Mario Bellissimo

Mario D. Bellissimo is the founder of Bellissimo Law Group PC and a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School and a Certified Specialist in Citizenship and Immigration Law and Refugee Protection. His practice focus is on citizenship, immigration and protected person litigation and inadmissibility law. Mr. Bellissimo has appeared before all levels of immigration tribunals and courts including the Supreme Court of Canada. He is the past Chair of the Canadian Bar Association National Immigration Law Section, serves as an appointed member of the Federal Court Rules Committee and participates on multiple stakeholder committees involving the Federal Courts, the Immigration and Refugee Board, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Canada Border Services Agency, Employment and Social Development Canada, and the Department of Justice.

Mr. Bellissimo acts on a pro bono basis for Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital and Pro Bono Law Ontario and as the National Immigration Law and Policy Advisor for COSTI Immigration Resettlement Services. Mr. Bellissimo has authored several immigration legal publications for Thomson Reuters including Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Inadmissibility Law, Second Edition and is the Editor-in-Chief of the Immigration Law Reporter. Most recently he authored Canadian Immigration Law and Policy: Then and Now published by Irwin Law/University of Toronto Press as part of the Understanding Canada Series.

Mr. Bellissimo has taught several immigration law courses, speaks across Canada and appears frequently in the media on breaking citizenship, immigration and refugee stories. Mr. Bellissimo has testified before Parliamentary and Senate Committees on several proposed amendments to immigration law over the years. He has lead policy papers, legal analysis and proposed recommendations to government on behalf of immigration advocacy associations and Bellissimo Law Group PC.