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Click on the following questions to view
answers:
Q1).
I have assessed myself, and fall short of the 67 points required for
an independent skilled worker immigrant. Can I still qualify?
Q2).
I was convicted of an offence about 10 years ago, but haven't had any
problems with the law since. Can I still immigrate to Canada?
Q3).
I'm in Canada on a study permit, and will graduate next year. Can I
qualify as an independent immigrant?
Q4).
Do I need to have a job lined up before I can apply as an independent
immigrant?
Q5).
I have a high school diploma, a few programming courses, and two years
work experience as a computer programmer. Can I qualify for a work visa to
Canada?
Q6).
I have operated a business for many years, but do not have any income
tax records. Can I still immigrate as a business immigrant?
Q7).
I just landed in Canada as a new immigrant, and I want to sponsor my
parents to come. What do I need in order to sponsor my parents?
Q8).
I have a 23-year-old daughter in college. Can my daughter immigrate to
Canada with my family?
Q9).
How long does it take to process my case?
Q10).
How can I speed up the processing of my case?
Q11).
What is the quickest way of obtaining permanent residency?
Q12).
Once I obtain my immigrant visa, how long is it valid?
Q13).
Is there a medical requirement for immigrating to Canada?
Q14).
What does "excessive demand" on Canada's health or social services
mean?
Q15).
Must everyone in my family have a medical examination?
Q16).
I heard that the Right of Landing/Permanent Residency Fee has been
eliminated Is this correct?
Q17).
Can I have dual citizenship?
Q18).
I am an engineer/engineering technician/technologist/physician, do I
have to get accreditation before immigration?
Q19).
What is a Canadian landed immigrant/permanent resident visa?
Q20). What are the
different categories under which one can qualify to immigrate to Canada?
Q21).
Do Canadian immigration rules and regulations change frequently?
Q22).
Are there any special procedures of immigration for different
provinces of Canada?
Q23).
Are family members included in the application?
Q24).
Within what period can I land in Canada after the issuance of visa?
Q25).
Do I have to land in my intended destination mentioned in my
application?
Q26).
Is there a selection interview with an immigration officer prior to
immigration?
Q27).
How long can I leave Canada to go to my home country without loosing
my permanent residency in Canada?
Q28).
How long does it take to get Canadian citizenship after my
immigration to Canada?
Q29).
Do my dependants have to undergo their medical examination along with
me?
Q30).
Is there a selection interview with an immigration officer prior to
immigration?
Q1). I have assessed
myself, and fall short of the 67 points required
for an independent skilled worker immigrant.
Can I still qualify?
In order to qualify as an independent skilled worker, it is proposed that you
need 67 points under the point assessment system. There are very few exceptions
to this. For example, if you can show that the point assessment system does not
accurately reflect your chances of establishing yourself in Canada, you may
request that the visa officer exercise administrative discretion to grant you
an immigrant visa. Some of the matters which the visa officer may take into
consideration in exercising his/her discretion are whether you have
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a job lined up in Canada
-
have experience or skills which are in high demand in Canada
-
have lived or studied in Canada or North America are fluent in English or
French
Each case is unique, and you must make written submissions, and include
documentation to prove your case.
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Q2). I was convicted of an offence about 10 years ago,
but haven't had any problems with the law since. Can I still immigrate to Canada?
In most cases, if more than five years have gone by since the end of your
sentence (or payment of any fine), you can apply for a declaration of
rehabilitation, which means your conviction would no longer prohibit you from
entering Canada. Immigration officers would consider factors like:
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accepting responsibility for the offence
-
showing remorse for any harm done
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evidence of restitution for victims of your crime
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evidence of a change in lifestyle
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stability in employment and family life
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continuing education and skills training programs to better yourself
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involvement in community work
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reference letters from community leaders, or business or professional people
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Q3). I'm in Canada on a study permit, and will graduate
next year. Can I qualify as an independent immigrant?
In order to qualify as an independent skilled worker, you need to have at least
one year of work experience in an admissible skilled occupation. If you are
just graduating and have no prior work experience, this will be difficult. In
many cases, however, graduates from publicly funded educational institutions in
Canada can qualify for a one-year work permit after their studies and they can
do a job related to their studies. After that time, you may have the work
experience and required points in order to qualify.
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Q4). Do I need to have a job lined up before I can apply
as an independent immigrant?
No. If you are already have at least 67 points in the other selection factors
such as education, age, work experience, and so on, you do not need a job offer
from Canadian Business.
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Q5). I have a high school
diploma, a few programming courses, and two
years work experience as a computer programmer.
Can I
qualify for a work visa to Canada?
The Canadian government has a program to "fast track" the approval for work
permits for software professionals with eight certain types of experience.
Also, if your skill set is in demand, your employer may be able to have your
job approved by Human Resources Development Canada so that you can get a work
permit.
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Q6). I have operated a business for many years, but
do not have any income tax records. Can I still immigrate as a business
immigrant?
In many countries, businesspeople do not have proper income tax records to
prove their business background. However, income tax records are only part of
the evidence of a successful business. If you have other evidence to prove that
you did meet the requirements of a "Business Experience", you may still qualify
as a business immigrant.
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Q7). I just landed in Canada as a new immigrant, and
I want to sponsor my parents to come. What do I need in order to sponsor
my parents?
In order to sponsor your parents to immigrate, you will need to prove that in
the 12 months prior to submitting your application, your family's total income
was more than a certain amount, called the "Low Income Cut Off" ("LICO") Level.
This will vary depending upon the number of members in your family. For
example, for a family of four to sponsor either of the spouse's parents, the
family would need to prove that it earned approximately $44,000 CDN in the 12
month's prior to the sponsorship application.
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Q8). I have a 23-year-old daughter in college. Can
my daughter immigrate to Canada with my family?
Provided that your daughter has been in school from the time she turned 22
until the date that the visa is issued, the daughter may be able to qualify as
a dependent child and immigrate with the rest of the family. PROTECH
understands that the Canadian immigration process is complicated and confusing.
We have made every attempt possible to simplify the process. However, we
realize that you might still have some questions. By providing this list we
hope to clarify some the questions that you may have.
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Q9). How long does it take to process my case?
It depends on the type of application being submitted, and the processing time
taken at a particular Visa Post or Case Processing Center. Visitor visas can
take from one day up to 4 months. Applications for permanent residency can take
from one year up to two years. (However, there have been some cases with
horrific delays of 3-4 years, by visa offices The following should normally be
the service standards and time frames that Citizenship and Immigration Canada
usually is takes, depending upon different visa posts. It should give you some
idea of processing times. Complex cases take longer to process
-
Student applications: 80% processed within 4 weeks
-
Routine family class applications by spouses: 6 months
-
Approval in principle for applications for landing in Canada sent to
Vegreville: 90 days
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Granting of landing through Vegreville: 12 to 18 months
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Visitor extensions: 25 days
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Citizenship applications: 8 to 12 months
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Q10). How can I speed up the processing of my case?
By ensuring that delays do not occur in the processing of your application by:
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insufficient postage;
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incomplete or unsigned application forms;
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incorrect or missing fees;
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incorrect, incomplete address or failure to notify the visa office of a change
of address;
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missing documents;
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unclear photocopies of documents;
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documents not accompanied by a certified English or French translation;
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verification of information and documents provided;
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a medical condition that may require additional tests or consultations;
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a criminal or security problem;
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family situations such as impending divorce, or custody or maintenance issues;
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completion of legal adoption;
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consultation is required with other offices in Canada and abroad;
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inquiring about the status of your application before the standard processing
time has elapsed;
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you are not a permanent resident of the country in which you currently reside.
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Q11). What is the quickest way of obtaining permanent residency?
By ensuring that your documents are all complete and proper and that you have
tallied with the checklist for all your supporting documents. A new division
has been put in the new Regulations that talks about the contents of
application. This means that now the onus and responsibility is on the
applicant to study and research properly before filing and the application
should be complete in all respects. Otherwise, it can be returned.
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Q12). Once I obtain my Immigrant Visa, how long is it
valid?
Your immigrant visa will state how long it will be valid for. Usually, it is
valid for one year from the date of the medical examination or date of
acceptance or the date of expiry of passports. Immigrant visas cannot be
extended once issued. If applicants do not use the visas within their validity,
they will have to reapply for immigration to Canada.
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Q13). Is there a medical requirement for immigrating
to Canada?
Yes. You and your dependents, whether accompanying you or not, must undergo a
medical examination and the principal applicant has to pass it. To pass the
medical examination you must not have a medical condition that is a danger to
public health or safety or would cause excessive demand on health or social
services in Canada. Your dependents must not have a condition that is a danger
to public health.
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Q14). What does "excessive demand" on
Canada's health or social services mean?
Individuals may be denied admittance to Canada due to the high costs of their
care. The factors considered during the medical assessment include whether or
not hospitalization or medical, social or institutional care is required and
whether potential employability or productivity could be affected. For example,
a person with a serious disease or psychiatric disorder requiring ongoing care
or hospitalization may be inadmissible because their requirements would place
"excessive demand" on the Canadian health-care system.
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Q15). Must everyone in my family have a medical examination?
Yes. All of your dependents who are not already permanent residents or Canadian
citizens, whether they will accompany you to Canada or not, must undergo a
medical examination.
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Q16). I heard that the Right of Landing/Permanent Residency
Fee has been eliminated Is this correct?
As of February 28, 2000 the Right of Landing Fee has been eliminated for
refugees only.
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Q17). Can I have dual citizenship?
According to Canada's Citizenship Act, Canadian citizens are allowed to hold
dual citizenship. This means that they will not lose their Canadian citizenship
if they become a citizen of another country or all countries of the world.
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Q18). I am an engineer/engineering technician/technologist/physician,
do I have to get accreditation before immigration?
There are some professions that are regulated in Canada, i.e., you need to be
licensed by provincial authorities to practice. Engineers, engineering
technicians and technologists and physicians are among these. In some
occupations, you have to get your qualifications assessed for immigration
purposes by the relevant accreditation body before your immigration request
could be processed.
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Q19). What is a Canadian Landed Immigrant/Permanent Resident
Visa?
A Canadian Landed Immigrant/Permanent Visa holder can reside and earn a
livelihood while working anywhere within Canada. A landed immigrant is entitled
to several rights and privileges enjoyed by a canaidan citizen under the
"Charter of Rights and Freedom". He/she can do any job with any employer, do
any business or buy any property.
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Q20). What are the different
categories under which one can qualify to immigrate
to Canada?
The different categories under which one can qualify to Immigration to Canada
are as follows:
-
INDEPENDENT CATEGORY
-
BUSINESS CATEGORY
-
FAMILY CLASS
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Q21). Do Canadian immigration
rules and regulations change
frequently?
No, they do not change frequently, nor is there any specified time period for
change. It is on need basis. Last changes took place on June 28,2002 when IRPA
came into force.
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Q22). Are there any special procedures of immigration for different Provinces
of Canada?
Yes, there are special procedures for immigration to some provinces like
Quebec, Manitoba etc under the Provincial Nominee Program. Under these programs
there is a separate set of selection criteria and it is usually for few
occupations in demand in that province. If a person is interested for Quebec,
he must satisfy selection criteria of Quebec Immigration. After selection by
the province, you become their Provincial nominee. A visa is, however, issued
by Federal Immigration authorities.
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Q23). Are family members included in the application?
Spouse and children below 22 years of age are included in the application with
the principal applicant. A child above 21 years of age and not having a single
break between studies and who is not married can also accompany his/her
parents.
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Q24). Within what period
can I land in Canada after the issuance of
visa?
You can normally land within a period of one year from the conclusion of your
Medical Examination. If there is any delay in the immigration after this period
the validity of the medical examination expires, you might be asked for a fresh
medical examination.
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Q25). Do I have to land
in my intended destination mentioned in my
application?
No, it is not a compulsion to land in the intended destination mentioned in the
application. One can land anywhere in Canada except in cases of Provincial
Nominee like Quebec.
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Q26). Is there a selection
interview with an immigration officer prior
to immigration?
Yes, there is a selection interview for the principal applicant as well his
dependents above 18 years of age, However, in some cases, the interview can be
waived of.
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Q27). How long can I leave Canada to go to my home
country without loosing my permanent residency in Canada?
You can visit your home country for duration of six months after getting
permanent residency of Canada.
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Q28). How long does it take to get Canadian
citizenship after my immigration ro Canada?
Canadian Citizenship can be applied for after 3 years of uninterrupted physical
residence in Canada.
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Q29). Do my dependants have to undergo their medical Examination
along with me?
Yes, they will have to go undergo their medical examination along with you.
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Q30). Is there a selection
interview with an immigration officer prior
to immigration?
Yes, there is a selection interview for the principal applicant as well his/her
dependents above 18 years of age, However, some immigration processing assign a
waive of the interview requirement.
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