Some Facts about Immigration to Canada:
Here are some facts that might answer your questions with respect to immigration to Canada. These are general information and your case might require special consideration. Of course, we are available to answer your specific questions about Canadian immigration and the application process.
Permanent Residency
Permanent Resident Visa allows a person to live and work in Canada. A Canadian Permanent Resident has most of the basic rights and privileges of a Canadian citizen and may apply for Canadian Citizenship after 3 years.
A work Permit is issued for a limited time and usually for a specific employment.
In most cases you need to submit you application to the visa office responsible for your country of legal residence. It also might depend on the immigration category under which you apply.
Canadian immigration laws and policies change often. The Minister of Immigration announces these changes and they could go into effect right away. One needs to keep up with these changes as they might affect the chances of obtaining a visa.
Your spouse/common-law partner and any dependent children ( whether they will accompany you or not) must be included in your application.
Dependent children are those under 22 years of age, as well as those 22 or older who are not married and are full-time students at a recognized post secondary educational institution and not have interrupted their education since the age of 22. Your children must be financially dependent on you and will be subject to medical and security requirements.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) allow certain provinces to select their own immigrants. You need to submit your application and supporting documents to the province you intend to reside in and they will assess your eligibility.
The proof of your language proficiency is IELTS and/or TEF and is required in order to assess your language ability and award the appropriate points.
In most cases, an original police certificate is required for all applicants from all the countries in which they ahve resided for more than six months since their 18th birthday.
Normally, one needs to provide all supporting documents along with the proper processing fees at the time of the initial submission. Some Canadian Immigration Visa Offices may also require additional documents. This must be checked before submitting your application to the visa office.
In the case of Spousal Sponsorship all supporting documents including the police certificate and medical examination must be submitted with the initial application.
All documentation in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a certified and official English or French translation.
The processing time of immigration applications are posted on the Ministry's site( www.cic.gc.ca). Immigration application processing time is only an estimate and many applications will take considerably longer to finalize.
You can qualify for a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa without a job offer if you have at least one year (within the last 10 years) of paid work experience in one of the qualifying occupations (currently 29).
If your current job is not on the list of the 29 qualifying occupations a validated job offer could qualify you under the Skilled Worker category. Also, there is no limit on the number of applications that will be considered (currently 500 per occupation) for processing when accompanied by a validated job offer.
A job offer is a genuine offer of employment from a legitimate Canadian employer. There are essentially two types of job offers: a temporary job offer that allows the applicant to receive a Temporary Work Permit; and a permanent job offer that is made for an indeterminate period of time.
Validated job offers must be approved by the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)
Study Permits
Anyone planning to study for more than six months in Canada needs a Study Permit. International students from certain countries may also need to obtain a temporary resident visa in addition to the study permit.
International students must apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a Study Permit once they have received an acceptance letter from a qualified Canadian academic institution. Students will have to show that they have sufficient funds to study and live in Canada, and in some cases undergo Medical Examinations and provide Police Clearance Certificates.
If you need a temporary resident visa in addition to your study permit, you do not need to submit a separate application or pay an additional fee when you apply for your study permit at a visa office. The visa office will issue your temporary resident visa at the same time as your study permit if your application is accepted.
International students who have been accepted into a qualifying educational institution in Quebec must obtain approval from the immigration authorities of the province of Quebec. To study in Quebec, you will need to first apply for a CAQ (Certificat d'acceptation du Québec) before you apply for a study permit.
A Study Permit is valid for the duration of your study program. Should you need to extend the validity of your Study Permit, you must file an Application to Change the Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada with Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
You can apply for your Study Permit in your country of residence, your country of nationality, or the country where you have been legally admitted.
Expiry dates of study permits can vary. Often permits are valid for the duration of the program of study. To successfully renew a study permit, the student must have a valid passport and, if applicable, a valid CAQ (a Certificate of Acceptance required to study in Quebec). Students should start the renewal process at least two to three months prior to the expiry date.
International Students holding a valid Study Permit may work on the campus of their educational institution without a Work Permit. However, in order to work off the campus, you must apply to CIC for an Off-Campus Work Permit.
An Off-Campus Work Permit allows International Students to be employed off the campus of the educational institution they are attending in Canada. They need to have satisfactory academic standing and must have been studying full-time for six months out of the year preceding their application for an Off-Campus Work Permit.
Your spouse or common-law partner may apply for a Work Permit if you are a full-time student at an authorized institution with a valid study permit.
Most international students can gain Canadian work experience after graduation from a program which is at least eight months in duration. Students need a Work Permit to work in Canada after finishing their program of study. This program provides an option for being eligible for Canadian Permanent Residency.
Each Canadian university sets its own policy regarding admission requirements. It would be advisable to identify which universities in Canada offer the program which interests you and then contact those universities directly regarding their admission requirements.
Residency regulations and Citizenship
There are no restriction in traveling in or out of Canada for the permanent residents. However, to maintain your resident status in Canada one needs to stay in Canada for at least two years in each five-year period.
It is indeed a privilege to become a Canadian citizen. As a citizen you are eligible to receive a Canadian passport and vote in elections. You could become a Canadian Citizen after three years (1095 days) of Permanent residency in a given four year period in Canada.
Canada allows dual citizenship. One could retain their former nationality or become a citizen of another country.
Federal Skilled Worker Category
To qualify as a Skilled Worker you must earn 67 points and demonstrate that you could become economically established in Canada. The current pass mark under the Skilled Worker category is 67 points. To be eligible for a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa under the Skilled Worker category, you must:
- Have at least one year, within the last ten years, of full-time (or part-time equivalent) paid position in one of Citizenship and Immigration Canada's qualifying occupations; or
- Have a validated offer for arranged employment
- Provide sufficient funds for settlement in Canada
- Earn sufficient points in English and French ability by providing the accepted language tests.
- Satisfy the security and medical requirements
Québec Skilled Worker
Quebec-Selected Skilled Worker program is assessed differently from the Federal Skilled Worker Program. It is based on your ability to settle and find employment in the province of Quebec. Your working knowledge of French is essential for this process. To qualify and obtain a Certificat du Sélection du Québec (CSQ), your application needs to be submitted to the Federal Government for further processing (security and medical checks). You must pay additional application fees but your qualifications do not need to be re-assessed at the federal level.
Applicants intending to reside in the Province of Quebec need only demonstrate six months of relevant work experience and meet the other requirements set out by the Quebec Immigration authorities.
Additional Points
Arranged Employment could give you additional points and speed up the processing of your Canada Immigration Visa Application.
You will be awarded points under the Adaptability Factor if you or your accompanying spouse or common-law partner has a close relative who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and who is currently residing in Canada. The close relative must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and a child, mother or father, brother or sister, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew, grandchild or grandparent.