CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

Dear Ms Powell, I am supposed to go into final year at the University of the West Indies (UWI) next September and I'm contemplating not going back. My boyfriend is a Canadian citizen. He takes good care of me and gives me money for my boarding. He is planning to send money for my ticket to come to Canada soon. He, however, wants me to stay in Canada when I visit. He said it doesn't make sense I finish up studies here in Jamaica, as Canada does not recognise Jamaican degrees. He said I could come up and live with him and he will sponsor me. I'm a little confused as my mother died recently and I don't have anyone else to help me. I don't have any money to finish up and any money I get comes from my boyfriend. A friend said I should write you to see if my boyfriend can really sponsor me and if it's true that even if I go Canada I wouldn't be able to use my UWI degree. I look forward to your advice as I'm a little confused. - AT Dear AT, I'm sor...

Do I qualify for the skilled worker programme? - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | October 7, 2014 Dear Ms Powell, I am 47 years old and have a degree in tourism management. I am currently working in a hotel in Canada. I would like to know if I qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSWP) , Canadian Experience Class, to remain in Canada as I am sure that my employer would say yes to my sponsorship, if I request it. The only thing is that I do not want to get stuck in the job I currently have. How can I apply to stay in Canada permanently? - JJ Dear JJ, Since you are already working in Canada, you stand a good chance of qualifying under one of the programmes to become a permanent resident.  The programmes that you could qualify under are usually based on your current occupation, work experience, age, education and whether or not you can get a valid job offer. Federal Skilled Worker Programme You have indicated that you have a ...

Dear Ms Powell, I keep hearing about the Federal Skilled Worker Program and I would like to apply, but I'm not sure if I qualify. Can you tell me more about the programme and how I can qualify? What is the deadline for submitting the application? Is there anything that can disqualify me? - R.T. Dear R.T., The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program is the most popular immigration programme. Most professionals have utilised this as an option to emigrate to Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is constantly changing the programme, based on the Canadian economy. There was a temporary pause on the programme in 2012, and was reopened in May 2013 with new rules and with a cap on the total number of applications that they would accept under each category. In the latest information received from CIC, the total number of applications that they have received is 3,831 of the potential 5,000 applications. Of the 24 eligible occupations listed by CIC, nine of these c...

Submitting a credentials report - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | April 30, 2013 Dear Miss Powell, I was  reading up on the federal skilled-worker programme to Canada and notice that they keep mentioning that people with foreign credentials need to provide a credentials report. Can you tell me what that is and where I can get that report? Do I need to have that report before I submit my application? - DB Dear DB, If you have received training or education outside of Canada, you will need to provide an educational credential assessment (ECA) report at the same time, with your federal skilled-worker application to  Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). If you received your training, degrees, diplomas, professional designations, or other certification from a Canadian institution, you will not need to include an EAC report. The purpose of the EAC report is to verify your foreign credentials and assist CIC in evaluating whether your foreign training is...

How do we move to Canada? - News - Jamaica Gleaner - Tuesday | April 9, 2013 Dear Miss Powell, My wife and I are professionals and we would love to move to Ontario. I read in one of your articles where you said that the federal skilled worker programme will soon re-open. Can you tell me the date and how I may qualify? - YB Dear YB, You did not state your profession, however, you should note that the Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSWP) is currently open for persons with a PhD, currently pursuing a PhD, or those who have a qualifying job offer. If you do not fall into these categories, but have the required skill, education and work experience, you may submit your application on or after May 4, 2013. This is when Citizenship and Immigration Canada  (CIC) will start accepting applications under the revamped FSWP, for persons who fall within certain designated professions. You will need to consult the updated list of designated professions on the CIC website or...