CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

Immigration Corner | Can boyfriend file for me? : Dear Ms . Powell, I have been seeing a Canadian man for the past two years. He wanted me to visit this summer and I applied for a visitor's visa, but I was denied because of family ties. Can he sponsor me even though we are not married? He has been visiting me every holiday and some weekends when he can get the time off. We are saving for our wedding, but I was wondering if he could sponsor me in the meantime. - O.B.  Dear OB, Your boyfriend can sponsor you if you are able to prove that you are in a conjugal relationship. You and your spouse may be considered to be in a conjugal relationship although you are not married. A conjugal relationship may be defined as a committed relationship between individuals over the age of 18 who have been in a mutually dependent relationship for a continuous period of at least one year. You will need to provide proof that the only reason you are not living together is because ...

Immigration Corner | Can I find work as an educator? :  Dear Ms Powell, My sister lives in Saskatchewan and says that she would help me to get to live in Canada, but I'm not sure how the system works. She says she sees a lot of job postings for teachers near her home. Would I have to go back to school even though I have a bachelor's degree in education? I have five years' work experience at a prep school in Jamaica. Would I qualify as an early-childhood teacher there and be able to live and work there? - K.E. Dear K.E., There are many opportunities for trained teachers to become permanent residents of Canada. Once you have been granted permanent residence, you will be authorised to live and work anywhere in Canada. Although there is no strict occupation list under the express entry system, you should note that many provinces, including Saskatchewan, have Provincial Nominee Programmes (PNP) that offer permanent residence to individuals who are able to bolst...

Dear Ms. Powell, I am a Jamaican and a permanent resident of Canada. I have had difficulty locating a good job in Canada, so I returned to Jamaica and have accepted a very well-paying job there. I'm scheduled to start this job on September 1. My permanent resident card will expire in December 2017. I use my Jamaican passport to travel, so I'm not worried about getting into Jamaica. Can I apply for citizenship now? How will taking a job in Jamaica affect my application for citizenship? What are the processing times? - P.A. Dear P.A., Individuals who have been granted permanent residence status are required to ensure that they have a valid permanent resident card when they travel to and from Canada. While you will not need the card to enter Jamaica, you will need to have a valid permanent resident card before you re-enter Canada. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you submit an application to renew your permanent resident card immediately before you depart for Jamaica....