CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

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

How do I apply for permanent residency? - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | February 18, 2014 Dear Ms Powell, I came across your article in the  Jamaica Gleaner  online and I have a small question. For the past 12 years, I have worked in Canada as a seasonal worker. Someone told me that I can apply for  permanent  residency , but I'm not sure if I qualify or how to go about it. I want to do things the right way, so I'm writing to you to help me. - KJ Dear KJ, You can apply to become a  permanent  resident  under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). This category is open to temporary foreign workers and  foreign students . To be eligible, you must have acquired a minimum of 12 months of legitimate full-time or equal amount of part-time work experience within the last 36 months, plan to live outside of the province of Quebec, meet the language requirements. I am not sure what type of work you were doing, but there are a few  major changes  that you should be aware o

I need a study permit - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | February 11, 2014 Hello Ms Powell, I just  got accepted to a Canadian university to pursue a graduate programme. My father lives in Jamaica and would sponsor me for the duration of my study and he has the financial documentation to prove that. However, I have no family in Canada and I have never been there before. Will this affect my chances of getting a study permit? Where should I submit my application? What are the documents that I would need to submit? How long would they take to approve my application? Thanks in advance for your assistance. CB Dear CB: Congratulations on being accepted into university! Canada welcomes more than 190,000 scholars from around the world on an annual basis. Canada has become the country of choice to pursue academic excellence as it offers a vibrant and unique cultural experience in a beautiful, safe environment. The most challenging part of the application process  is completing t

What are the fiancée rules? - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | February 4, 2014 Dear Ms Powell, I was born in Jamaica and I am now a Canadian citizen living in Toronto. I am about to sponsor my fiancée, who lives in Jamaica, to come to Canada as a permanent resident. I heard that there are new conditions and rules that could affect our application. Could you let me know what the conditions are? Will she be able to work under the new rules? What can we expect? - HJ Dear HJ, Generally speaking, as a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may sponsor your spouse, common - law partner or conjugal partner, or dependent children (under 22 years) to come to Canada as permanent residents. The key to having a successful application is to provide  Citizenship  and  Immigration  Canada (CIC) with solid documentation to show the genuineness of your relationship with your fiancée. The new conditional  permanent  residence  measure for spouses and partners came into effect on O

Should I send employer money? - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | January 28, 2014 Dear Miss Powell, Someone offered  me a job as a helper in Canada and told me that I should send him CA$300 to process an 'LMO' application on my behalf. Should I send him the money? He sent me a contract so I know I would be earning more than CA$2,000 a month, so I don't mind sending him the money if that helps with the papers. What do you think? What is this LMO? If he gets the LMO, would I automatically get the visa to travel to Canada? How long after being there can I get citizenship? - AS Dear AS, DO NOT send any money to a prospective employer. Under no circumstances should an employer recover the cost of an LMO, which means 'labour market opinion' from an employee. The current cost of the LMO is CA$275. It is wrong for a prospective employer to ask a prospective employee to send money to him to pay for this document. DO NOT send him the money! An LMO is a docume