CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

Dear Ms Powell, I am a professional in Jamaica and I would like to leave the country, as I haven't been able to find a good job here. I have a master's degree, and I'm thinking of doing a PhD, so I've been looking at both Canada and Australia. Can you give me an idea of which place would be better for me? I wish to not just work there, but live permanently and become a citizen. -K.N. Good day K.N., Canada and Australia both have generous immigration systems for highly educated and skilled individuals, as well as refugees. Both jurisdictions have a point-based immigration system that evaluates how well an individual is expected  to do in the country, and permanent residence is granted based on the scores that each individual is able to accumulate. Both countries have seen a great increase in the proportion of skilled migration within the last 10 years. Qualified individuals are usually granted permanent residence, which authorises you to live, work, and stud...

Dear Ms Powell, I applied to sponsor my Jamaican husband to come to Canada and the application was refused. How do I appeal? I've been spending too much money going back and forth and this is causing a strain on our marriage. Please help us. - F.Y. Dear F.Y., I understand the strain that the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) refusals of your application would cause on your marriage. However, the IRCC usually outlines the specific reasons for the denial of the application. What was the reason for the denial? Before you can appeal, you need to ensure that you are able to address, with supporting documents, the issues outlined in the refusal letter. Your access to the appeal process will not be allowed if your spouse is deemed inadmissible to Canada by reason of his criminal record. If he has a history of committing a serious criminal offence anywhere in the world and that crime is punishable in Canada by a term of imprisonment of two years or more, y...

Do I qualify for the skilled worker programme? - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | October 7, 2014 Dear Ms Powell, I am 47 years old and have a degree in tourism management. I am currently working in a hotel in Canada. I would like to know if I qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSWP) , Canadian Experience Class, to remain in Canada as I am sure that my employer would say yes to my sponsorship, if I request it. The only thing is that I do not want to get stuck in the job I currently have. How can I apply to stay in Canada permanently? - JJ Dear JJ, Since you are already working in Canada, you stand a good chance of qualifying under one of the programmes to become a permanent resident.  The programmes that you could qualify under are usually based on your current occupation, work experience, age, education and whether or not you can get a valid job offer. Federal Skilled Worker Programme You have indicated that you have a ...

Dear Ms Powell, I am  40 years old and would like to attend university in Canada. I also have a 19-year-old son who I would like to take with me. Can you tell me if they would give me a visa for both of us to go? I really want to upgrade myself and set a good example for my son, but I do not want to leave him when I go to study. Can I work when I get there? How do I proceed? - BT Dear BT, First of all, I have to say I am very proud of you. In the modern economy, learning is a lifelong process and Canada has very favourable programmes for adult education. Adults can apply to attend colleges or universities as mature students, and applications to schools by mature students are evaluated differently from applicants who have just finished high school. Many schools in Canada recognise that mature students have life experiences that younger students may not have, such as work experience, experience as a parent or independent learning. Therefore, schools consider this e...

Money spent and still no job - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | August 12, 2014 Dear Miss Powell, I travelled to Canada via a recruiter who promised to provide employment. I was charged CAD$3,000 prior to departing Jamaica for his efforts. To date, he has not provided any employment. He says I need an LMO. What is that? How can I acquire an LMO if I am offered employment? In addition, my visa will expire in July 2016. Can I file for an extension? - WP Dear WP, I'm very concerned about your letter as I'm unclear about your status in Canada. I have many questions. Are you in Canada on a temporary resident visa? Study permit?   Work permit?  How long have you been in Canada? The answers to these questions can affect the approach that you should take at this time. I trust that you have not exceeded the time that you were granted to stay in Canada under a temporary resident visa/visitor's visa. Usually, the maximum amount of time that individuals are granted i...

Changes to immigrant investor programmes - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | July 29, 2014 Dear Ms Powell, My husband submitted an application under the Federal Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) three years ago, and we received a letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) acknowledging receipt of our documents but have not heard anything else. I heard that CIC announced that all investor programmes would be cancelled and that they are refunding application fees. Why would they cancel the programme when it means more money could be invested in Canada? Will only the fees be returned? What about interest on the money we gave them and the other costs we incurred to deal with this application? Can I ask them to just transfer my application to the Federal Skilled Worker  (FSW) Programme ? What's this new 'express entry'? - WJ Dear WJ, You have asked a number of questions that touch on and concern both the Investor Programme and the Federal Skilled...

I want to work as a nurse in Canada - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | June 3, 2014 Dear Ms Powell, I am  a practical nurse in Jamaica and have worked for more than five years in a hospital. Recently, one of my friends told me she was applying to be a licence practical nurse through the Federal Skilled Worker Programme. I am very interested in doing that. Could you tell me how I can become a licensed practical nurse in Canada? - KR Dear KR, In Canada, nursing is a profession with three regulated nursing groups: registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs). Many nurses from around the world have found rewarding careers in Canada as licensed practical nurses (LPNs). Approximately 88,200 LPNs are registered in Canada. Nurses who have been trained outside of Canada would need to become certified before being able to practise anywhere in Canada. For international nurses, before you ca...

New Canadian immigration programmes - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | April 15, 2014 Dear Ms Powell, I was  told by a friend that the  Canadian Immigration office has released some new programmes this year. I can't seem to find the information on any websites. Can you tell me what these programmes are? - RM Dear RM, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) changes its immigration programmes on an annual basis and, therefore, we need to monitor the updates regularly. I have written several articles about the federal skilled worker categories which will be closed April 30, 2014, and new rules and schedules could be issued soon. However, as noted last week, the province of Quebec has announced a number of new measures under the skilled worker, investor and entrepreneur programmes. These new rules came into effect on April 1, 2014, and will run until March 31, 2015. Also, the province of Nova Scotia has some new programmes available this year. Quebec ...

Dear Ms Powell, I keep hearing about the Federal Skilled Worker Program and I would like to apply, but I'm not sure if I qualify. Can you tell me more about the programme and how I can qualify? What is the deadline for submitting the application? Is there anything that can disqualify me? - R.T. Dear R.T., The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program is the most popular immigration programme. Most professionals have utilised this as an option to emigrate to Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is constantly changing the programme, based on the Canadian economy. There was a temporary pause on the programme in 2012, and was reopened in May 2013 with new rules and with a cap on the total number of applications that they would accept under each category. In the latest information received from CIC, the total number of applications that they have received is 3,831 of the potential 5,000 applications. Of the 24 eligible occupations listed by CIC, nine of these c...