from “evaluating client conditions” to “exploring client needs”. This shift meant understanding clients’ backgrounds through communication, uncovering their true motivations for immigration, and offering tailored solutions. I noticed that as clients learned more, they often chose different programs than the ones they initially inquired about. I wondered why.nnThe answer was simple: an information gap. Clients often had limited knowledge of immigration programs worldwide, relying on Google searches or friend referrals. They didn’t realize the multitude of solutions available. But we did. This was the information gap, where Globevisa’s role transformed from merely providing what clients asked for to helping them analyze their real needs and proposing optimal solutions.nnFor example, a friend in Shanghai wanted information about EB-5 visas to move to the United States because her neighbors’ children were going there. However, she had concerns about tax planning, immigration expenses, and living costs in the U.S. Deep inside, she doubted if this was a reasonable move for the sake of her child’s education that made everyone in the family pay their price. nnI gave her a lot of options she hadn’t heard of, and we explored them together.nnThe cheapest option is to go to Thailand, where there are plenty of international schools, and the Thailand Elite visa is an easy solution for parents to live in Thailand. She can also go to Dubai, the international school is very good and Golden visa is an easy solution. n

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If she is after good grades, she can go to Singapore, which has the world’s top PISA scores. The child and accompanying parent can just apply for a student visa and accompanying visa. If she plans to move to Singapore to live with the whole family, she can also go through the process of getting a Singapore EP.

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nShe can even go to Hong Kong, which has high quality international schools, whether it’s TTPS, QMAS, GEP, etc. It’s an easy solution to the residency status issue. n

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Within Asia, she can also choose Korea. South Korea’s investment immigrants only need to spend 500,000 U.S. dollars to purchase a property. The island of Jeju, an hour’s flight from Shanghai, is also home to the world-renowned International Education City. nnIn Europe, she also has a wide range of options. English-speaking countries including Cyprus, Malta, Ireland have investment immigration programs that can solve the problem of residency status. The UK also has a work visa program. If she doesn’t limit herself to English-speaking countries, there are even more options. Then there’s Canada in North America, where the current Self-employed visa, Start-up Visa, ICT and PNP all address residency status, and there’s no local problem with gun violence. nnIn the end, she didn’t choose Globevisa, but she appreciated the numerous options we provided and referred countless friends to us.nnSimilar stories happened frequently, where clients sought one program but ultimately chose another, thanks to our consultation. Experiences like these have reshaped my view of the immigration industry. Its true value lies in consulting.nnAnother trend reinforces this conclusion: the growing transparency and simplicity of immigration programs due to global compliance. If we focus only on legal services, we’ll find our path narrowing. Governments increasingly want direct client access, allowing them to apply independently. In this evolving landscape, Globevisa’s role as a consulting firm is more vital than ever.

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(Edited by Lena Wong)