A passion for anti-corruption law, including interning in the criminal division of the San Francisco District Attorney's office, inspired Véronique Hunter to pursue a career in immigration.  

After returning from San Francisco to her birthplace of Québec City — "I was born as an Afro-Canadian-Québécoise-American," she says — Hunter chose immigration as a new and meaningful direction in her career.  

"Starting my law degree over again was not an option, despite being admitted to Laval," she says of her return to Québec. "I was initially hired at a business law firm in the process of founding an immigration firm, and I was intrigued by how immigration law impacts and is impacted by all areas of our justice system."  

The Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law (GDipICL) was a great fit for Hunter, given her prior legal expertise. "Having studied law in the United States, you develop an aptitude for starting from fundamentals, like the Constitution, and understanding how that follows into civil law, criminal law, family law," she says. The GDipICL, similarly, shows how immigration overlaps with many areas of law in Canada. "The Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law taught me the fundamentals of immigration — which, not having studied in Canada, I didn't know," she says. "That first class, Foundations of Canadian Immigration Law, really tickled my spirit; from there I became engaged."  

Hunter now works as an Immigration and Compliance Technician and Paralegal at McCarthy Tétrault, one of the nation's largest law firms. Her work at McCarthy gives her exposure to the same kind of breadth as her legal studies, but through an immigration lens. "It's really mixed. I complete work permit applications, but I have handled refugee applications, temporary resident visas, and some sponsorship applications. I manage the compliance for all our team members, ensuring permits are renewed and we're protecting all privileges on Canadian soil," she explains.  

Hunter commends Academic Director Sharry Aiken for being her "beacon" in the program, and notes the ethics and professional responsibility course, and instructor Aris Daghighian, as being formative.  

Hunter is focusing on developing her specific intersection of legal and immigration expertise at McCarthy’s. She sees a future in leveraging her unique accomplishments.

She currently serves as one of two alumni members on the GDipICL's National Advisory Committee.  

"I would like to carve out a path in consulting or advising; exploring opportunities as a board member in government or in public service," she says. It is a path she feels is strongly supported by the GDipICL. For Veronique, the program offers more than academic content. It confers credibility — a form of professional validation that she believes is increasingly recognized and respected.