IAOTP names Maria Laura Canepa Top Expert of the Year in Immigration Services

IAOTP will honor Maria Laura Canepa at its annual awards gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in December 2026. The recognition spotlights Canepa’s work as an immigration and relocation advisor and the growth of her Uruguay-based firm, MobilityLC.

Why it matters: - The award gives Maria Laura Canepa and MobilityLC a higher-profile platform in the immigration and relocation market. - The honor also highlights Uruguay’s role in cross-border residency, relocation and citizenship services. - IAOTP will recognize Canepa on stage at its annual gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in December 2026.

What happened: - The International Association of Top Professionals selected Canepa as Top Expert of the Year in Immigration Services for 2026. - Canepa is a residency, relocation and immigration advisor and director at MobilityLC. - IAOTP’s annual awards gala is scheduled for the end of the year in New York City. - More information is available at the award gala page.

The details: - Canepa has 18 years of experience across migration, politics, tourism, technology and the arts in Uruguay, the United States and Europe. - Canepa holds degrees in International Relations and Commerce. - Canepa is a Uruguayan-Italian citizen who speaks five languages. - Her expertise includes residency, relocation and citizenship processes. - Previous roles include work at the Uruguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sabre Airline Solutions, Sabre Travel Network, Oglethorpe University and a major Uruguayan law firm. - Canepa previously led a team of 72 specialists at Sabre. - She founded MobilityLC more than a decade ago. - MobilityLC is based in Montevideo and serves individuals, international corporations and diplomatic services. - The firm has a multidisciplinary team of more than 10 professionals and offers service in five languages. - MobilityLC works with partners in Mexico, the United States, the Netherlands, Dubai and South Africa. - Canepa and MobilityLC are exclusive collaborators for the Immigration Chapter on Chambers UK for Uruguay. - They also serve as immigration advisors for the Colombian Consulate in Uruguay. - Canepa has been featured in publications including Sovereign Man, La Petite Futée, South American Prestige Awards Magazine, Cross-Culture Publishing and Guru’Guay. - Canepa received a scholarship to study for a year at Oglethorpe University through the Georgia Rotary Student Program. - She earned a degree in International Affairs from Universidad de la República in 2008. - She later earned a master’s degree in International Commerce from the PostGraduate European Institute and Escuela de Negocios de Madrid. - Canepa is a certified NLP practitioner, a Certified Travel Counselor, a Certified Travel Associate and a FIFA-certified football agent. - She was the first Uruguayan GRSP participant to receive the William A. Watt Memorial Award in 2003. - Her prior honors include feature coverage in TIP Magazine in 2019, IAOTP’s Top Immigration Advisor of the Year, the Empowered Woman Award in 2020, a chapter in IAOTP’s Top 50 Fearless Leaders publication in 2023, a chapter in IAOTP’s Top 25 Global Impact Leaders publication in 2025, and the Presidential Award last year. - Canepa is being considered for an interview on TIP Radio. - More information on Canepa is available at MobilityLC.

Between the lines: - IAOTP positions its awards as selective, which helps amplify the visibility of recipients in their fields. - The recognition reinforces Canepa’s brand as both a practitioner and a public-facing advocate for Uruguay as a destination for relocation and immigration. - MobilityLC’s international partnerships suggest the firm is built to serve clients with multi-country needs rather than only local cases.

What’s next: - Canepa will be honored at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in December 2026. - IAOTP may feature Canepa in a TIP Radio interview. - Canepa says she plans to keep promoting Uruguay and helping people through relocation and immigration decisions.

The bottom line: - IAOTP’s selection puts another formal spotlight on Canepa’s long-running immigration advisory work and the international reach of MobilityLC.