Welcome to Allen & Hodgman
U.S. and Canadian Immigration Lawyers

Our practice consists of both Canadian and U.S. immigration law. We are lawyers who are licensed to practice immigration law in both Canada and the United States. Our partners' names are Bruce Allen and (Ms.) Blair Hodgman. If you want to live, work or study in Canada or the United States, we want to help. We are also experienced in working with businesses to obtain the right work permit quickly for your foreign workers.

We have offices in the Midwest United States in Cleveland, Ohio and in Atlantic Canada near Halifax, Nova Scotia. With the help of phone, fax and email, we serve clients all over the world.

• More about our United States office
• More about our Canada office

Come to The United States!

There are many opportunities for foreign nationals to live, work, and study in the United States. Professionals from around the world can take advantage of one of the 85,000  H-1B visas available each year.  Qualifying Canadians can work easily in the United States in one of the numerous skilled worker TN visa categories established by NAFTA. Intra-company transferee L visas and investor E visas are also available. These visas are often the stepping stone to permanent residency ("Green Cards"). The new PERM regulation has shortened the Green Card process for many people.

• More about U.S. immigration
• More about the H-1B visa for software developers
  doctors, teachers and other professional workers

Come to Canada

Canada offers many attractive opportunities for skilled workers and their families to live and work in a prosperous country with excellent schools, social services, and universal health care. Unlike the United States, most immigration categories are not limited by a quota system, so immigration usually proceeds much faster. Many people with work or student experience in Canada qualify to immigrate in as little as two years. Canada also welcomes couples in non-traditional relationships.

Canada also offers work permits to many categories of temporary workers, including software professionals. Canada permits the spouse or partner of a temporary worker to work as well.

• Overview of Canadian immigration
• Running out of time on your H-1B visa or waiting forever for your Green Card? Come to Canada!

Bruce Allen and Blair Hodgman are members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the foremost professional organization of American Immigration Lawyers. We are the only U.S.-licensed AILA members in Atlantic Canada. We are also members of the Canadian Bar Association Immigration Section, and Ms. Hodgman has served as member of the national Executive Committee of the section, and provincial chair.