CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

Dear Miss Powell, I am a Jamaican citizen and I live with a man who is a Canadian citizen, even though he was born in Jamaica. We have been living together for the past two and half years in Jamaica and we own a small business. We buy and sell household goods and small appliances. He usually goes to the USA and Canada to buy the stuff for the store, and I manage the store. I asked him if he could sponsor me, as I would like to go back to college to certify as a nurse. I see where that kind of job pays well. I have the subjects, and it has always been my dream. He said that he won’t be able to sponsor me since he hasn’t lived in Canada for over four years, and he doesn’t even pay taxes there anymore. Is this true that he can’t sponsor me? What information could we provide them to qualify? Looking forward to your response in The Gleaner. Thank you. JO Dear JO, Canadian citizens may be able to sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, even if they are living outside of C...

  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 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...

BOOK A TELEPHONE MEETING  Dear Miss Powell, I am married to a Canadian citizen. We got married three years ago and since then, she has not returned to Canada. She is a stay-at-home mom and does not work. Since the pandemic, we have decided that it’s best for our family to move to Canada, but we are not sure how this would work. I am the main breadwinner and rely on the support of my wife, who takes care of the children and our home. We cannot afford to be apart, and so we want to know if she can sponsor us even though she is not living in Canada? What if I co-sign to be responsible, would that help? I own a lot of properties in Jamaica and a business. Also, the children are mine. Can they be added to the application? How long does the application take? I look forward to your response. MT The application for sponsorship of a family member is a two-step process. The first step is for your sponsor to prove that she is qualified, and the second is for the sponsored individuals to prove...

BOOK A TELEPHONE MEETING    Dear Miss Powell, My husband is sponsoring me to go to Canada and a travel agent helped us to put together our application. She said she submitted the application over three months now, but we haven’t heard from the Canadian government. We asked the travel agent what next. She said that we just need to be patient, and as soon as she has a response she will get in touch. I know we need to be patient, but I’m still anxious as a lot of time has passed. Do we have to do an interview? I just need to know the steps to expect, to make sure we are on the right track. Thanks for your help. – RB I must say I am amazed that you used a ‘travel agent’ to submit a sponsorship application to the Canadian government. Was this travel agent also a Canadian lawyer or an immigration consultant? Did you pay her to submit the application on your behalf? Did you get copies of the documents that were submitted and a tracking number, if the application was submitted via cou...

  Dear Miss Powell, I read your articles all the time and I just need your guidance. I am planning to sponsor my babymother to join me here in Canada. We have been together for over six years, but I have been living here since 2019. Due to COVID, I haven’t been able to visit, but our relationship is still strong. Can you tell me the documents I would need to sponsor her? Looking forward to reading your response. Thank you for your time. DJ A permanent resident or citizen of Canada can sponsor a spouse or common-law partner and dependents to live permanently in Canada if you, the sponsor, and the person being sponsored are deemed to be eligible. The person being sponsored is called the applicant, and this person must be admissible. CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR CONSULTATION. By the way, I must ask, why haven’t you got married to your babymother? Your answer to this question could determine your eligibility, the category under which you may apply and the documents that you are required to ...

  Dear Miss Powell, I am a 30-year-old teacher. My brother is a permanent resident in Canada. He doesn’t have a Canadian passport yet, so can he sponsor me? – B.G. CLICK THIS LINK TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT NOW Dear B.G., Canada has a very generous immigration system focused on uniting family members and, at the same time, meeting the employment demands. The rules relating to sponsorship of family members have changed over the years, thus making it a little more challenging for siblings to sponsor each other, unless they can demonstrate that they qualify under the new rules for sponsorship under the Family Class. SPONSORSHIP OF SIBLINGS Your brother would only be able to sponsor you in certain specific situations, if you can both satisfy the requirements. First, your brother would be able to sponsor you under the Family Class category, and the requirement is that sponsorship of family members over 18 years old may be sponsored if he is single and does not have any other relative livi...

  CLICK THIS LINK TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT NOW Dear Ms Powell, I   got married to a Canadian citizen just before COVID and my husband wants me to be with him right now, especially since he lost his job due to the lockdown. He’s so depressed right now, and I really need to be with him. Can I get a fiancée visa? Are they accepting applications? Will they allow me in so I can help him? Should I apply for a fiancée visa or sponsorship? I just need to be with him. Do I need to use an immigration lawyer? Thanks in advance. – D.E. Dear D.E., Although the application has been taking longer than usual, due to the pandemic, the Canadian government is still processing applications for permanent and temporary residence. You have options available to you since your spouse is a Canadian citizen. However, the route you take will be based on further analysis of your background and the documents that you are able to produce to support your case. CLICK THIS LINK TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT NOW NO ...