CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

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...

  Dear Ms Powell, I   rely on your articles to help me with understanding Canada’s immigration rules. I now have an urgent matter. My son got through to study as an international student for a Canadian school. Due to corona, the government said that he could stay home and study online for up to six months. We were planning for him to go to Canada to finish up then out of the blue, no flights to Canada and more travel restrictions. We are already making a sacrifice for our son to have a better life in Canada, and we were advised that this was the best route. Now with these restrictions, we are wondering if he would qualify to live in Canada if he doesn’t get to finish up his studies and get Canadian work experience. What is my best course of action as nobody seems to be answering the phones at the embassy? I look forward to seeing my answer in The Gleaner. Thank you. – Concerned Mother Dear Concerned Mother, The government of Canada is constantly monitoring the pandemic, the si...

  Dear Miss Powell, I am confused. I am stressed. I am fed up with Canada’s unclear and sudden policies. I’ve booked a flight to go to my husband, who is living outside of Toronto, and now I hear that there are no flights to Toronto. This is the second time I’m attempting to visit my husband and the flight is cancelled. I thought that Canada was about family reunification. Does the government consider what it is doing to families? To make things worse, we are not even clear about what is essential travel and what is not. How do I get to my husband? I need to be with him in these stressful times. – G.L. Dear G.L., Over the last few weeks, I have been inundated with the same questions and complaints from individuals who are frustrated. However, the reality is that we are all dealing with a pandemic and the situation is evolving daily, as new variants of COVID-19 threaten the people of Canada and the economy. As a result, the Canadian government announced that effective February 3, 20...

Dear Miss Powell, I completed my studies in Canada and started working in my dream job. However, I was just diagnosed with cancer and my world has turned upside down. I wanted to apply for permanent residence, but my sister said that I may not get through, as they will say I will be putting too much demand on the medical system. What does that mean? Is this the end of my life? What about the valuable contribution I can make to the society, if I recover? What can I do? Should I even bother applying under the Express Entry System? I used up my life savings to come to Canada to study. My sister and other family members are here and so I would want to stay here. I’m very distraught by this and not sure what to do. Please help. O.T. Dear OT, I am very sorry to hear about your medical condition. I know this must be devastating news to you and your family. You did not say what type of cancer, but I want you to know that this is not the end of your life. Many individuals have co...

Dear Miss Powell, My sister is a Canadian citizen and she would like to sponsor me and my 13-year-old brother to go to Canada to live. How can she sponsor us? I'm working, but my little brother is in high school. - A.M.  Dear A.M., A Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor her siblings to become permanent residents of Canada if all the parties are able to satisfy certain requirements as outlined under the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act ( IRPA). Your sister will first need to ensure that she qualifies to be a sponsor. She cannot be receiving social assistance, be in prison, or bankrupt. She must be able to satisfy other requirements depending on the details of your application. In the case of your 13-year-old brother, there is a special provision made for persons who are orphans, single, and under the age of 18. So if both of your parents are deceased and your brother is dependent on your sister for support, she can make a special application...