CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

  FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY TO LIVE PERMANENTLY IN CANADA SIGN UP HERE Dear Miss Powell, I got a job offer from an employer in Canada. Can I just go to the nearest doctor to get my medical report for a work permit? Why do they need a medical report? What will they be checking for? What if they find something? I await your response. Thanks. – D.G. Dear D.G., Any individual applying for a temporary or permanent resident visa to Canada could be subject to medical examination by an approved doctor. Medical reports could be requested for applications such as work permit, study permit, some visitor’s visa application and applications for permanent residence. When you apply, you will be advised whether you will need to provide the report. Most applicants are required to do various medical tests and checks with an approved medical practitioner as a part of the application process. The doctor is expected to submit a report to the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the repo...

  Dear Miss Powell, I applied for a visitor’s visa to Canada and it was rejected. They say that I am inadmissible. What does that mean? I had a visa before and visited several times, so I don’t understand what they mean now. What can I do? – A.N. Dear A.N., An individual can be deemed inadmissible for several reasons. A person that is deemed inadmissible will not be permitted to enter or stay in Canada for reasons such as: he has been found guilty of misrepresentation, he has committed or been convicted of a crime, either within their home country or in Canada. It could also mean that you are not permitted to enter or stay in Canada because of your health condition. In the latter case, you could be deemed to be medically inadmissible and I would need more information to address that issue. The most common reason that an individual is deemed inadmissible is usually because of a criminal offence. I would strongly recommend that you consult with an immigration lawyer, provide a copy o...

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...

Immigration Corner | Husband ordered to leave Canada : Dear Ms Powell, My husband was in Canada and was ordered to leave. He came back to Jamaica and we started a business and it is doing well. We want to visit Canada again, but I spoke with someone who said he and I may be considered inadmissible to Canada. Is this true? How do we get permission to visit Canada without any hassle? - TT Dear TT, Individuals may be asked to leave Canada and therefore be deemed inadmissible for various reasons. The main categories of inadmissibility are security concerns, human or international rights violations, organised criminality, serious criminality, health, financial misrepresentation, noncompliance, and inadmissibility of a family member. Based on these rules, your husband's actions can have a negative impact on you, especially if you plan to travel to Canada at the same time. The steps will be based on the type of order and the reason the order was issued. A removal orde...

Dear Ms Powell, I was on vacation in the United States (US) and my family decided to visit our relatives in Toronto, Canada. I wasn't driving, but when I got to the border the immigration officer denied me entry. They said they have evidence of me driving under the influence in the US. I have a valid Canadian visitor's visa and a US visitor's visa. I used to go to school in the States and I was charged in the States for driving under the influence (DUI), but that was years ago. I can't believe they refused to allow me into the country when I have a valid visa. I was forced to leave the car and find a hotel to stay until my family returned. Can I appeal this? What can I do? I don't want this to happen to me again. This is totally embarrassing and I don't want this trouble again. The US did not prevent me from entering, so why is Canada penalising me for something that happened in the US years ago? - Distressed Dear Distressed, Once someone has a crim...

Dear Miss Powell, I  met a Canadian man about three years ago. We fell in love and got married last year November. I have been faithful to him all these years. After we got married, he told me that he has HIV. He has shown no signs or symptoms and neither have I. However, after he told me that he has HIV, I got tested and realise I, too, have HIV. He is now putting together papers to sponsor me and I'm worried that I will be denied the opportunity to join him in Canada as he says a medical will be necessary. I love my husband and I forgive him for not telling me about this. I just want us to be able to live together. Is it possible for persons who are HIV positive to get a visa to Canada? Will this affect the sponsorship application? If it's possible, what steps would I need to take. I am a professional and I have been in excellent health since I was diagnosed. - Anonymous Dear Anonymous, I am sorry to hear that both you and your husband have contracted HIV. Howeve...

November 21, 2014 — Ottawa Today, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced the coming into force of certain changes under the Faster Removal of Foreign Criminals Act that will further protect the safety and security of Canadians and the integrity of Canada’s immigration system. The  Faster Removal of Foreign Criminals Act  is expediting the removal of foreign criminals from Canada, while making it harder for those who pose a risk to Canadians to enter the country.  The new changes will deter and prevent abuse of the immigration system and safeguard Canadians by: Increasing the penalty for misrepresentation from a two- to a five-year period of inadmissibility, as well as a five-year ban on applying for permanent resident status. This change will help deter fraudulent applications and sends a strong message to those who would abuse our system that giving false or misleading information has serious consequences. ...

Good day Ms. Powell,  My husband was ordered to leave Canada.  Is he now considered “inadmissible”? Does that mean that he cannot apply again? M.R. Dear M.R. Anyone who is the subject of a removal order will need to deal with this issue before reapplying for any form of visas or permit to re-enter Canada.  That however does not mean that your husband can never return to Canada if he is the subject of what is called a removal order.  His ability to return to Canada will depend on the reason he was required to leave and how soon after the order he actually left the country.  The solution may be to make and application for an Authorization to Return to Canada (“ARC”) before he is able to re-enter Canada. Types of Removal Orders There are three different types of removal orders and depending on which one he was a subject to, he may not be required to apply for an ARN. Departure order: A departure order requires that a person leave Canada with...