CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

  BOOK A ZOOM CONSULTATION Dear Mrs Powell, Can I sponsor my brothers? They are 17 and 21 years old. The older one is graduating soon from university and the younger is in high school. I am a 29-year-old citizen of Canada. I live alone and have a good job, so I can afford to keep them with me. Which application should I file for them? I am more concerned about my younger brother as both of our parents have passed away. I’m sending money for them to go to school, but I would prefer them to be here with me in Canada. I hope that there is a way for me to get them to live in Canada with me. Thank you in advance for responding to my question. – BM  Dear BM There are various steps that one can take to sponsor a sibling to Canada provided that all the parties involved can meet the requirements. Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, or grandchildren who have been orphaned, if the relative is under 18 years old, not marr...

Dear Miss Powell, I spoke to an immigration lawyer in the USA, and she told me that I would qualify for an O1 visa as I have published several books. Does Canada have an O1 visa programme like the USA? I would like to know if I could qualify to live in Canada, since I’m a published author and have received a few prizes for my work. I prefer Canada over the USA, as I have relatives there. Also, if there is a similar programme, what is the processing time? Thank you. KL Dear KL Highly skilled individuals may qualify to get an O1 visa to work in the USA and then apply for a green card or permanent residence in the USA. This is a non-immigrant visa classification reserved for individuals who have been recognised for outstanding contribution to society in the areas of arts, business, education, athletics, sciences or the motion picture or television industry. Individuals may qualify for O1A or O1B based on their extraordinary abilities. Canada does not have a programme called O1 visa. Howev...

Dear Mrs Powell, My half sister is a Canadian citizen. I have a mechanical engineering degree. The problem is that I haven’t really worked as an engineer. I’ve been working as a maintenance technician, plus I own a small mechanic shop where I work part-time and supervise one guy who works full- time for me. Would I still qualify to go to Canada? Another very important thing is, can I add my mother and my daughter as a dependent? They live with me and rely on me. So I can’t leave them behind if I qualify. Thank you. KE Dear KE, Canada has a very generous immigration system. Individuals have over 100 immigration pathways to choose from. The issue is choosing the best pathway for you and your family. The most common pathway is to use the Express Entry System. This is the system that manages the Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trade Programme, Canadian Experience Class and some Provincial Nominee Programmes. The Canadian government promised that it will be conducti...