Immigration Blog about US & Canadian Immigration matters.

When applying for a Canadian Immigration Application you must figure out what category you belong in before submitting your application. Where the application for a Canada Immigration Visa must be submitted depends on what Canadian immigration category under which you are applying. The following will indicate where you have to apply under a certain category:

• If the Canadian immigration category is Federal Skilled Worker then the applications must be summited to the Centralized Intake Office (CIO) in Sydney Nova Scotia.
• If the Canadian Immigration category is Family sponsorship and if the case is an inland Canada sponsorship then the applications should primarily be submitted to the Case Processing Centre (CPC) in Vegreville, Alberta. If the case of a sponsorship is to be processed outside of Canada the applications must be submitted to CPC Mississauga, Ontario.
• If the Canadian Immigration category is the Provincial Nomination program or your intentions are to reside in the province of Quebec then the application must initially be submitted to the province your intentions are on residing.
• If the Canadian Immigration Category is the Canadian Experience Class then the applications must be submitted to the Centralized Intake Office (CIO) in Sydney Nova Scotia.

If the applications aren’t submitted to their respective category there is extremely a high possibility of the applications not being processed.

This category is for entrepreneurs and/or owner/operators of businesses, who want to immigrate to Northwest Territory (NWT) and establish business operations in the territory. Businesses are considered priority for assessment under this stream if they involve the introduction of a product that is new to the NWT, or if the business you want to do would generate significant profits for the territory. A business plan must be provided for this.

If you want to apply under this category, you have to meet the following criteria:

In Canada we are committed to the reunification of families and we take pride in making this possible at every opportunity that we can. Our goal is to be able to keep as many families as we can together throughout all of the immigration processes.

If you are coming to Canada through the Express Entry Program can you bring your family with you?

This is a question that is asked by most, and the answer is yes. If you are successful in coming to Canada then you will have the opportunity to bring your spouse, common-law partner or dependent children.

No, not everyone needs a Temporary Visa to visit Canada, some countries are exempt from needing a visa to travel to Canada. You must research and ask the immigration officer in the country that you reside in, if a visa is necessary. While some countries are exempt others are not, if the country requires a visa to visit Canada then you must apply to do so with all necessary documentation that is needed to apply for a Temporary Visa to visit Canada.

What types of documents do I need to show the immigration officer?

While you do not need a visa to visit transit Canada, you will need to show the immigration officer required documentation which will permit you to travel to Canada. You will need to show the immigration officer proof that you meet all the requirements that are needed to enter Canada, and they must be satisfied with the documentation that you are presenting them with. Further, a medical exam or police clearances may be required.

It depends on when you send it, how it’s been sent or when it’s been received, a lot of things can affect the process of your immigration application, so taking safe precautions may help you along the processing.

What is a complete application?

Your application will be completed if you did the following

What documents do you need to support your application?

Within the Canadian Business Immigration program there are several documents that you are required to submit along with your application.

To start, in order to be eligible for this class you will need to show proof of your business and/or managerial experience that you have. Included within this will be the documents that will show your net worth.

Documents needed for LMIA Application:

• Business license or documentation showing proof of employers’ involvement in the business
• Union consultations done before applying to hire the foreign worker(s)
• Drafted and signed an employment contract
• Documentation of recruitment efforts to hire a Canadians and permanent residents before offering this job to a temporary worker and have proof of required advertisement
• Proof that the work place is safe
• Proof of health insurance coverage for temporary foreign worker paid by employer
• Proof that employer will accommodate foreign worker with affordable housing
• Receipt of payment for round trip by employer
• Need proof that the temporary foreign worker will leave Canada once your work permit expires
• May need to provide proof of education of foreign worker
• Proof that the wage rate meets the minimum requirement set by provincial legislation
• Proof that there is a shortage of Canadian citizens and permanent residents in that job area
• Registration of foreign worker under the appropriate provincial Workers’ Safety and compensation Board

There may be other documents needed. If you are looking at filing a Labour Market Impact Assessment, contact us today! At Akrami & Associates, There is Always a Way!

What is a Live-In Caregiver?

A live-in caregiver is a person who has the qualifications and ability to work without any supervision within a private home. They provide care for candidates such as: elderly, children and the disabled.

What has happened to the Live-In Caregiver Program Recently?

There have been significant changes that have taken place within the Live-In Caregiver Program as of November 30, 2014. Some of the changes are as follows:

Can you apply for Refugee Protection from outside of Canada?

Yes, you can apply from outside of Canada if you are outside of your country. This however, can be a difficult process in most cases. In order to start this process you must first apply to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

By taking this step you will be asked to prove that there is no way that you can be settled in the country that are currently residing in. You will usually also have to show that you are going to be economically successful in Canada if you come.

The Canadian Experience Class Program is another way of applying for Permanent Residence under the Express Entry system, which was introduced in January of 2015. It means after a certain amount of Canadian work experience you can apply to obtain a Permanent Residence Visa. Express Entry is an electronic management application system for immigration into Canada. It helps in the selection and processing of applications for permanent residence, under particular economic immigration programs. The major goal for Express Entry is to connect immigration to the labour market. Express Entry received the name because once you are given an “Invitation to Apply”, then you have 60 days to complete the application for Permanent Residence, it could only take up to 6 months to process. The Express Entry does not change the immigration requirements; it just assists in making it faster and more organized.

You can only qualify for the Canadian Experience Class Program through a post-secondary education, if you have only acquired a Master’s degree, after completing a previous program one year in length. Both must be completed from an approved Canadian post-secondary institution, and within 2 years. If you did a co-op year it does not qualify for the one year of employment, you must graduate from the program before work hours can be accounted for. The work experience does not have to relate back to what was studied. Part time work while you were a student also does not qualify.

As of January 1, 2015 there is no longer a list of qualifying occupations. There used to be a list of fifty qualifying occupations of which you must work full time continuously full time for one year, but with the new start of Express Entry that is no longer the case.

The Federal Skilled Worker program does still exist but now you must apply under the Express Entry. You will require to have worked continuously for a total of 1,560 hours (30 hours per week) full time or part time to the same total of 1,560 hours (either 2 jobs at 30 hours a week, or 15 hours a week over 2 years (24 months)) The job would have to be in the same skill level, and be at the skill level of 0, A, or B according to the National Occupational Classification.

You as a lower-skilled worker can be hired by employer for up to a maximum of 24 months where there is a demonstrable shortage of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

An employer needs to get Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) once that is approved that can then give the LMIA to you as the foreign worker and then you are to take it to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to apply for a work permit.

Work Permits are essentially temporary visas, with the added permission to work in Canada. To be able to work in Canada you:

• First and foremost need a job offer from a Canadian employer.
• Secondly, you would need your employer to get a positive LMIA

Since you are in a foreign country and your employer is in Canada, a lot of times you may be unaware of the specific requirements that an employer needs to fulfill. Providing you with a job offer is simply not enough, as they would also have to receive an approval from Employment and Social Development Canada and would have to complete a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The LMIA itself requires the employer to show significant attempts to hire a Canadian resident.

There are various ways for your spouse to get status if you have status in the U.S. You can do so if,

1. You are a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. and you wish to sponsor your spouse as a permanent resident
2. You are a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. and plan to marry your fiancée
3. You are a temporary (nonimmigrant) worker and your dependent spouse will be accompanying you
4. You are a student and your dependent spouse will be accompanying you

If you are a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident, you may be able to sponsor your spouse as a permanent resident. To do so, you will need to file a form to petition for permanent resident status for your spouse, whether they are inside or outside of the U.S.

A waiver is usually issued by the Department of Homeland Security. You may need a waiver to enter the U.S. if you have been convicted of a criminal offence. In order to apply for the waiver you may have to adhere to the following steps:

• You may have to obtain local court records of the offence. If your offence is pardoned, showing proof of this will help your case.
• You may be required to prepare a personal statement, which will state the circumstances surrounding the offence.
• You may be required to fuel an Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant.
• You may also have to provide your Biographical Information.
• Any supporting documents that show your ties to your home country. Your family, employment and any assets may help you prove your ties to your home country.
• You may also need character reference letters, which will show your good character.

Keep in mind that everything you are submitting should go towards reflecting your character.

There are a few questions you should ask yourself to determine whether or not the Visitor for Business Visa is what you are looking for. There are six questions to look at:

1. Does your stay only require you to enter the U.S. for a short, specific period of time under six months?

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration of Canada (CIC) declared changes under the Faster Removal of Foreign Criminal Act. The purpose of these changes is to protect Canadians and the integrity of Canada’s immigration system. The first priority of Canadian government is the safety and security of Canadians.

Some applicants are inadmissible on the basis of criminality. Inadmissibility means an applicant is not eligible to immigrate to Canada or they are not allowed to enter Canada. There are a number of reasons someone might be considered inadmissible to Canada, including previous criminality.

If an individual is interested in opening up a business in Canada, there are ways to do so. People might have successful businesses overseas and wish to expand. Others just maybe want to start fresh in a new country or have a good idea for that specific location. Canada has a program called a Start- up Visa. This visa targets the type of entrepreneur who can build a business that has the ability to compete on a global scale and creates new jobs. Many people are drawn to Canada due to its strong economy, low taxes and business costs, excellence in research and innovation, and top quality of life.

Eligibility:

• Before an individual applies for the Start-up Visa, he/she must gain the support of a designated Canadian organization.
• The applicant must also obtain a Letter of Support (this is proof of their support) from this organization.
• The individual must meet the language requirements in order to be approved. The individual must be able to communicate in either French or English and will be tested on four general areas: speaking, reading, writing, and listening. In each category the minimum requirement level is a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5.
• The language test must be completed abroad
• If you do not meet language requirements, you will be refused.
• If the language assessment is not included, then your application will not be processed.
• The applicant must have sufficient funds.
• The government will not provide financial support to immigrants coming with a Start-up Visa.
• Your funds must be sufficient enough to support yourself and your dependants upon arrival to Canada. The amount of money you need will depend on the number of dependants you have. It can be anywhere from $11,931 to $31,574

• Minimum investment:
• You must secure a minimum investment of $200,000 if the investment comes from a designated Canadian venture capital fund.
• You must secure a minimum investment of $75,000 if the investment comes from a designated Canadian angel investor group.

If those requirements are met, your application would then be reviewed on CIC’s standard admissibility criteria, including health, criminality and security.

Documents needed for LMIA Application

• Business license or documentation showing proof of employers’ involvement in the business
• Union consultations done before applying to hire the foreign worker(s)
• Drafted and signed an employment contract
• Documentation of recruitment efforts to hire a Canadians and permanent residents before offering this job to a temporary worker and have proof of required advertisement
• Proof that the work place is safe
• Proof of health insurance coverage for temporary foreign worker paid by employer
• Proof that employer will accommodate foreign worker with affordable housing
• Receipt of payment for round trip by employer
• Need proof that the temporary foreign worker will leave Canada once your work permit expires
• May need to provide proof of education of foreign worker
• Proof that the wage rate meets the minimum requirement set by provincial legislation
• Proof that there is a shortage of Canadian citizens and permanent residents in that job area
• Registration of foreign worker under the appropriate provincial Workers’ Safety and compensation Board

If you are looking at filing a LMIA application, let us help with that. At Akrami & Associates, we specialize in LMIA applications. Contact us Tod

There are several thousand business people who come into Canada to do business with Canadians and their companies per year. Most of the Business Visitor applications are taken care of at the port of entry, which makes it extremely important that you have all of your paper work in a proper and organized manner.

Business Activities Within Canada Can Include Things Like: