IMMIGRATION TO
CONTENTS
1. News Release
2. About
3. Permanent Residence Visa
4. Temporary Residence
5. Canadian Immigration Law and
Regulations
6. Federal Immigration Programme -
Professionals
7. Provincial Immigration Programmes
8. The
9. The Immigration Process
10. Business Immigrant Categories
11. Sponsorship of Loved Ones
12. Preparing for Arrival to
13. After Arriving to
14. Various Topics of Interest
·
Anything and Everything
·
Employment in
·
Doing Business in
·
Believe it or Not
·
Why Do I Need a Representative
15. GNA’s Services
NEWS RELEASE
MINISTER ADJUSTS
SKILLED WORKER PASSMARK AND PROPOSES CHANGES FOR ECONOMIC CLASS IMMIGRATION
APPLICANTS AFFECTED BY IRPA TRANSITIONAL RULES
OTTAWA, September 18, 2003 – The Honourable Denis Coderre, Minister of Citizenship and
Immigration Canada, today announced an important decision and recommendation
pertaining to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). The
Minister announced an adjustment to the pass mark for federal skilled worker
applicants. Also, today he proposed new measures for assessing certain economic
class applicants who applied under the former Immigration Act but were
affected by transitional measures following implementation of IRPA on
June 28, 2002.
The Minister’s move to
adjust the pass mark is a response to
“An important objective
of IRPA was to create a system that is flexible,” said the Minister. “Today’s
changes to IRPA reflect this flexibility and our ongoing commitment to listen
to the views of all stakeholders. We are
responding to current circumstances in a way that continues to encourage
skilled immigration within the confines of existing resources and a balanced
plan.”
Additionally,
the Minister is proposing to amend the IRPA transition regulations to allow for
all skilled worker and business immigration applicants who applied before
“The government’s clear
intention has always been to treat applicants fairly,” explained the Minister. “That
is why we introduced and then extended transition measures. The court has
suggested that more is required of the government. I have listened to that
message. That is why I am proposing these changes today.”
The Minister plans to
consult his Cabinet colleagues on the proposed regulatory amendments at the
first available opportunity. The new pass mark takes effect immediately.
Please note that due to
an anticipated influx of applications from around the world, as a result of the
lowering of the pass mark, it is conceivable that the Minister of Immigration
may once again raise the pass mark next year as a stabilizing mechanism of ensuing
equilibrium in the overall amount of immigrants coming to Canada. Therefore, if you are seriously considering
immigrating to
ABOUT
WHY
·
Voted No. 1 by UN for seven consecutive years
·
Excellent, Free Education
·
Literacy 99%
·
Government loans and grand for post secondary study (irregardless of
age)
·
Clean and safe environment
·
Multiculturalism – you are not considered a second class citizen
·
Excellent Social Services
o
(Unemployment Insurance
o
Social Assistance
o
Child Tax Benefit
o
Family Allowance
o
Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement
o
Workers' Compensation)
·
Free Medical Care
·
A very strong federal and provincial
government support infrastructure for new immigrants
·
The most flexible residency requirement in the Western world.
·
Canadian Passport (after three years)
WHY DOES
Because
Consider
some of these factors:
·
Demographics - aging population, low birth rate and shrinking work
force.
·
“Baby Boomers” will need social, medical, and old age assistance –
there is a need to be able to finance the numerous social programmes.
·
The country's rapidly ageing
population, coupled with a dearth of young workers, will cause a major shortage
of potential employees and could mean immigrants will account for almost all of
the labour force growth within a decade, Statistics
·
Census data for 2002, predicts
potential worker shortfalls in a vast range of occupations by 2011, from family
doctors to bricklayers.
·
By 2021,
·
Changing world economic trends require
·
Canada competes for the best and the brightest immigrants, with
countries like New Zealand, Australia, and U.S.A.
·
The Canadian government sets annual immigration quotas which need to be
met
SOME IMMIGRATION
STATICS
·
Last year, 173,000 immigrated to
·
In 2002,
·
90% of new immigrants settle in population centers of at least 500,000
people
·
Toronto attracted more than any
other Canadian city by far, with 111,580 in 2002, or 48.7 per cent of the
national total.
·
This year Montreal become 2nd most
popular destination in Canada - receiving 33,004 immigrants in 2002, compared
with 29,922 for Vancouver, according to numbers released in June by Immigration
Canada.
·
A Statistics
·
Statistics
·
Statistics
·
In
PERMANENT RESIDENCE VISA
WHAT IS A CANADIAN
IMMIGRANT VISA?
An Immigrant Visa is a document which allows a person to
live and work anywhere in
WHO QUALIFIES FOR
AN IMMIGRANT VISA?
Immigrant Visas are given to qualified skilled workers,
businesspersons and to close family members of Canadian citizens and permanent
residents.
WHERE DOES MY
APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN
The application can be made:
·
In the country where the applicant is residing, if the applicant has
been lawfully admitted to that country for a period of at least one year
OR
·
In the applicant’s country of nationality
Please
note that if the applicant’s country of residence does not have a Canadian visa
post that deals with PR applications, the application must be submitted to the
country whose visa office has been designated as the visa post which deals with
PR applications from the applicant’s country of residence.
WHEN DOES ONE ACTUALLY BECOME A PERMANENT REDSIDENT OF
CANDA? IS IT WHEN THE PASSPORT IS
STAMPED; UPON LANDING, OR UPON OBTAINING THE NEWLY CREATED PERMANENT RESIDENT
CARD?
An individual becomes a permanent resident immediately upon
successful conclusion of the landing process. The subsequent issuance of the
permanent resident card does not have a bearing on such status. The card facilities travel to and from
Failure to land by the date prescribed will invalidate those documents, and
would typically mean that you must reapply to be eligible to be a permanent
resident.
CAN I APPLY FOR IMMIGRATION
TO
Generally
speaking, criminality can be grounds for inadmissibly, however, there are instances when
it is possible to apply for criminal rehabilitation and apply for immigration
to
I HAVE LIVED IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES - DO I NEED TO GET
POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATES FROM ALL OF THEM?
Each applicant for a Canadian Immigrant Visa,
aged 18 or over, is required to prove that he or she has no criminal
record. Police
clearance certificates or certificates of non-criminal activity, as they are
sometimes referred to, must be obtained from the country of current residence
and from each country in which the applicant has resided for more than 6 months
since his or her 18th birthday. Police clearance certificates are
considered valid for a period of 6 months and they usually can be obtained
through law enforcement offices or other government agencies. If police in a
particular country refuse to issue a clearance, it would be helpful if they provided a written statement confirming that they
refused to issue the clearance. In
extenuating circumstances Canadian visa offices will waive the requirement to
submit police clearance certificates.
For a list of contact information
for the various State Police authorities which provide clearance certificates
for the
What is a background clearance?
All potential immigrants to
Please note that there is a clear
distinction between the police clearance certificate, which the applicant is
required to obtain, and the background clearance, in which the applicant for
the most part is not actively involved.
When must I submit
the police clearance?
Some Visa Offices may require that these documents be
submitted at the same time as the application forms, applicable fees, and
supporting documents. Other Visa Offices may allow these documents to be
submitted later on in the process. For accurate information, please
contact our nearest office or the head office in
Can I omit a
police clearance from one or more countries?
If a police
clearance is not forthcoming from a particular country, a written
statement from the police officials of the country confirming their refusal to
issue the clearance may be required. An immigration official may even
waive this requirement altogether if a clear obstacle can be
demonstrated.
Applicants should assume
that clearances must be obtained.
CAN I APPLY FOR
IMMIGRATION TO
Although
certain medical conditions may be grounds for inadmissibility, many medical
conditions are acceptable, as long as the condition
will not present excessive demand on
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE VISA
HOW IS AN EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION DIFFERENT FROM AN
IMMIGRANT VISA?
An Employment
Authorization permits an eligible visitor to reside and work in
TO WORK OR TO IMMIGRATE?
Often people ask us whether it is
possible to find temporary employment in
Many people are interested in
working in
Immigration is far more than the
opportunity to procure lucrative employment. Immigration is a lifestyle change
and an agreement in which you pledge to be a permanent resident and contribute
on a long-term basis to the social and economic well-being of a country. In
exchange, you are given the opportunity to live in a peaceful, democratic,
multi-cultural country, one that has been recognized as having a top-rated
quality of life in the world. Some of the benefits of immigrating to
·
Excellent social services,
including FREE education and health care.
·
Financial benefits and social
assistance for those who are unemployed or just experiencing temporary
financial difficulties. Additional financial rewards are granted by the
government for people who have children.
·
As a permanent resident, you will
be entitled to sponsor your family members (including your parents, and even
your brothers and sisters who are still dependent on your parents) from abroad
to gain permanent residence.
·
You can apply for citizenship and
passport after residing for just three years. Canadian citizenship is generally
regarded as something valuable and respectable throughout the world. As a
Canadian, you can travel to most of countries around the world without needing
to obtain a visitor/tourist visa before departure.
Those truly committed to making
long-term change should understand the realities of the immigration process and
the temporary employment climate in
CAN A WORK OR STUDENT PERMIT/VISA HELP ME TO IMMIGRATE TO
Very often, people confuse the
temporary status of a temporary residence visa (TRV) with that of a permanent
residence (PRV) immigrant visa. The two
are totally independent of each other and involve completely different
process. Temporary residence visas (TRV)
are precisely that – they are temporary and allow the visa holder to work or
attend school in Canada for a pre-set, limited period of time, at particular
places of employment o institutions of learning – generally these permits are
place specific and are not “open”.
The only way that previous study or
work in Canada may assist in any future applications for PR status, is if the
applicant has legally
attended a post-secondary institution of learning in Canada, for a minimum of
two, full time, years, or if the applicant has legally worked
in Canada, on a work permit, for at least one full, full time year.
In fact, if you are seriously
consider eventually immigrating to Canada and we have assessed your application
and have informed you that you may qualify for PR status in Canada, we suggest
that you invest you energy and time in applying for PR status in Canada, since
even if you do succeed in achieving a study or work permit in Canada, you will
have to resubmit an independent application for PR status in
WHERE DOES MY
APPLICATION FOR A CANADIAN TEMPORARY RESIDENT PERMIT (STUDENT, EMPLOYMENT, VISITOR) GET SUBMITTED?
The application can be made:
·
In the country where the applicant is currently present and has been
lawfully admitted
OR
·
In the applicant’s country of nationality
Please
note that if the applicant’s country of residence does not have a Canadian visa
post that deals with PR applications, the application must be submitted to the
country whose visa office has been designated as the visa post which deals with
PR applications from the applicant’s country of residence.
DO I NEED A TEMPORARY
RESIDENT VISA (TOURIST VISA) IN ORDER TO ENTER
Many people do not require a visitor visa:
CAN I APPLY FOR
PERMANENT RESIDENCE STATUS (PR) AND TEMPORARY RESIDENT VISA (TRV) STATUS AT THE
SAME TIME?
You may apply for permanent resident status and
temporary status at the same time (dual intent).
Doing so will not harm your application for permanent resident status.
However, your application for temporary status may be affected because an
impression will have been created that you do not intend to leave
There is no guarantee that everyone
who applies for a TRV (temporary resident visa - tourist visa, work permit,
study permit) will get it, especially if the application is made for the whole
family, and especially if the person has a parallel application for PR.
Although the new Canadian Act (IRPA) recognizes "dual intent" -
applying for PR and wishing to visit Canada – the immigration officials look at
the whole picture and very often reject the TRV application just to make sure
that the PR applicant will not decide to remain in Canada illegally if his/her
PR application fails.
The main goal and challenge is to
be able to convince the immigration officer that the applicant has reason to
and will be returning to his country of domicile and will leave
ONCE I ARRIVE TO
People who arrive to
I HAVE BEEN REFUSED FOR A TOURIST VISA TO
A refusal for a visitor visa to
CANADIAN IMMIGRATION LAW
AND REGULATIONS
I HAVE HEARD THAT
The Government of
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES
OF THE NEW IMMIGRATION ACT?
Although there are fundamental
changes to the Canadian immigration system (the most fundamental changes since
1976), there are also very positive new opportunities that never existed
before. Some of those opportunities are:
·
Under these new Regulations, there
will no longer be a General Occupations List (list of occupations
in demand). There is no longer a Negative List of
occupations. Many
occupations, which were previously considered ineligible under the Skilled
Worker program, are now considered eligible.
Previously closed occupations
are now effectively open (Medical Doctors, Dentist, Lawyers, Nurses, Teachers,
etc.).
·
Selection of the
Independent/Skilled Worker immigrants will be based on the transferability and adaptability of their skills — not their
occupation.
·
Emphasis is made on experience in
any skilled occupation rather than designating particular occupations.
·
Education and actual work experience will no longer need to correspond – you can have a degree/diploma in a given field but may have working
experience in an related filed – you will be given credit for both.
·
Technical college diplomas, trade
certificates, and apprenticeships are no longer disadvantaged in comparison to
university degrees.
·
Credit is now given for work
experience that was done before, during, or after graduation from a
post-secondary learning institution – under the old system, only work that was
done after graduation was considered.
·
Applicants can be awarded
additional points if they can demonstrate previous full-time study or work in
Canada, an job offer from a Canadian employer, establish they have a close
family member in Canada.
·
Credit is given to the principle
applicant for his partner’s educational level
·
Common-law partners and same-sex
partners may now apply as a family units, without having to be married
·
Common-law partners, conjugal
partners (long distance relationship) and same sex partners can be sponsored,
without having to marry their sponsor.
Please do not assume that you will not qualify
under the new immigration regulations. We can help. If you have applied under the
old system and did not qualify, please resubmit your online assessment form, so
that we may reassess you under the new guidelines.
THE FEDERAL
IMMIGRATION PROGRAMME – SKILLED WORKERS (PROFESSIONALS)
HOW ARE IMMIGRANTS
CHOSEN – FEDERAL PROGRAMME?
Applicants are assessed according to the following six
(6) factors:
|
FACTOR |
Final |
|
EDUCATION |
25 |
|
LANGUAGE |
24 |
|
EXPERIENCE |
21 |
|
AGE |
10 |
|
ARRANGED EMPLOYMENT |
10 |
|
ADAPTABILITY |
10 |
|
TOTAL |
100 |
WHAT IS THE CURRENT
PASS MARK IN THE FEDERAL PROGRAMME?
On
IS THERE A “CUT OFF
AGE” FOR THE FEDERAL PROGRAMME?
Although
full points are given to applicants who are not older than 49 years of, partial points are
awarded for applicants who are older.
Moreover, age is not the only deciding factor when applications are
considered. There are many other
objective and subjective factors that are considered in any given application.
IS THERE ANY
REQUIREMENT TO SHOW “SETTLEMENT FUNDS” AS PART OF THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS, IN
THE FEDERAL PROGRAMME?
If you
have applied under the Federal programme the principal
applicant must have
a sufficient sum of money at his/her disposal to meet his/her basic needs and
those of his/her family during a minimum period of six months. He/she must be able to demonstrate that he/she
has this money at the point of submission of his/her application. He/she must
take into account that there are various costs associated with his/her immigration
as well as that of the people accompanying him/her prior to his/her arrival in
The amount of money that you need
to have to support your family for the first six months of life in
|
Number
of |
Funds
Required |
|
1 |
$9,420 |
|
2 |
$11,775 |
|
3 |
$14,645 |
|
4 |
$17,727 |
|
5 |
$19,816 |
|
6 |
$21,905 |
|
7 or more |
$23,994 |
You do not
have to show that you have these funds if you have arranged employment in
ARE INTERVIEWS MANDATORY IN THE FEDERAL PROGRAMME?
Interviews
are not mandatory in the Federal programme.
DO I QUALIFY?
If you would like to find out whether you qualify for
permanent residence in
PROVINCIAL
IMMIGRATION PROGRAMMES
ARE THERE OTHER
PROVINCIAL PROGRAMMES AVAILABLE?
Section 8 of The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) allows the Minister
of Citizenship and Immigration to sign agreements with the provinces to
coordinate and implement immigration policies and programs.
All
ten Canadian provinces and 3 territories have signed agreement with the Federal
government, allowing them to select their own immigrants. However, all of those programmes have very
limited annual quotas (200-300 files) and in order to succeed in one of those
programmes, an applicant must have a guaranteed job offer in that particular province
or territory.
DOES THE
In 1991 the
The Canada-Québec Accord, the most comprehensive agreement to date, gives Quebec selection
powers over qualified immigrant and responsibility for integration services for
those immigrants.
In 2002,
A Skilled Worker
application must be submitted to the
Each
An applicant who does
not satisfy the “Employability” criteria will be refused a CSQ. An applicant who meets the “Employability”
criteria will then undergo a second, more in-depth evaluation of his or her
credentials as a potential immigrant to
The
Although intent to
reside in the Province of Quebec is one of the requirements of applying to the
Quebec provincial programme, this intent can always change (as any other
personal preference in life) upon arriving to Quebec and, thus an immigrant may
not be forced to reside in that or any other province in Canada, once he/she
becomes a permanent resident of Canada.
WHERE DOES MY
APPLICATION TO
The
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
If
you are unsure where your application should be submitted, please contact our office.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES
OF THE
·
The Quebec immigration programme still relies on interviews to
subjectively assess the language abilities of the applicant (English/French),
whereas, the Federal programme no longer uses the interviews to establish
language ability and requests that applicants provide official test results
from the IELTS (International English Language Test System) or the TEF (Test
d’Evaluation de Française) tests. Often,
visa offices require test results at the time the application is submitted.
Applicants, who have completed post-secondary studies in English or French, may
have this requirement waived.
The Quebec
Immigration Officer will evaluate language ability during the interview by
asking questions and by providing simple texts. The applicant will then have
to:
1) understand questions relating to various
aspects of everyday life,
2) answer
these questions with complete sentences using proper grammar
and proper pronunciation, and
3) read a short text and comprehend the
general sense of it.
·
The
·
Single applicants are not disadvantaged or
handicapped in terms of their ability to attain the passing mark, as is the
case in the Federal programme. Because
there are two independent point score grids – one for single applicants and one for couples.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES
OF LIVING IN
To
many, Quebec is a often a more desirable destination because the cost of living
in that Province is 30-50% lower than that of Toronto and Vancouver, and the
Quebec government provides more assistance to new immigrants than some of its
other provincial or federal counterparts.
Living in Québec means living in a
democratic francophone society offering many advantages: a low cost of living,
accessible education and health services, spacious and affordable housing, a
secure living environment, and an environment full of attractions and abundant
space.
ARE THERE PRESET ANNUAL IMMGIRATION QUOTAS FOR BOTH THE
FEDERAL AND THE
Both the Federal and the
CAN I APPLY FOR MORE
THAN ONE PROGRAMME (FEDERAL OR
Although
it is preferable to decide on one specific venue, it is possible to apply both
to the Federal and one of the Provincial programmes, however, they may be
questions as to where the applicant actually intends to reside.
IF I APPLY UNDER THE
Yes,
each application must be accompanied by the correct corresponding fees;
otherwise the immigration authorities will not process the application.
THE
HOW ARE IMMIGRANTS
CHOSEN – QUÉBEC PROGRAMME?
Applicants
are assessed according to the following nine (9) factors:
·
Education
·
Employment
·
Experience
·
Age
·
Language
·
Adaptability
·
Suitability of spouse
·
Presence of children
·
Financial self-sufficiency.
IS THERE A “CUT OFF
AGE” FOR
Although
full points are given to applicants who are not older than 35 years of age, partial points are
awarded to applicants who are older.
Moreover, age is not the only deciding factor when applications are
considered. There are many other
objective and subjective factors that are considered in any given application.
IS THERE ANY REQUIREMENT
TO SHOW “SETTLEMENT FUNDS” AS PART OF THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS, IN THE
If you have applied under the
If a candidate does not have
sufficient financial resources at his/her disposal, the candidate's application
will be refused at the selection stage, as this is a disqualifying factor.
ARE INTERVIEWS MANDATORY IN THE
Interviews are not mandatory in the
HOW WILL MY LANGUAGE ABILITY BE
EVALUATED DURING THE INTERVIEW IN THE
The Quebec
Immigration Officer will evaluate this factor by asking questions and by
providing simple texts. The individual will then have to:
1) understand
questions relating to various aspects of everyday life,
2) answer
these questions with complete sentences using proper grammar and proper pronunciation, and
3) read
a short text and comprehend the general sense of it.
WHAT DOES THE INTERVIEW IN THE
Personal Qualities
In order to determine
if an applicant possesses the Personal Qualities, the Quebec Immigration
Officer will consider the individual's qualities by asking simple oral
questions that will permit the officer to evaluate the individual. The officer
will be looking for: flexibility,
sociability, dynamism, initiative, perseverance, self-confidence, sense of
realism and maturity - all of these qualities in relation to the individual's
professional and day to day life.
Motivation
In order to determine
if an applicant has sufficient Motivations to immigrate to Quebec, the officer
will consider the individual's motivation by asking simple oral questions that
will permit the officer to evaluate the
individual's motivation with respect to
his/her immigration and his/her choice of the province of Quebec.
Knowledge of
Quebec Immigration Officer will ask questions relating to: the job
market, the conditions of the individual’s intended occupation, standards of
living and weather conditions.
DO I QUALIFY?
If you would like to find out whether you qualify for
permanent residence in
WHAT IS THE CURRENT
PASS MARK IN THE
The
The
current pass mark under the Quebec programme is 60 points out of possible
106 points, for single
applicants and 68 points out of possible 123 points, for a couple.
IF I HAVE NOT REACHED
THE REQUIRED PASS MARK IN THE
According to the
A couple needs at least 58 points at the
pre-selection stage, in order to proceed with an application for
permanent residence status in
THE IMMIGRATION
PROCESS
WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN
THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS IN THE FEDERAL PROGRAMME?
1.
The Applicant fills out one of our
online application forms, or simply emails or faxes our representative a
detailed resume or curriculum vitae.
2.
GNA will thoroughly analyze your
current situation and circumstances vis-à-vis the current Federal regulations and requirements,
and explain your realistic chances of qualifying for a given visa to
3.
If we feel that you have at least a
90% chance success, a Service Retainer Agreement is signed between GNA and you,
which officially appoints us as your legal
representative.
4.
Our experts carefully analyze your
particular case and all your submitted documents and consult you on which
supporting documents are missing.
5.
Upon completion of all analysis,
preparation, and revisions, your application and all the supporting documents
are submitted to the appropriate Canadian Federal visa post at the Canadian Embassy.
6.
GNA carefully monitors your file
and is in regular contact with the appropriate government bodies, in order to
expedite your case as much as possible. You are regularly advised of the
current status of your application. We
are notified when a visa post requires any additional documentation or
information, and take immediate action to inform you and to address the issue accordingly.
In case of changes in your Application, you options are carefully explained to
you and appropriate action is promptly taken to remedy the situation.
7.
If an interview is required GNA
fully prepares you for the interview. In
fact, as soon as you become our client, GNA starts the process of preparing you
not only for the interview (if required), but also for your new life in your
new home. This is achieved through instructional videos, seminars, simulation
interviews, and other valuable and timely counseling. All this is done to
minimize any possibility of surprises or eventualities.
8.
Once the visa office issues the
medical forms or request additional police clearance certificates, GNA assists
and guides you through the processes of medical and police clearances.
9.
Once the medical and
police/security requirements are satisfied, the Canadian visa office will
request that the client sends them his/her current passport and the passports
of all his accompanying family members, so that the immigrant visas may be
pasted into them.
10. The passports are sent by the client to GNA’s head office in
11. GNA forwards the passports to the visa post, which in terns issues and
pastes the visas into the clients’ passports and returns the passports to GNA’s
head office in Toronto, via courier service.
12. The passports with the visas are couriered back to the client and the client
has 12 months from the date of his/her medical test, to physically arrive to
13. Once the client arrives to
WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN
THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS IN THE
1.
The Applicant fills out one of our
online application forms, or simply emails or faxes our representative a
detailed resume or curriculum vitae.
2.
GNA will thoroughly analyze your
current situation and circumstances vis-à-vis the current
3.
If we feel that you have at least a
90% chance success, a Service Retainer Agreement is signed between GNA and you,
which officially appoints us as your legal
representative.
4.
Our experts carefully analyze your
particular case and all your submitted documents and consult you on which
supporting documents are missing.
5.
Upon completion of all analysis,
preparation, and revisions, your application and all the supporting documents
are submitted to the appropriate Canadian
6.
GNA carefully monitors your files
and is in regular contact with the appropriate government bodies, in order to
expedite your case as much as possible. You are regularly advised of the
current status of your application. We
are notified when a visa post requires any additional documentation or information,
and take immediate action to inform you and to address the issue accordingly.
In case of changes in your Application, you options are carefully explained to
you and appropriate action is promptly taken to remedy the situation.
7.
At this stage, you will receive by
mail a
8.
Once the Certificat de sélection du Québec is issued, GNA
submits the Certificate together with a Federal application and the
corresponding Federal government fees, to the designated Canadian visa post
that is responsible for processing these applications from your country of
domicile or nationality.
9.
Since
the Federal government is the one that actually issues the permanent residence
immigrant visa, it is responsible for administering medical exams and checking
the applicant’s criminal and security backgrounds. You will be
issued medical forms.
10. Once the medical and police/security requirements are satisfied, the
Canadian visa office will request that the client sends them his/her current
passport and the passports of all his accompanying family members, so that the
immigrant visas may be pasted into them.
11. The passports are sent by the client to GNA’s head office in
12. GNA forwards the passports to the visa post, which in terns issues and
pastes the visas into the clients’ passports and returns the passports to GNA’s
head office in Toronto, via courier service.
13. The passports with the visas are couriered back to the client and the
client the client has 12 months from the date of his/her medical test, to
physically arrive to
14. Once the client arrives to
WHAT DOCUMENTS SHOULD
BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF MY APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE?
Each visa office has specific
requirements regarding the submission of supporting documentation. Please contact our office for a precise list
of required documents.
Typically, the following supporting
documents are included with the application:
·
Photographs for each member of the
family who are included in the
application
·
Height and Eye Colour
·
GNA Application Form
·
Signed release of information consent letter
·
Additional Family Information
·
Application Signature pages
·
Marriage/Divorce Certificates (for all the present and past marriages)
·
Copies of passports for all members of the family who are included in
the application
·
Original Police clearance
certificates for all members of the family who are included in the application, from every country where they have
been residing since the age of 18
·
Copies of High school diplomas for
all members of the family who are
included in the application, who are older than 18 years of age
·
Copies of all educational
degree/diplomas for principle applicant and spouse
·
Copies of all educational
transcripts for principle applicant and spouse
·
Copies of all professional
certificates and licenses for principle applicant and spouse
·
Resumes/C.V. for principle
applicant and spouse
·
Original Employment letters for
principle applicant and spouse
·
Proof of English/French languages
skills (if applicable and requested)
·
Certificates of English/French
languages skills or study
·
Proof of Canadian relative(s) (if
applicable and available)
·
Correct government processing fees
WHEN MUST I SUBMIT
THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION?
Each visa office has specific timing requirements, but
usually, supporting documents are submitted at the same time as your completed
application forms and processing fees. Some Visa Offices insist that the
entire file be submitted at once, and may even return incomplete files without
acknowledging receipt, while others allow certain documents to be forwarded at
a later date. Please cont our office, for
specific details.
IN WHAT LANGUAGE MUST MY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION BE
SUBMITTED?
All supporting documentation in a language other than
English or French must be accompanied by an English or French translation, as
translated by a certified translator.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Pleas contact our office for specific details.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM ASKED FOR
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS THAT I AM UNABLE TO PROVIDE?
Depending on how
crucial the documents are in the assessment of your application, it may be
possible to provide an explanation as to the reason you are unable to provide
them. The final decision rests with the
immigration officer who is handling your application.
HOW DO I SHOW PROOF OF MY
ENGLISH/FRENCH LANGUAGE ABILITY?
Under the current immigration regulations, every
applicant must provide either:
OR
If you have not
completed secondary or post-secondary studies in either English or French and
are applying to the Federal programme, you will most likely be asked to write the IELTS (International English Language Test System) - http://www.ielts.org
- or the TEF (Test d’Evaluation de Française) - http://www.fda.ccip.fr/sinformer/tef/
CAN I
TRANSFER MY APPLICATION TO A DIFFERENT VISA OFFICE AFTER IT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED?
Under the new
immigration regulations, immigration officials are not required
to transfer applications and do so only in those cases in which doing so would
enhance Program integrity. As a rule,
this is no longer practiced, and visa offices can refuse to transfer a case.
HOW LONG
DOES THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS TAKES?
Please note that everything depends on many variables that are out of
GNA’s control – how quickly you have provided all the required documents, how
quickly you have confirmed language ability, how quickly you have done your
medical and security checks, which visa office your application has been
submitted to, etc.
Since the new Immigration Act and Regulations were introduced on
A lot depends on whether your application has been submitted through
the Federal or the
Generally speaking, it is safe to say that if you have provided all of
the required supporting documents and acceptable proof of language ability,
your immigration process may be completed within 12 months.
WHICH FACTORS MAY DELAY THE
PROCESSING OF MY APPLICATION?
·
missing documents;
·
unclear photocopies of documents;
·
documents not accompanied by a
certified English or French translation;
·
verification of information and
documents provided;
·
a medical condition that may
require additional tests or consultations;
·
a criminal or security problem;
·
family situations such as impending
divorce, or custody or maintenance issues;
·
completion of legal adoption;
·
consultation is required with other
offices in
·
inquiring about the status of your
application before the standard processing time has elapsed; or
·
insufficient proof of settlement
funds
·
insufficient proof of English
and/or French language ability (if required)
WHAT IS A LOCK-IN DATE?
A lock-in date is the date on which
a visa office receives a completed application form, with full payment of the
processing fees. The Canadian Courts have deemed the lock-in date to be
the date on which factors such as age must be assessed. Thus, no points
will be lost if the applicant's age changes during the processing of the
application.
WHAT ARE THE CANADIAN
GOVERNMENT PROCESSING FEES?
|
Principal applicant |
CAD $300 |
|
Each dependent |
CAD $100 |
Federal
Government Fees:
|
Principal applicant |
CAD $550 |
|
A family member of the principal
applicant who is 22 years of age or older (spouse) |
CAD $550 |
|
A family member of the principal
applicant who is less than 22 years of age (dependent) |
CAD $150 |
|
For the acquisition
of permanent resident status (principle applicant and spouse) |
CAD $975 |
|
This RPRF fee must be paid before the immigrant visa is issued
overseas. |
|
Please not that, in the case of a rejection of the application, the government
fees are not refunded by the Canadian government. There may be instances where the government
fees may be refunded by a given visa post, if the application is voluntarily
withdraw by the applicant, prior to a decision.
BUSINESS IMMIGRANT CATEGORIES
1. WHAT IS THE INVESTOR CATEGORY AND WHAT
ARE ITS ADVANTAGES?
Immigration
officials give priority to processing applications from prospective business
immigrants, because of their contribution to
·
Has legally obtained a net worth of at least
$800,000 Canadian dollars (approximately USD $525,000) – this is simply net
work (assets minus liabilities), not cash in hand.
Some of the advantages of
the Investor Programme are:
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES
OF APPLYING UNDER THE INVESTOR CATEGORY, THROUGH THE
·
A lower deposit for the required investment (if being financed by a
third party) of CAD $125,000 in the
·
In the
·
Processing times are much shorter in the
WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE
OF FINANCING THE REQUIRED INVESTMENT IN THE INVESTOR PROGRAMME, AS OPPOSED TO
INVESTING THE WHOLE AMOUNT FROM MY POCKET?
The biggest advantage is not having to freeze your investment for a period of 5
years, with zero percent return on your investment.
The financing costs can be
easily recouped in less than 2 years, through Canadian investment/business
options and lifestyle opportunities:
·
Cost of private university education in the US or UK (for instance) –
USD $25-40,000 per year – compared to about USD $5,000 per year in Canada – 2
years of university studies for one child will cost you as much as investing in
your future!
·
Excellent free medical care
·
Cost of a 400 squared meter brand new home (four bedrooms, four
washrooms, two garages, five household appliances, etc.) is about USD $130,000
- USD $260,000, depending on the city where it is located.
·
Residence real estate value grows in
·
Mortgage rates on real estate purchase are around 5% (guaranteed for
five years)!
·
Purchase of franchise that offers a net monthly income of USD $3-5,000
four as little USD $70,000 down (we can manage it for people if they do not
intend to live in
·
If you set up a business in
·
Amazing government business assistance programmes that would cost tens
of thousands of dollars if you would have to pay for them.
·
Canadian passport in 3 years for the rest of a person’s life (including
automatic Canadian citizenship for his/her future children, wherever they may
be born) – open travel anywhere – priceless!
·
The most flexible residency requirement in the world – 730 days in a 5
year period (we can set up a business in Canada and show that the person is
working for a Canadian firm, while outside Canada, and he will automatically
fulfill his/her 730 days residency requirement) – no other country offers this!
2. WHAT IS THE SELF-EMPLOYED CATEGORY AND
WHAT ARE ITS ADVANTAGES?
This
category is designed for a foreign
individual who is willing and able to establish support him/herself and
any dependents with self employed income in Canada,
as a
farmer, athlete, artist or artisan (please note that this category is open only these
types of applicants).
Please contact our nearest office for full additional details.
Some of the advantages of
the Investor Programme are:
DO I NEED TO OWN A FARM OR TO MANAGE A FARM, IN ORDER TO
APPLY UNDER THE SELF-EMPLOYED CATEGORY (FARMER).
As long as you have at least two
years out of the last five years of managing or owning a farm, you may apply
under the Self-Employed category, as a farmer.
DO I NEED TO BUY A FARM IN
You must have the intention and the
financial ability to buy a farm in
DO I NEED TO HAVE A MINIMAL PERSONAL NET WORTH, IN ORDER TO
QUALIFY UNDER THE SELF-EMPLOYED CATEGORY (FARMER)?
No, but you must have sufficient
funds to be able to show that you have the financial ability to buy a farm in
HOW MUCH CAN I EXPECT TO PAY FOR A FARM?
Depending on the region in
ONCE I IMMIGRATE TO CANADA AS A FARMER, I AM REQUIRED TO BE
INVOLVED EXCLUSIVELY IN FARAMING OR AM I FREE TO ENGAGE IN ANY OTHER ACTIVITY?
Since the Self-Employed immigrant does not have terms and conditions imposed on him/her, upon
admission to
IS THERE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR FARMERS FROM THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT?
There are a number of Federal and
Provincial financing and loan structures for farmers in
WHAT ARE THE FARMING
OPPORTUNITIES IN
As the second-largest country in
the world,
In
The Canadian agriculture and food industry
shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, Canada is now considered the investors’
gateway to the vast North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) market,
featuring a skilled and educated workforce, the lowest business costs in North
America and a world-renowned network of R&D clusters. The Government of
All this is supported by Canada’s
transportation infrastructure—one of the most efficient in the world—that takes
advantage of Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic ports, nine major international
airports and more than 150 Canada–US border crossings.
With so many advantages, Canada is
well positioned to capitalize on further trade liberalization through its
active participation in multilateral trade and investment negotiations,
including the World Trade Organization, the Free Trade Area of the Americas,
the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the European Free Trade Association.
There are huge
opportunities in
3. WHAT IS THE ENTREPRENEUR CATEGORY?
This category is designed a foreign
individual with managerial/entrepreneurial experience who is willing and able
to establish, invest in or acquire a
business in Canada and who intends to actively
manage an existing business in Canada.
Please contact our nearest office for full additional details.
Some
Features of the Entrepreneur Program:
·
The Entrepreneur must have a
legally obtained person net worth of at least CAD $300.
·
The applicant must have at least
two years of the five last years of experiencing owning/managing a “qualified
business” in his home country (please contact our nearest office for
full details).
·
The Entrepreneur is admitted to
Canada on condition that he/she will purchase, establish or invest in a “qualifying
Canadian business” for at least one year of the three years
following landing in Canada (please contact our nearest office for full
details).
·
The Entrepreneur must actively
manage the business, and the business must create an employment opportunity for
at least on Canadian resident or Citizen, who is not a member of the
Entrepreneur’s family.
·
All family members are admitted
under the same terms and conditions as the principal applicant. The terms and
conditions are removed once the entrepreneur sets up a “qualifying Canadian business”,
hires at least one employee, and is actively involved in managing the business (please
contact our nearest office for full details).
WHAT ARE THE PARTICULARS OF THE ENTREPRENEUR CATEGORY?
In the Entrepreneur applicant must
have at least CND $300,000 net worth, have at least two years business
experience (during the five years prior to the application) of a Qualifying Business, AND fulfill A,B, and C.
A. Qualifying Business
The business in which the applicant is involved in his/her
country of residence needs to fulfill the following 2 out of 4 requirements, for any two years out of the five
years, preceding their application.
This is based on 100% ownership of their
business – lesser %, would increase these requirements proportionally.
B. Qualifying Canadian
Business
The PR status is given to the Entrepreneur
conditionally on him/her setting up, buying, or investing in a “qualified Canadian
business” which needs to meet 2 out of 4 following
requirements:
C. Permanent Residence Condition
Once the Canadian business is established, bought, or invested in, the
entrepreneur must:
Both B and C must be met for at least one
full year during the three years of life in
ARE INTERVIEWS MANDATORY IN THE BUSINESS CATEGORIES?
Business applicants are normally
interviewed, because the immigration officer usually wishes to determine the
applicant’s experience in running and managing a business, as well as to confirm
their true assets and financial situation.
SPONSORSHIP
CAN I SPONSOR MY
PARENTS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN
When you sponsor a
relative or family member to become a permanent resident of
This unconditional
promise of support comes in the form of an Undertaking with the Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration. You must also sign a Sponsorship Agreement with
the person you are sponsoring and all accompanying family members that outlines
your commitment to support them and their commitment to make every effort to be
self-supporting. Dependent children under the age of 22 do not have to sign the
Sponsorship Agreement.
WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF
THE SPONSORSHIP IN THE FAMILY (PARENTS) CATEGORY?
The
period of sponsorship is ten (10) years from the day they land in
HOW LONG IS THE TIME OF SUPPORT DURING A SPONSORSHIP?
You must provide financial support for the relatives or
family members you are sponsoring depending on their age and relationship to
you. If you are sponsoring:
Although priority is
given to reuniting families, the sponsorship process may take in the vicinity
of 12 months, depending on various variables.
DO I HAVE TO MEET
CERTAIN “LOW INCOME CUT-OFF” FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO SPONSOR MY
PARENTS AND CAN THEY BE REFUSED ON MEDICAL INADMISSIBILITY GROUNDS?
In
the Family sponsorship category you must meet a
certain minimal income requirement, and your parents may be refused due to “excessive financial
demand” on the Canadian medical or social system.
The “Low Income Cut-Off” requirements in this
category are:
|
Size of Family Unit
|
Minimum necessary income |
|
1 person (the
sponsor) |
$18,841 |
|
2 persons |
$23,551 |
|
3 persons |
$29,290 |
|
4 persons |
$35,455 |
|
5 persons |
$39,633 |
|
6 persons |
$43,811 |
|
7 persons |
$47,988 |
|
For each additional
person |
$4,178 |
I HAVE BECOME A
CANADIAN PERMANENT RESIDENT AND HAVE DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH A PARTNER
FROM OUTSIDE
Under
the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) it is possible to sponsor
a partner under the Spousal category (Conjugal Partner - not residing under the
same roof), as long as you can show that you have had an exclusive relationship
with that person for at least one year, and that you have the financial means
to sponsor that person.
WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF
THE SPONSORSHIP IN THE SPOUSAL (PARTNER) CATEGORY?
The
period of sponsorship is three (3) years from the day he/she lands in
CAN I ALSO SPONSOR THE
DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF THIS PERSON AND WHAT WOULD BE THE LENGTH OF SPONSORSHIP
IN THAT CASE?
Yes,
you may
sponsor any of the dependent children of the person you are
sponsoring and the sponsorship period would be either ten (10) years or until
the age of 25 (whatever comes first) if they are under the age of 22, or for
three (3) years if there are 22 or older.
DO I HAVE TO MEET
CERTAIN “LOW INCOME CUT OFF” FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO SPONSOR A
PARTNER AND CAN HE/SHE BE REFUSED ON MEDICAL INADMISSIBILITY GROUNDS?
In
the Spousal sponsorship category you do not need to meet a certain minimal income
requirement, and your partner cannot be refused due to “excessive financial demand” on the
Canadian medical or social system – your partner may be refused on grounds of
being a medical “danger
to the public” (this usually involves existing communicable diseases).
PREPARING FOR
ARRIVAL TO CANDA
HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO LAND IN
You will have a period of one year following the initial conclusion of your
medical examination in order to land. If delays cause the validity of your
medical documents to expire, additional examinations may be required.
WHEN
MUST MY DEPENDENTS LAND IN
They must land at the same time, or
following the principal applicant, within the validity of the landing
documents. They may not land prior to the principle
applicant.
CAN I HAVE THE EXPIRATION OF MY
LANDING DOCUMENTS EXTENDED?
Applicants must generally land within the time indicated on the landing
documents. Failure to do so may mean that the applicant forfeits any status
that may have been tentatively conferred.
WHAT
SHOULD I TAKE WITH ME WHEN I LAND IN
Applicants must take along a valid
passport and the landing documents. Proof of settlements funds may also be
requested at the time of landing. Applicants may also benefit by taking copies
of any available statutory documents (i.e., birth certificates, marriage
certificates, etc.), as well as an inventory of the items they wish to take to
For further details, please refer
to our "Survival Handbook”, which
all of our clients receive.
AFTER ARRIVING TO
CANDA
MUST I STAY IN
Moreover, a permanent resident automatically fulfills the
residency requirement if he or she is:
·
Outside of
·
Outside
·
Is an accompanying spouse,
common-law partner or child of a permanent resident who is outside
WHERE MUST I ARRIVE IN
If
you have applied through the Federal programme, you may arrive anywhere in
If
you have applied through the
WHAT IS THE NEW PERMANENT RESIDENT CARD?
The Canadian Government is providing all permanent
residents with the opportunity to obtain secure proof of their status in
WHEN CAN I APPLY FOR
CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP?
A Canadian permanent resident can
apply for Canadian citizenship after accumulating at least three
years of residence in
DOES
At the present time
CAN I APPLY FOR A CANADIAN
PASSPORT?
As soon as you receive your Canadian citizenship, you may apply for
your Canadian passport. Your dependents
need to apply for their passports separately from you application, once they
have their Canadian citizenship status.
IF I RECEIVE MY
PERMANENT STATUS BY APPLYING UNDER THE
Although applicants are selected according to the criteria set by the
Quebec provincial government, it is the Federal government that actually issues
the permanent resident immigrant visa, and once the applicant is approved and
actually arrives to Quebec - his or her permanent residence status applies to the whole
of Canada, and he or she is free to live and work anywhere in Canada.
The freedom to reside and work
anywhere in
The Canadian Charter
of Rights and Freedoms at Subsection 6(2) states that:
“Every citizen of
(a) to move to and take up residence in any
province;
and
(b) to pursue the gaining of a livelihood in
any province.”
HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD I BRING?
Find out how much it costs to live
where you are planning to settle in
Disclosure
of funds:
If you are carrying more than CDN
$10,000, tell a Canadian official when you arrive in
If a candidate does not have sufficient financial resources at his/her
disposal, the candidate's application will be refused at the selection stage,
as this is a disqualifying factor.
DOES
Moreover, if the permanent resident works for a Canadian firm, while
outside of
VARIOUS TOPICS
OF INTEREST
I HAVE HEARD THAT I CAN RECEIVE 15 ADDITIONAL POINTS IF I
HAVE AN ARRANGED EMPLOYMENT OFFER FROM
In certain extraordinary cases GNA
can assist bringing together Canadian employers who may be looking for
qualified employees and foreign applicants.
Please note that this is not a temporary work permit. This offer of employment is actually a part
of the permanent residence application process. Human Resources Development
CAN I APPLY FOR MORE
THAN ONE CATEGORY AT THE SAME TIME?
No, you can not apply for more than one
category at the same time.
IF I FAIL TO QUALIFY
AND MY APPLICATION IS REJECTED CAN I REAPPLY?
The
Canadian immigration law allows multiple consecutive applications. Each application is assessed and considered
on its own merits and grounds and pervious rejections or withdrawals do not
have a negative impact on new applications.
I AM AN “EGRESADO”
(received a Certificate of Completion but not the actual Degree) – CAN I
QUALIFY?
This
is often the case in Latin American countries where the
person may have completed the curriculum of a given programme, but may not have
completed either a dissertation/thesis or some other requirements in order to
receive his/her degree and/or his/her professional credentials. Although individual cases may warrant
individual considerations, generally speaking, in order to ensure that the
applicant receives the corresponding points under the education criteria,
he/she should have her degree.
MY WORK EXPERIENCE DOES
NOT CORRESPOND TO MY EDUCATION – CAN I QUALIFY?
According
to the new Immigration Act, education and actual work experience will no longer
need to correspond – you can have a degree/diploma in
a given field but may have working experience in an related filed – you will be
given credit for both.
I HAVE WORKED IN
SEVERAL UNRELATED PROFESSIONAL FIELDS – CAN I QUALIFY?
According
to the new Immigration Act, credit is given for each individual period of
qualified work activity, as long as the Skill Level of the employment is
question is acceptable.
IS THERE A NEGATIVE
LIST OF UNACCEPTABLE OCCUPATIONS IN THE FEDERAL OR THE PROVINCIAL PROGRAMMES?
At this
point there are no negative lists of unacceptable occupations in either the
Federal or the
I HAVE PERIODS OF
UNEMPLOYMENT IN MY WORK HISTORY – CAN I QUALIFY?
Points
are given for any full time (or the equivalent part time), qualified paid employment, within the last 10
years.
CAN MY ABILITY TO BE
PROFESSIONAL LICENSED IN MY PROFESSION IN
Under
the current immigration regulations, ability to acquire the appropriate
professional license in
CAN I APPLY WITH MY
PARTNER IF WE ARE NOT MARRIED?
Under the current immigration
regulations, common-law partners may now apply as a family unit, without having
to be married. They must be able to show
that they have been involved in an exclusive relationship and have lived
together for at least one year.
CAN I APPLY WITH MY
SAME SEX PARTNER?
Under the current immigration
regulations, same sex partners may now apply as a family unit. They must be able to show that they have been
involved in an exclusive relationship and have lived together for at least one
year. In circumstance where proof of
same sex partnership under the same roof may be problematic to show (due to
cultural, religious, or legal norms of the country in question), it may be
sufficient to show conjugal relationship.
WHICH CATEGORY SHOULD I
APPLY UNDER?
If
you are unsure as to which category you need to apply under, please consult
with us and submit our online application form, at http://www.globalnetworkassociates.com/index_oa.html
. We will inform you of the most
suitable category for you.
WHO CAN BE INCLUDED IN
MY APPLICATION – CAN I INCLUDE MY PARENTS OR MY SIBLINGS?
Only
immediate members of your family (spouse, partner, dependent children) may be
included in your application. Neither
your parents, nor your sibling may be included in your application. Your parents may be sponsored for PR status,
after you become a permanent resident yourself.
In addition, your siblings who are dependents of your parents,
may also be sponsored by you.
I HEARD THAT IT IS NO
LONGER NECESSARY TO BE MARRIED TO MY PARTNER IN ORDER TO INCLUDE HIM/HER IN MY
APPLICATION.
According
to the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) people who are not
married and who are in a common-law relationship, may apply as a family unit,
as long as they can show at least one year of an exclusive relationship.
WHAT IS A COMMON-LAW
SPOUSE/PARTNER?
A person at least 16 years of
age of the same or the opposite sex who has:
·
been living maritally for at least
one year with the principle applicant
OR
·
had a marital relationship for at least one year with the principle
applicant but did not live with him or her because of persecution or penal
control.
WHAT IS A DEPENDENT CHILD?
The biological child of either
parent who has not been adopted by a person other than the spouse or common-law
spouse of one of his or her parents; or a child adopted by either of his or her
parents.
Such a child:
·
is under 22 years of age and
is neither married, i.e. single, widowed or divorced, nor a common-law spouse; or
·
is on an ongoing basis, wholly or
partly in the financial care of his or her parents and :
|
|
|
This definition includes the child
of a dependent child.
*In order to be considered a full-time student, the child must be enrolled
in an accredited post-secondary institution , be present and actively pursue,
on a full-time basis and without interruption, a program of general, vocational
or technical training. Furthermore, such was the case on or prior to the date
he/she reached the age of 22, got married or became a de facto spouse.
CAN I INCLUDE MY ADULT
CHILDREN IN MY APPLICATION?
You
may include your adult children if they qualify as dependents - please see
above.
I HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY
MARRIED AND I AM IN A NEW RELATIONSHIP, BUT I HAVE NOT DIVORCED MY PREVIOUS
SPOUSE - CAN I APPLY WITH MY NEW PARTNER?
You
may apply
with your new partner, as long as you can clearly show that you have been in an
exclusive common-law relationship with this person for at least one year (living
under the same roof) and you no longer have a relationship with your previous
partner.
I HAVE CHILDREN FROM A
PREVIOUS MARRIAGE/RELATIONSHIP – CAN THEY BE INCLUDED IN MY APPLICATION?
You
may include
them in your application, whether they accompany you to
I HAVE CHILDREN FROM A
PREVIOUS MARRIAGE/RELATIONSHIP – CAN I SPONSOR THEM AFTER IMMIGRATING TO
If
your children did not immigrate with you to
WILL MY
STATUS IN
Unless otherwise exempted, permanent
residents of
Canadian permanent residents with
citizenship of the following countries do not need passport visas to enter the
Antigua, Australia, Bahamas,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda (British subjects), Botswana, Brunei,
Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Ireland,
Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta,
Mauritius, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts
and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon
Islands, South Africa*, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK (including its colonies, territories, and
dependencies, such as Hong Kong or Bermuda), Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia,
Zimbabwe.
I AM CURRENTLY ILLEGALLY IN A COUNTRY – CAN APPLY FOR PERMANENT
RESIDENCE IN
If
you are residing in a country to which you have been lawfully admitted a period
of at least
one year, you may submit your
application, even if your original visa has expired.
WHAT ARE MY ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS EQUIVALENT TO IN
While a formal
evaluation of your academic credentials is often not required by visa offices
during the assessment of your application, in certain instances it may be
beneficial to have an official evaluation for your academic credentials.
GNA works with a
number of institutions whose primary role is to evaluate foreign academic
credentials and equate them to Canadian standards. One example of such a company is World
Education Services-Canada (http://www.wes.org/ca/)
and we can assist you with the assessment process. The WES evaluation is a document that
converts educational credentials from any country in the world into their
Canadian equivalents by describing each certificate, diploma or degree you have
earned and stating its academic equivalency in
WES is recognized, and funded in part, by the Government of
A credential assessment is advice on how
qualifications from another country compare to Canadian qualifications.
This assessment does not
guarantee that:
·
you will be issued a
license to practice by a regulatory body;
·
your foreign credentials will be accepted by an employer.
A credential assessment
will help you understand the Canadian educational system and assist you with
your job search. An employer may require
that you prove your credentials are equivalent to Canadian standards.
|
Basic
Evaluation Fees |
||
|
Document-by-Document Evaluation |
|
Cad. $100 |
|
Which evaluation report is for you?
The following options are available for additional fees: |
||
|
3-Day Service |
|
add Cad. $100 |
|
Overnight Courier Delivery (per
Canadian address) |
|
add Cad. $20 |
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* - delivery times may vary Additional Reports |
||
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Ordered at the time of
application (per report) |
|
add Cad. $15 |
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First Report |
add Cad. $30 |
|
WES offers two basic types of
evaluations:
A Document-by-Document evaluation
identifies and describes each diploma or certificate, indicates periods of
education and provides an equivalency for each document. Reports for
educational institutions also contain the grade point average (GPA)
equivalents.
This is the report you should order
for:
In addition to
providing all of the information contained in a Document-by-Document report,
our Course-by-Course evaluation:
This is the report
you should order for:
EMPLOYMENT IN CANDA
WHAT IS THE CURRENT EMPLOYMENT
CLIMATE IN
How quickly one finds
employment in
To generalize, the
first and foremost factor that will greatly influence your ability to quickly
find employment in Canada is your English or French skills (if you are
landing outside the Province of Quebec French is not practically required in
order to be able to find employment). This cannot be
overemphasized enough.
The biggest investment you can make in your future in
Make sure that your
professional skills are as current and diversified as possible. More and more employers are looking for the
“soft skills” of interpersonal ability and “multitasking” is often required,
irregardless of your professional skills, as more and more employers are
looking to get the most labour value and productivity for their dollar.
It is a society where
motivation and initiative are highly valued and where a person needs to know
how to sell and promote his or her knowledge, skills, and personal traits.
Often, newcomers to
Although most
immigrants pick Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver as their starting points in
Canada, this is not always the best strategy (except possibly for Montreal)
because these cities high costs of living (with the exception of Montréal)
which increases the initial burden of starting a new life in a new
country. Often, it is advisable to
consider smaller cities and provinces like
Canada has a national
rate of unemployment slightly over 7%, which by any international standards is
a low unemployment rate. There are many
opportunities for work if people are open to changes and are open to shifts in
their careers and professional paths.
There are many opportunities in the Financial, IT, Science, Health Care,
and Construction sectors.
For statistical
overviews of the employment climates in
DOING
BUSINESS IN
WHY DO BUSINESS IN
KPMG has
done a Competitive Alternatives study in 2002.
KPMG analyzed business costs in North America,
Europe, and Japan (the G-7 countries, plus Holland and Austria) The KPMG report
measured the combined impact of 27 cost components that are most likely to vary
by location, as applied to specific business operations.
The 10-month research program
covered more than 85 cities throughout
Canada came on top with as the overall cost leader for 2002 with a cost index
of 85.5, representing a 14.5 percent cost advantage over the
86 cities in nine countries were
analyzed. 10 Canadian cities took all
the first, second, and third placements in all the regional categories!
DOES THE CANADIAN GOVERNMNET ASSIST THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH
VARIOUS INCENTIVES?
Just to
give you a few quick examples:
BELIEVE IT OR NOT
SOMETIMES I COME ACROSS CANADIAN
IMMIGRATION COMPANIES WHO PROVIDE CONFLICTING INFORMATION - HOW DO I DECIDE
WHICH FIRM IS MOST RELIABLE IN ITS ABILITY TO HELP ME IMMIGRATE TO
You should always ask
for references from previous satisfied clients – particularly from people who
have successfully complete whichever programme or process the particular
company is promoting at the time.
Unfortunately, there
are firms who due to ignorance or some other ulterior motives will accidentally
or intentionally mislead the consumer into thinking that a certain programme
which is being offered guarantees a “quick” and “painless” solution to your immigration
or employment needs.
SOME IMMIGRATION FIRMS CLAIM THAT
THEY PROVIDE GUARANTEED WORK IN
You should be
especially guarded against claims that there is guaranteed work waiting for you
in Canada – often such claims are groundless and take advantage of peoples’
needs to find work.
You need to realize
that
You should also realize that very
often potential employers in
·
Employers generally prefer to
interview and meet applicants in person before hiring them. Again, from a
logistical point of view, out-of-country applicants are less desirable than
those already in the country.
·
Even if you find a job offer from a
Canadian employer, it will be subject to validation by Human Resources
·
Since your immigration process may
take in excess of 12 months, it is not realistic to expect that a Canadian
employer will necessarily wait specifically for you, while he or she has the
rest of the Canadian labour market to chose from.
WHY DO I NEED A REPRESENTATIVE?
WHY DO I NEED A REPRESENTATIVE?
IS THERE AN ADVANTAGE OF HIRING
IMMIGRATION LAWYERS AS APPOSED TO IMMIGRATINO CONSULTANTS/PRACTIONERS?
Whether you hire a
Canadian lawyer or a professional immigration consultant/practitioner you
should ask for references from previous satisfied clients. In reality there is no such thing as an
“immigration lawyer” since there are no Canadian law
schools which specialize in immigration law, as they would in corporate law,
family law, criminal law, etc. When a
Canadian lawyer graduates from law school he is exposed to one singe course of Canadian
immigration law and is no more skilled or qualified than an experienced
professional immigration consultant/practitioner. Very often lawyers will needlessly overcharge
their clients precisely because they feel that the may have the right to do so,
due to their professional credentials.
GNA’S SERVICES
WHAT ARE GNA’S SERVICE
FEES?
I in order to make our
services more accessible to a large range of qualified applicants, GNA often introduces limited time specials on our service fees and
payment schedules. Please contact us, in
order to find the about our latest affordable special.
DO YOU HAVE A REFUND
POLICY?
Our
services are guaranteed, however, no refunds will be made for the following
reasons.
(a) Refusal based upon any false or misleading information provided by
the Principal Applicant or Dependents to GNA or the Canadian Immigration
Authorities.
(b) Failure of Principal Applicant or Dependents to pass medical
examinations or be considered medically inadmissible.
(c) The Principal Applicant or Dependents to be deemed otherwise
inadmissible.
(d) Failure of
Principal Applicant or Dependents to pass criminal or security clearances or to
be criminally inadmissible.
(e) Failure of
Principle Applicant and/or any required dependents to attend their scheduled
interview at the Canadian Embassy (if one is required), which results in the
refusal of their application.
(f) Failure of the Principle Applicant and/or dependent to exhibit
sufficient Oral and Comprehensive ability in French and/or English, knowledge
about
(g) Failure of Principle Applicant or dependents to provide required
supporting documents or information, within indicated time frames.
(h) Failure of Principle
Applicant or dependents to immediately inform GNA or the Canadian Immigration
Authorities of pertinent changes in their personal circumstances, which may
negatively effect their application and/or result in the refusal of their
application.
i) In cases, where the
APPLICANT wishes to withdraw his/her Application, or no longer wishes to
process the Application for any personal
reasons, GNA will not refund any monies paid to the date of
cancellation. There will be no exception
to this rule.
DO YOU PROVIDE
EMPLOYMENT SEARCH ASSISTANCE AND SETTLEMENT SERVICES AFTER I IMMIGRATE TO
We
do provide settlement and additional supplementary services to both our
Professional and our Business clients
Our Profession Premium Package includes the
following services:
Immigration Services
·
Evaluation and Analysis
·
Application and File Preparation
and Submission to Canadian Embassy
·
Follow Up and Monitoring of process
with Embassy immigration authorities
·
Immigration Interview Preparation –
We help you put your best foot forward
Settlement Services – We
Offer More
·
Airport pick-up
·
Orientation
·
Assistance with finding and
acquiring suitable accommodation (rental units, purchase, etc.)
·
Registration in Language Courses
·
Assistance in receiving various
identification: Driver’s License, government health coverage, Social Insurance
Number Card, etc.
·
Setting up bank accounts and credit
cards
·
Registering in
universities/colleges, schools, or day care placement for children
·
Employment Readiness
Preparation (includes C.V. preparation, professional references,
interview and career consulting)
·
Registering in employment
assistance government programmes
·
Assistance in registering a
businesses
·
Before arriving to
Employment Assistance Services - We Offer
More
·
Researching the Employment Market
·
Access to the Client Zone
·
Automated Search
·
Client access to online weekly job postings
·
Client access to “Who’s Hiring” –
Data Base of over 5,000 companies who have actively hired in the past 12 months
·
C.V. submission to weekly published
job openings - your C.V. will be forwarded to all positions for which you
qualify.
·
Data base of over 5,000 head
hunters and recruiting firms
·
Professional Preparation of C.V.
(mechanically read)
·
Job Interview Preparation
·
Follow up with our clients during the first 6 months of their lives in
Canada
Our Business Premium Package includes the
following services:
The following settlement services will be available to all applicants in
the Business categories:
The following professional and business services will be available to all our
Business applicants:
All of
these services will be provided with ongoing consultation with the Applicant.
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Network Associates. All rights reserved.