CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

  BOOK A ZOOM CONSULTATION Dear Mrs Powell, Can I sponsor my brothers? They are 17 and 21 years old. The older one is graduating soon from university and the younger is in high school. I am a 29-year-old citizen of Canada. I live alone and have a good job, so I can afford to keep them with me. Which application should I file for them? I am more concerned about my younger brother as both of our parents have passed away. I’m sending money for them to go to school, but I would prefer them to be here with me in Canada. I hope that there is a way for me to get them to live in Canada with me. Thank you in advance for responding to my question. – BM  Dear BM There are various steps that one can take to sponsor a sibling to Canada provided that all the parties involved can meet the requirements. Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, or grandchildren who have been orphaned, if the relative is under 18 years old, not marr...

  Dear Miss Powell, I want to apply for a study permit, but it takes a lot of money and effort to go through the process. A friend told me that Canada doesn’t have an officer looking at applications, they use this Chinook computer programme. I know five individuals whose applications were rejected. They say that most individuals don’t stand a chance right now, as they pay their money and it’s a computer that just spits out rejection letters. Is it fair that they are using this Chinook system? Can you tell me more about this system? How can I beat this system? I would really like to pursue my masters, but concerned that my application won’t stand a fair chance. My aunt who lives there is encouraging me to apply, but I don’t know if it’s a good idea. Maybe I should look at England or the USA. What do you think? Thank you in advance for responding to my question. BOOK A ZOOM CONSULTATION Dear LD, Since the pandemic, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been criticis...

Protect yourself! Use a lawyer who is authorised to practice in Canada.  BOOK A ZOOM CONSULTATION No individual can guarantee you a card to live in Canada permanently. This is the prerogative of the Canadian government, which selects qualified individuals and grants them a confirmation of permanent residence. After an individual has landed in Canada, then he will be granted a permanent resident card. It is your duty to guard yourself from scammers, or ‘choppas’, by verifying that the person you are dealing with is authorised to represent you and your family. The Canadian government will only accept applications from lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing with a Canadian provincial or territorial law society. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) also accepts applications from notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and consultants who are members in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Con...

   REQUEST A ZOOM/TELEPHONE MEETING  Dear Ms Powell, I am an insurance executive, and I am interested in Canada for two reasons. First, I would like to visit to see if Canada is somewhere I would like to live. Second, I would like to apply to live there if I find that I like the place. The issue is that I hear that to make any application, I need to show that I have enough money for both the visit and to move there. My question is this. How much money do I need for the visit, and how much money if I were applying to stay there as a self-sponsored person. What documents would they need as proof? Thank you in advance for your time and response. – SA f you are planning to visit Canada, you must provide evidence that you can support yourself and the family members who will be travelling with you. There is no fixed amount that you must show when applying for a visitor’s visa. However, you should clearly show that you have the resources for your travel. This inclu...

  BOOK A TELEPHONE MEETING  Dear Miss Powell, I read your articles all the time and notice that you give some good advice, so I’m turning to you to help me. I first came to Ontario as a student. I completed my postgraduate studies a few years ago and want to stay permanently, as I have family here. However, because of my age, my scores were low. I was worried that I will have to return home, then my employer helped me to get a Provincial Nomination under the job offer stream. I was very happy for his help, but now he is starting to behave as if he is doing me a big favour. We had a big falling-out recently, and the work environment has become too toxic. I am thinking of quitting. Do you think that if I quit, my application for permanent residence will be affected? RN Dear RN, I am sorry to hear that you are having issues with your employer. When you receive a certificate of nomination under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Programme (OINP), both the employer and the applicant mus...

BOOK A TELEPHONE MEETING    Dear Miss Powell, I was doing some research about how to apply to go to Canada and I came across on of your articles. You mentioned that not all work experience after university would be acceptable under the Express Entry System, as Canada is looking for work experience based on certain NOC codes. I am a little confused about where my work experience falls, as I see various codes for the same occupation. I look forward to your response. – HB Dear HB Your question comes at an opportune time as Statistics Canada has recently published an update to the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These codes are usually used by government departments such as Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and to review applicants’ eligibility under the Express Entry System, as well as for temporary foreign worker programme . WHAT IS A NOC CODE? This is a national reference code used to identify occupations. Under the current system, each occupation i...

BOOK A TELEPHONE MEETING  Dear Miss Powell, I am married to a Canadian citizen. We got married three years ago and since then, she has not returned to Canada. She is a stay-at-home mom and does not work. Since the pandemic, we have decided that it’s best for our family to move to Canada, but we are not sure how this would work. I am the main breadwinner and rely on the support of my wife, who takes care of the children and our home. We cannot afford to be apart, and so we want to know if she can sponsor us even though she is not living in Canada? What if I co-sign to be responsible, would that help? I own a lot of properties in Jamaica and a business. Also, the children are mine. Can they be added to the application? How long does the application take? I look forward to your response. MT The application for sponsorship of a family member is a two-step process. The first step is for your sponsor to prove that she is qualified, and the second is for the sponsored individuals to prove...