CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: February 26, 2013 Dear Miss Powell, My aunt, who is a Canadian citizen, is very sick, and I would like to get a visa for my cousin to come and take care of her for me as I work full time and can no longer manage on my own. My aunt will not go into a nursing home, and I prefer to use a family member and someone who actually loves and cares for her. Can I bring up my cousin under the domestic helper programme? - DG Dear DG, You or your aunt can sponsor your cousin to come to Canada if you are able to meet certain requirements. In a recent article I wrote about ways to sponsor a family member under the Family Class Category . If your cousin is not able to qualify under that category, you may hire your cousin as a temporary foreign worker under the Live-In Caregiver Programme . To qualify under this programme, your aunt must meet certain basic requirements. Some are: 1.Be over 65 years old or have a diagnosed disability or able to...

Seeking Canadian sponsorship - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | February 19, 2013 Dear Miss Powell, I have many relatives in Canada. Can they sponsor me to live in Canada? I am 21 years old and will be finishing university in June. Thanks in advance for your response.- NB Dear NB A relative in Canada may be able to sponsor you to become a permanent resident of Canada if both your relative and you are able to meet certain requirements. An application may be submitted under the Family Class through Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). The person sponsoring a relative must be 18 years or older and able to meet certain income requirements to prove that he or she is able to support the person being sponsored and their dependents, if any, for a period of three to 10 years. Your relative may not be able to sponsor you if he or she: 1. Received government assistance for reasons other than disability; 2. Defaulted on a court order for child or spousal support; 3. Is in pri...

Seeking Canadian sponsorship - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | February 19, 2013 Dear Miss Powell, I have many relatives in Canada. Can they sponsor me to live in Canada? I am 21 years old and will be finishing university in June. Thanks in advance for your response.- NB Dear NB, A relative in Canada may be able to sponsor you to become a permanent resident  of Canada if both your relative and you are able to meet certain requirements. An application may be submitted under the Family Class through Citizenship and Immigration Canada  (CIC). The person sponsoring a relative must be 18 years or older and able to meet certain income requirements to prove that he or she is able to support the person being sponsored and their  dependents , if any, for a period of three to 10 years. Your relative may not be able to sponsor you if he or she: 1. Received government assistance for reasons other than disability; 2. Defaulted on a court order for child or spousal support; 3....

How do I replace my Canadian visa? - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | February 12, 2013 Dear Miss Powell, I recently lost my passport with United States (US) and Canadian visas. Can you please tell me what I need to do to get a replacement Canadian visa? - S.R. Dear S.R., The first step is to make a report to the nearest police station that your passport has been lost or stolen. You will be required to give a detailed report of the last time you were in possession of the passport. You will also need to provide information such as where you were when you last saw it or the last place that you had stored it. After you have made the police report, you should visit Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) to report that your passport was lost or stolen. You will be required to complete a 'particulars of a lost passport' form . PICA will first check to see if your passport was found and delivered to them. If not, they will give you a letter to return to ...

Dear Miss Powell, I Am 24  years of age and I have travelled to the United States (US) four times. The last time was in September 2012. I am now interested in visiting my relatives in Canada. Could you tell me what I would need to apply for a visa? - G.C. Dear G.C., In order for you to visit your relatives in Canada, you will need to apply for a Temporary Resident Visitor Visa. You will need the following: 1. Valid passport; 2. Proof of employment, job letter; 3. If self-employed, proof of business registration or incorporation; 4. Proof of assets such as title to home, land or car; 5. Bank statement and proof that you have enough money to cover expenses for the duration of your stay. The amount of money you will need can vary with the circumstances of the visit, how long you will stay, and whether you will stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives.  If your visit will be financed by a friend or relative, that person will need to send an invita...