CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

Dear Miss Powell, I have a Canadian visa which will expire by the end of the year, and I would like to go to Canada in the summer to see if I should really apply as a skilled worker to live there. The problem is that I am pregnant, and with COVID-19 and the talk of a second wave, I’m concerned that I could get stuck in Canada. What happens if my baby is born there? Will he get Canadian citizenship? I heard about ‘birth tourism’ in Canada. What would be my child’s status if he is born there? How will that affect my visa? Can I stay (in Canada) to take care of him while he goes to school? What are some of the things I should consider? Thank you for your time. – I.N. Dear I.N., If you are a foreign national and you give birth in Canada, your child will automatically become a Canadian citizen. This is a right under paragraph 3(1)(a) of the Canadian Citizenship Act, irrespective of the status or citizenship of his parents, with the exception of persons born to accredited diplom...

Dear Miss Powell, I was working for a company for almost four years, and then I got laid off. My half-sister is a citizen of Canada, and said that since I have an engineering degree, I should apply to go to Canada as a skilled worker. I think that would be good for me and my family, but I'm worried that because I'm unemployed, my application won't be accepted. My wife is an admin assistant, but she is on leave as we just had a baby. I also have an eight-year-old daughter who is not my wife's child. Should I wait until I find another engineering job? I have been looking for a while now, and can't find anything as an engineer. I help out a friend at his mechanic shop sometimes, but that is only part time. Can you tell me if we would qualify to be citizens? - J.L. Dear J.L., The Canadian immigration system is designed to attract qualified professionals from around the world who can make a positive contribution to the economy. In fact, one of the easiest ...

Dear Ms. Powell, I  met a man on the beach a few years ago who said he was a Canadian citizen. I took him home with me, where he spent the rest of his vacation with me. I showed him all of Jamaica and we had a wonderful time. After he left, I realised that I was pregnant. I told him about the child and he sends money every now and again. Can he sponsor our daughter to be a citizen? I asked him to sponsor her and he said he can't. What would prevent him from making the application? What can I do to make sure my child has a good life? She looks so much like him. I think she would have better opportunities in Canada. What can I do? - A.W. Dear A.W. , Only citizens and permanent residents of Canada over the age of 18 are permitted to sponsor family members to Canada. Family members, under Canadian laws, include dependent children under the age of 19 years old. The definition of who is deemed to be a child was changed in August 1, 2014, from the previous limit of 22 years...

Dear Ms Powell, I heard that I can get a Super Visa to go and stay in Canada for up to five years without going back and forth every six months. Can you tell me how to apply for a Super Visa? - B.D.  Dear B.D., Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has a category called the Super Visa that is usually granted for a maximum of five to ten years. Qualified individuals will be authorised to stay longer than the usual six months - from the date of entry, up to a maximum of two years - without paying a fee to apply to extend the time authorised to remain in Canada. However, this visa is only open to parents or grandparents of permanent residents and citizens of Canada, who are able to satisfy certain requirements. The main requirement is that you must be a genuine visitor and do not intend to work without a permit during your visit. You must also leave at the end of the time granted to stay within Canada. If you are a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permane...

Dear Ms. Powell, I have interviewed for a position as an IT specialist at a company in Canada. This will be a one year contract and I strongly believe I will get the job. I have a wife and a four-year-old child. I am not a permanent resident, however, I currently have a temporary resident visa. If I am successful, what will be my next step to get to Canada? Will my wife and child be able to come with me? Will my wife be able to work and my child able to go to school? - BS Congratulations on being able to secure a job interview. That is a strong testament as to your educational credentials, experience and skills. This means that several doors could now be opened to you to become a permanent resident in Canada, or depending on the time constraints you could simply apply for a work permit. Express Entry Route If you have a valid job offer, you can apply under the Express Entry System to become a permanent resident within six months. Under this system you are more flexible a...

Cochrane family awaits opportunity to bring their adopted daughter home from Africa | CTV Calgary News Source: Ryan White, CTV Calgary Published Friday, October 17, 2014 5:10PM MDT  Last Updated Friday, October 17, 2014 7:08PM MDT The process of adopting a child from a foreign country can be a long and frustrating ordeal, but for the Wien family, the Canadian government has created one of the largest obstacles to their efforts to hold their one-year-old daughter. In 2013, the Wiens, residents of Cochrane with three biological children, were matched with a one month old girl from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. An investigation by the Congolese government stalled the initial meeting between the girl and her adopted parents, as all exit visas for adopted children were suspended while a review was conducted into the care children received in their new homes. PHOTOS A photo of the girl who remains in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as her family i...