A Canadian airline captain and his family secured US Green Cards through the EB-2 National Interest Waiver
Client Profile
The client, a Canadian national, and their spouse, an Italian national, have lived in Hong Kong for 18 years. The client moved to Hong Kong from Canada nearly two decades ago to take up a pilot role with a dominant Hong Kong airline. They climbed through the ranks to the position of captain. Their spouse followed them to Hong Kong, worked a few years in the marketing industry, and then became a stay-at-home mum when their son was born in 2010.
In 2020, the Covid crisis hit pilots hard, and being far from their aging families, the client and their spouse started to feel a burden. In 2022, they first approached us to discuss the possibility of applying for EB-2 NIW and obtaining US Green Cards. They wanted to relocate closer to their extended family in Canada, while staying close to the sea and enjoying the warm weather. They have spent many holidays in Los Angeles and decided that this would be the ideal place for the next phase of their lives, where their son could attend high school, and the spouse could get back to work.
Their primary intent was to get closer to their Canadian family — but not too close! They wanted to find a place they enjoyed and where they could see themselves growing old.
Obstacles & Complications
US Visa Queue
No unusual complication. The straight approval on the National Interest Waiver came within 1 month, which, even in 2023, was very fast. As of today, this process can take much longer. However, the client and their family were put in a queueing system that added about 2 years to the process before they could receive their immigrant visas. Today, there is generally no queue, so a similar overall timeline could be expected.
Had They Tried Other Advisors?
No, HLG was their first and only choice.
Our Approach
Upon gaining a full understanding of their motivations and particular circumstances, we filed their application on 12 June 2023, and they received a straight approval on 6 July 2023. Due to a queueing system the US authorities have in place, although their National Interest Waiver was approved in July 2023, they had to wait until 25 July 2025 to be invited to attend the consular interview required before their immigrant visas were issued.
What Made Our Approach Different
We took the time — and leaned on our expertise — to learn as much as possible about the client's circumstances before filing a complete application, which facilitated the NIW approval.
Results
| Start date | June 2023 |
| NIW approval | 6 July 2023 (within 1 month of filing) |
| Immigrant visa issued | July 2025 |
| Total processing time | 2 years (including 2-year queue) |
| Family included | Spouse + 1 minor child |
| Green Cards obtained | Yes — entire family |
| Issues resolved | Fast National Interest Waiver approval in 1 month — followed by a 2-year queue before immigrant visas were issued. |
| Real-world impact | The family is now well settled in Los Angeles. The client is an airline pilot at one of the major American airlines, their spouse currently teaches Italian, and their son attends a local high school. |
| Current status | Living and working in Los Angeles. |
| Still working with Harvey? | No |
| Referred others? | Yes |
Client Testimonial
Very professional service from start to finish that made the process as seamless as possible.Confidential Client — Canadian Airline Captain
I was very pleased with the expertise on offer. I even recommended the firm to my friends.Confidential Client — Canadian Airline Captain
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With over 30 years of immigration experience, each of Harvey Law Group’s lawyers carefully studies each client’s needs, resources and determines the immigration solution that best aligns with our client’s vision and values.