CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

Dear Ms Powell, Are there any opportunities for someone in construction? I went to trade school and I'm very talented. I just didn't have the money for college or university. I'm good at plumbing, drywall finishing, carpentry. Anything in building construction, I'm good at. I don't want to live in Ontario but I know Canada is very big. I have a six-year-old daughter and want to help her and her mother, too. How can we get to Canada? - PP Dear PP, There are many opportunities for tradesmen in Canada. In fact, the province of Saskatchewan just announced that they will be accepting 1,000 new applications under the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Programme (SINP). This programme is one of the most generous programmes to date, so if you are interested you should apply immediately. OCCUPATION LIST There are 57 eligible occupations. Included in this are skilled workers and tradesmen such as: carpenters, drywall installers, plasterers, brick layers, cont

Dear Ms Powell, I am a Canadian citizen and I have been dating a woman in Jamaica for two years. She applied to get a visitor's visa and was denied twice. I visit her every Christmas as I don't get much time off from work. I've heard of marriage by phone or proxy. I want to find out if we can get married that way. Can they send the documents to me and I just sign them and return them to the minister? Would I be able to sponsor her if we get married this way? She said she could get the ceremony arranged in Jamaica and that she heard of cases where people got married using a big-screen TV. Can this work? I really love her, but I can't get the time off work and she can't get a visa. Can I authorise someone to sign the documents on my behalf? - KF  Dear KF, A Canadian citizen can marry and sponsor anyone provided that both you and the person sponsored are able to satisfy all requirements. First, let's look at what would be considered a valid marriage . Bo

Dear Ms Powell, I've been thinking about applying under the express entry system to go to Canada, and I have my English exam results and credentials report ready to apply. I am, however, short on funds in my bank account but have an apartment and a car that I could sell, and I would have more than enough money for myself and my family. My concern is that I might sell my apartment and car and then never receive an invitation to apply, leaving my life in a shambles as I'm sure I couldn't replace those things easily. I checked my score and I realise that even though I could get in the pool, I only have 389 points. Can you tell me, based on my points, when I expect to get an invitation to apply? - YT  Dear YT, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) released a report on the express entry system that provided some clarity about the selection process, yet it did not increase our ability to predict when they will select a particular score. In March, many practitioners