CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

CLICK HERE TO BOOK A ZOOM/TELEPHONE MEETING Dear Ms Powell, My husband and I will soon be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and after all these lockdowns, we believe it is a good time to take a trip to the motherland. We looked online and realised that all the flights would take us through the USA or Canada. The problem is that we applied before to the USA and we didn’t get a visa, so we are a little scared to apply to Canada. Do you think we should apply for the visitor’s visa to Canada? What are some of the things we should consider? I’m worried that when they see that the USA rejected us, they will automatically reject us too. What do you think? – LA Congratulations on your upcoming silver wedding anniversary. Take courage, as a refusal at the USA Embassy does not necessarily mean that your visa application to Canada will automatically be refused. The success of your application depends on your ability to satisfy a Canadian visa officer that you are admissible, have the resou...

  Dear Mrs Powell, I took leave from my job to visit my aunt in Canada just before the lockdown. Shortly afterwards, I got an email from my boss saying that due to COVID-19, she had to lay me off. I was terribly upset but couldn’t leave. My aunt said she would be happy if I could stay longer with her and that I should contact you to see if it is possible to get a work permit or something to stay in Canada. Can a visitor get a work permit? How can I stay in Canada now? Hope to get a response soon. – K.P. Dear K.P., I am sorry to hear that you lost your job in your home country. However, do not despair as there could be many opportunities for you to extend your stay, get a work permit, or live permanently in Canada. The most critical thing is to ensure that you maintain your legal status. Click link to c omplete our free online form to FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY TO COME TO CANADA.   MAINTAINING LEGAL STATUS When someone visits Canada, they are usually given a maximum of six months ...

Dear Miss Powell, Is the Canadian High Commission accepting applications for visitor’s visa? Since I have to stay at home, I decided to use the time to apply for a visitor’s visa. I would like to visit my family for Christmas. Will my application be processed? If so, what are some of the documents I would need to submit? How can I make sure that my application is successful? Thank you for your time. – A.S . Dear A.S., Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the department which processes applications on behalf of the Canadian government, is currently accepting online applications for temporary and permanent residence visas. This includes applications for visitor’s visa, study permits, work permits, and applications under the Express Entry System. The processing time for these applications may be delayed. However, you can still expect that your application will be processed. You will just need to be patient. HOW TO APPLY Do not go to the Canadian Consulate ...

Dear Miss Powell, Why is it so hard to get a visitor’s visa to Canada and the USA? I’ve travelled to Barbados and Trinidad and I just want to see what it is like being in North America. How can I convince them that I don’t want to live in a cold country, but just want to vacation in the summer? LM Dear LM, It is not difficult to get a visitor’s visa if you are able to satisfy the requirements of the visa officer. The key to note is that when an individual applies for a visitor’s visa or temporary resident visa to another country, it is the responsibility of the applicant to pass the security, financial, social and other evaluations before they will be granted a visa to be admitted into the country. There are some key factors that an applicant should consider. They are: 1. Provide a properly completed application form with accurate information about yourself and your family. Ensure that you do not provide conflicting information or make mistakes, as there are strict...

Dear Miss Powell, I hear all the time about friends and colleagues moving to Canada for a better life. I have a degree and work as a manager for a small business. My husband is an electrician. How can we get to Canada? How fast can this application be done? Do we need to use a lawyer, or can we just use a travel agent? A friend said she just signed up with a travel agency to apply for her to become a citizen of Canada. Should I do the same? - J.J. Dear J.J., Canada has several programmes available under which you can apply to go to Canada to visit, work, and study or live permanently. Each programme is unique, and therefore, the programme that you choose should be based on your individual situation. The most popular programmes under which you apply to go to Canada are the following: 1. Family Class Sponsorship 2. Quebec Skilled Worker Programme 3. Federal Skilled Worker Programme 4. Federal Skilled Trades Programme 5. Canadian Experience Class 6. Provincial N...

Dear Ms Powell, I have applied for a Canadian visitor's visa several times and I can't seem to be able to get one. I just want to visit my grandmother who is very ill and I'm worried that she will pass away before I get a chance to see her. I have a USA visa and still Canada keeps rejecting me. Can you tell me why they won't give me a visa? - A.R. Dear AR Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the Canadian department of immigration and border protection through their embassies worldwide, which evaluates whether or not an individual should be granted a visitor's visa, tourist visa or temporary resident visa. They have very strict criteria that each individual must satisfy before a visa is granted. There are a number of reasons that an individual may be denied a visa and I will outline some of the reasons below. Previous Rejection When you are denied a visa, you are usually provided with a letter from IRCC that outlines the reason for...