Nicolas Simard-Lafontaine is a founding partner at Galileo Partners in Montreal; one of Canada’s most recognized business immigration law firms. A member of the Barreau du Québec since 2014; he dedicates his entire practice to business immigration law; advising companies; entrepreneurs and business people on their international mobility projects in Canada; Quebec and the United States. Recognized in the Chambers & Partners; Best Lawyers Canada and Lexology rankings; he is regularly cited among the most recommended business immigration lawyers in the country. His approach combines technical mastery of immigration law with a strong understanding of business realities; allowing him to intervene strategically in complex; high-impact files.
Holding a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.A.A.) from HEC Montréal (2008) and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Université de Sherbrooke (2012); Nicolas Simard-Lafontaine brings to his legal practice an uncommon business perspective; shaped by his dual training in management and law.
Admitted to the Barreau du Québec in 2014; he first practiced within the business immigration team of an international law firm in Montreal; before co-founding Galileo Partners in September 2016 with three partners. Galileo Partners is today ranked among the Top 10 immigration firms in Canada by Canadian Lawyer Magazine; a recognition that reflects the quality and depth of expertise the team has developed since its founding.
Since then; Nicolas has practiced exclusively in business immigration and sits on the firm’s management committee; where he actively contributes to growth strategy and continuous operational improvement. He intervenes directly in sensitive or complex files; particularly for clients in the civil engineering; construction; manufacturing and technology sectors. He supports employers with operations across Quebec and Canada; including in the Eastern Townships; the Quebec City region; Mauricie; Beauce; the Gaspésie; the Outaouais; Montérégie and the Laurentians; as well as in major Canadian urban centres.
His approach is resolutely strategic and long-term; enabling employers to navigate with clarity through projects with immigration components; whether involving the opening of a new facility; the acquisition of a Canadian company by a foreign group; the establishment of operations in Canada or the United States; or the structuring of internal foreign workforce management programs. He also occasionally advises entrepreneurs; investors and business people looking to establish or grow their activities in Canada.
In files with a U.S. dimension; Nicolas works closely with Galileo Partners’ American immigration lawyers; providing clients with an integrated service covering cross-border Canada / U.S. mobility.
A regular contributor to the Galileo Partners blog and to publications of the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA); Nicolas Simard-Lafontaine publishes in-depth analyses on developments in Canadian and Quebec immigration law. His recent articles cover a critical analysis of Quebec’s 2026 Immigration Plan; the launch of the Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ) as Quebec’s main pathway to permanent residence; and the Canadian government’s new directions on inspections and penalties under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Nicolas Simard-Lafontaine is actively involved in the immigration legal community. He served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) for five years (2020-2025); including a term as Co-President (2022-2023). In this capacity; he actively contributed to government representation letters; policy articles and meetings with the agencies involved in Canada’s immigration system.
