Immigration Blog about US & Canadian Immigration matters.

Many applicants, instead of filing applications from their home country, choose to do so at a Port of Entry. A Port of Entry is basically an entry point along the Canadian border. In order to enter at a Port of Entry, you must show a Canadian Border Services Agent that you meet the basic requirements and, if they are willing to make a decision for you on the spot, it is possible to enter Canada.

There are many documents you should readily have on hand if you choose to enter at a Port of Entry and wish to be successful. The documents you may have to provide include,

When filling out forms and gathering documents to be submitted with your immigration application, you may be considering the benefits of hiring an immigration lawyer. This being said, with all the costs involved with processing an application, you might not want to further invest in retaining an immigration lawyer.

So what is the reality of, in terms of costs, hiring an immigration lawyer?

There are several reasons why you may wish to retain an immigration lawyer to guide you through your process, some of these reasons include,

1. Advice
2. Expertise
3. Support

The first thing you need to determine when applying for any class in Canadian Immigration is whether or not you are eligible. An immigration lawyer will be able to help assess your eligibility as well as provide any other advice they have regarding your situation. They could explain to you the different classes of immigration and what choices are available to you.

When you reach a Canadian Port of Entry, a Canadian Border Services Agent officer will ask you some questions regarding your reasons for coming to Canada. You might be wondering what sorts of concerns they may have and how they determine who will be allowed entrance and who may be denied.

Depending upon whether you are coming to Canada as a visitor, a permanent resident, or through the live in caregiver program, there will be certain conditions on your status and so you will have to show the officer that you have met these requirements.

If you are the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and you,

• Do not wish to come to Canada permanently
• Do not want to go through the process of applying for a visitor’s visa (if not from a visa-exempt country)
• Want to stay in Canada for more than six months at a time

then making an application for a Super Visa may be preferable to you. In addition to the above reasons, applying for a Super Visa is also less expensive.

Nova Scotia recognizes that immigrants are an asset to the province. In this regard, Nova Scotia allows for several ways to immigrate to the province. One of the options is through the Regional Labour Market Demand Stream of the Nominee Program. Under the Regional Labour Market Demand Stream you are not required to have a job offer. However, your intended occupation must be on the In Demand List of Occupations outlined by the Nominee Program.

Even if your intended job is on the In Demand List of Occupations, there are several other criteria you must meet to be eligible for the Regional Labour Market Demand Stream. One such criteria is whether you have the funds required to establish yourself in the region in Nova Scotia where you intend to live.

If you know that, for health reasons, criminality issues, human rights issues, or security risk reasons, you will be considered inadmissible to Canada, you may apply for a Temporary Resident Permit at the Canadian border which will give you the opportunity to state your case to a border officer.

There are some risks and benefits in applying for a permit at the border as opposed to making an application at a Canadian Consulate in your home country and waiting for an approval. Some of the risks and benefits include,

As of 2013, the Government of Canada implemented mandatory biometrics collection for citizens of certain countries. Biometrics means giving your fingerprint and photograph and this must be completed within thirty days of submitting your application.

If you are from the list of countries and must give your biometrics, you are exempt if,

If you are working under Live-in caregiver program, you can be eligible to apply for permanent resident. There are few requirements to apply for permanent resident under the live-in caregiver program and you have to comply with these requirements . They are as follows:

• You have 24 months of authorized full-time caregiver employment; or
• You have 3900 hours of authorized full-time caregiver employment. You have to complete these hours within minimum 22 months;
• You can also add 390 hours of overtime in your 3900 hours of employment;
• The work experience must be acquired within four years of your date of arrival

When you calculate the time of working, you cannot include certain period of time like:

As there are so many categories of immigration in the U.S., it is difficult to answer all the different questions people may have. This being said, here are a few concerns that have frequently come up on forums and other websites.

    1. I made a mistake on my forms, what will happen now?

Nova Scotia is one of Canada’s maritime provinces, surrounded by the beautiful Atlantic ocean. In the past few years, Nova Scotia’s economy has become more diverse, allowing for greater opportunities for individuals who decide to settle in Nova Scotia.

If you are interested in moving to this diverse coastal province, there are several options available to you depending on your circumstances. One such option is the Regional Labour Market Demand Stream of Nova Scotia’s Nominee Program. The Regional Labour Market Demand Stream is unique, as you do not require a job. However, to apply under the Regional Labour Market Demand Stream you must show that you intend to pursue an occupation that is in demand in Nova Scotia.

When thinking about immigrating to Canada, you have to determine which province is best suited for you. Nova Scotia may be an option for you. Nova Scotia is a province with a diverse economy and a diverse culture. Nova Scotia is considered an artistic and cultural hub in Canada.

Before you consider moving to Nova Scotia, you have to see which route to enter the province is most suitable for you. Nova Scotia allows several options for you to apply for entry into the province. The Regional Labour Market Demand Stream of the Nominee Program is a particularly attractive option as you do not require a job offer to apply. Nevertheless, you may fall under a category that will deem you ineligible to apply under the Regional Labour Market Demand Stream. Therefore, before you decide to apply under the Regional Labour Market Demand Stream, you need to ensure that you do not fall under an ineligible category.

If you wish to come to Canada through the Spousal Sponsorship program, you can either do so inland or outland. An inland application means that you will be staying inside of Canada while the application is being processed. Outland means that you will be making an application from outside of Canada.

Why Inside Canada Spousal Sponsorship?

There are several reasons why a couple would choose to make an application for Spousal Sponsorship from inside of Canada, including,

For many people entering Canada from United States, it is a revelation for them when they find out that their Driving Under the Influence (DUI) conviction may bar them from entering Canada. For most Americans, a DUI offence may seem minor, it may have occurred so far back in your past that you forgot it even happened, or you never thought it would affect your admissibility into Canada.

If this is your situation, there are a couple of options available to you. You may either apply for a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) at a Canadian Consulate located in your country or region, or you can make an application to apply at a Canadian Port of Entry.

If you wish to visit Canada as a business visitor, there are a few requirements that you must meet in order to be eligible. Some of these requirements include,

• Coming to Canada to,

• Grow your business
• Invest
• Advance your business relationships, and

• Show that,
  • You will not be staying for over six months
  • You will not be joining the Canadian labour industry
  • Your finances come from a source outside of Canada
  • You have the financial stability to fund your stay and way home
  • You are not inadmissible
  • Providing documentation to support your application

In addition to the above requirements, if you are from a country that requires a business visa, then you will require a Temporary Resident Visa as there are no separate applications for business visitors. If you need a Temporary Resident Visa in order to come to Canada, then a letter of invitation will be needed as well as the contact information of that person.

The Live-In Caregiver program allows families to hire foreign live-in caregiver when citizens or permanent residents of Canada are not available to do that specific job. A live in caregiver may be hired to provide care for children under 18, elderly person who is 65 years of age or over or a person with disability, on a full time bases. There are three significant steps that you need to follow to apply under this program.

• FIRST you would be required to get positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from your employer. The employer would have to pay a fee to Employment and Social Development Canada, and receive the positive LMIA. This would confirm that there is a need for this job in Canada, and the wages and working conditions that are offered by the employer are equivalent to the wages paid to a Canadian in the same occupation.
• SECOND you and your employer would have to sign a written employment agreement. You would be required to submit your employment contract and the positive LMIA with your application. The contract will outline the details of the working conditions, including your duties, hours of work, wages, and accommodations. The contract should also include the holiday and sick leave entitlements and termination and resignation terms. This is necessary for your security as the employee.
• THIRD you may apply either online or fill out the application on paper. In addition you will be required to have your travel documents, which include your passport, citizenship documents etc.

If you are the employer and require assistance with hiring a foreign live in caregiver or if you are a worker that would like come to Canada to work. You can contact us and our team of experienced professionals will be happy to assist you.

One option you may have, in order to obtain a permanent residence status in Canada, is through the Federal Skilled Workers program. In addition to the basic requirements, there is a point system where you must receive a score of 67 out of a maximum of 100 in order to apply. There are six selection factors that you will be assessed upon.

The first is your English and/or French skills. This category tests your knowledge in one or both of Canada’s official languages. Points will be given for your ability to speak, read, write, and listen. This test will be done by an agency approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and the results must be sent in with your application.

A mistaken assumption that United States citizens often make is assuming that Canadian laws are uniform to American laws. Often times, United States citizens will come to Canada and be denied entry because of what they presume to be a “minor” conviction in the past. It is important to note that, any criminal conviction may be held against someone wanting to enter Canada.

In addition to this, what many United States citizens do not know is that, in Canada, driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious crime. If you are in the position of wanting to enter Canada with a DUI offence, chances are, you will be denied entry to Canada. This being said, it is still possible to enter Canada depending on your circumstances.

You are at the end of this lengthy and extensive temporary resident visa application but soon to be a fulfilling and enjoyable stay in. You have completed all the information to the best of your knowledge, paid your fees and submitted your application for processing.

The processing times for a temporary resident visa application will vary depending on a number of factors including

Entrepreneurs and their spouses and unmarried children under 21 who make an investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States and who plan to create or preserve ten permanent full time jobs for qualified United States workers, are eligible to apply for a green card .

Up to 10,000 visas may be authorized each year for eligible entrepreneurs; you must invest $1,000,000, or at least $500,000 in a targeted employment area (high unemployment or rural area). In return, USCIS may grant conditional permanent residence to you.