Brian Portas

Associé

Calgary
[email protected]
403.232.9705

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Brian works with clients to fulfill their business immigration needs. 

He helps clients obtain Canadian work permits (including applications that require Labour Market Impact Assessments/Labour Market Opinions from Service Canada). He also assists with preparing permanent residence applications, citizenship applications, and other immigration issues such as temporary entry into Canada as a business visitor.

In his employment law practice, Brian has assisted both employers and employees with the negotiation of severance packages, wrongful dismissal lawsuits, Employment Standards Code and Human Rights complaints, disability and accommodation, progressive discipline and other employment-related matters.

Brian is also a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR).

Brian fournit des services juridiques par l’intermédiaire d’une société professionnelle.

Experience

  • Captionmax, a US-based close captioning company, in its acquisition of Calgary, Alberta-based National Captioning Canada (NCC). CaptionMax is one of North America's largest closed captioning and media accessibility companies. Captionmax serves a variety of industries including: Media and Entertainment, Corporate, Education, and Government.
  • Provides ongoing counsel to human resource managers and other employer representatives on termination issues, progressive discipline, human resource policies, disability and accommodation, privacy, drug and alcohol, and other employment-related matters.
  • Assists clients with the preparation of offer letters and employment agreements.
  • Represents primarily employers in wrongful dismissal lawsuits, employment standards, human rights and privacy complaints.
  • Assists large construction companies with foreign worker new hires and international employee transfers.
  • Assists international oil & gas companies to develop immigration processes for international recruitment purposes and intra-company transferees.
  • Assists major multi-national corporations in establishing Canadian operations and advised on strategies to transfer experienced employees from other locations of the corporations to the new operations.

Beyond Our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
  • Member, Human Resources Institute of Alberta
  • Member, Calgary Bar Association
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association, Employment & Labour Law and Citizenship & Immigration Law Sections

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2025 (and since 2014) edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada® (Immigration Law) and since 2021 (Labour and Employment Law).
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2023) of The Legal 500 Canada as a "Leading individual" (Business immigration) 
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition of Benchmark Litigation – The Definitive Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys as a Litigation Star and in the 2017-2021 editions as “Future Star” (Labour and Employment).
  • Recommended in the 2017 edition of the Legal 500 Canada (Business Immigration).

Bar Admission & Education

  • Alberta, 2001
  • LLB, Université de Calgary, 2000
  • BComm. (with Distinction), Co-op Program, Université de l'Alberta, 1997