Immigration Blog about US & Canadian Immigration matters.

Canada Plans for an Increase in Tourism

Canada has always been a very welcoming country to any and all citizens of the world population. As a result, the Canadian government has implemented a New Tourism Vision to increase the number of international tourists who are visiting the country by a total of 30 percent estimated to happen by 2021. This New Tourism Vision is an extensive 20-point plan that describes in detail the plans Canada has for its international visitors. Canada hopes to meet this plan and if the country is successful, Canada will be one of the top 10 most visited countries in the world, hopefully by 2025. Therefore, in this article, I will address the 20 points in the New Tourism Vision and what this means for Canada in the future.

Current Tourism

Because Canada has always encouraged foreign nationals to visit Canada, part of the plan is already in place. As of right now, Canada is recognized as the top international destination for 2017 by The New York Times, Lonely Planet and Conde Nast. Canada is known worldwide for its welcoming culture, international festivals, lively cities, and last but most importantly, its stunning landscapes. In addition, Canada has always been a stable and secure environment with an up and coming world-class culinary scene and more. With all of these wonderful aspects in mind, it is not surprising that the tourism has increased substantially over the years.

Romanians, Bulgarians and Brazilians May Now Be Visa-Exempt

There are many countries all around the world that desire to be visa-exempt as the application and process can be somewhat overwhelming and confusing for a lot of people. Luckily for Romanians, Bulgarians and Brazilians, they no longer have to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa when travelling to Canada by air. There are specifications, however, such as you must have held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years or currently hold a U.S. visitor visa. If this applies, then you will only need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. Additionally, when visiting Canada, you may only stay temporarily for a maximum of six months. In this article, I will address the changes for these countries in particular and why these changes were introduced.

Why the Visa Requirement was Lifted?

Although the visa requirement being lifted is only anticipated to change on December 1, 2017, as per Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), many individuals from Romania and Bulgaria are now extremely enthusiastic about the idea of being able to come to Canada without first obtaining a visa. After this lift happens, these individuals will only require an eTA to fly to Canada. The Canadian government has yet to decide whether they will extend the lifting of the visa requirement to all of the citizens of Brazil.

Steps to Hiring a Live-in Caregiver

Do you wish to have someone help you with the basic necessities of someone you care about? For instance, do you need constant assistance for eldercare, individuals with special needs or childcare? If this is the case, then you should hire a live-in caregiver. Live-in caregivers will help and assist you with these specific circumstances. There are certain steps that you must take in order to ultimately hire a live-in caregiver. In this article, I will explain and outline the steps needed from the employer to hire a live-in caregiver as well as the steps that the live-in caregiver needs to take.

How to Find a Live-in Caregiver

As an employer looking to find a live-in caregiver, there are standard requirements that need to be met. Through the live-in caregiver program, the employee must have a valid work permit to proceed with being hired. Therefore, the employer must ensure that this is done before offering employment. The employer must also ensure that they have attempted to hire employees through advertisements, personal or business contacts, and/or hiring agencies. After this is done, then they may be able to go through the application process of the live-in caregiver program in order to hire them.

Humanitarian and Compassionate Consideration

It can be extremely frustrating if your application for Permanent Residency is refused and you feel as though your specific case is justified. In these special circumstances, you may be able to apply under the Humanitarian and Compassionate consideration, better known as H&C. There are several restrictions with respect to examination of applications for H&C consideration.

Who Qualifies for Humanitarian and Compassionate Consideration

A foreign national who is inadmissible or who does not meet the requirements of the Act or Regulations may make a written request for consideration of H&C under A25(1).

Group of Five Sponsorship (G5)

The United Nations has reported that in 2016 there were a record number of refugees displaced all over the world. Today that number is soaring far above 65 million people, and is the highest number of refugees that the world has ever seen; including during the time of the holocaust.

This is devastating number of people that have been forced to leave their home country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disasters. Because of the increased number of refugees in the world today, Canada has opened its doors to these individuals— through a program called the Group of Five (G5) Sponsorship.

Denied Entry at Canadian Port of Entry

When travelling to Canada the immigration officer at the port entry has the right to refuse you entry based on the following grounds: past criminal convictions, health or financial problems, and security reasons. The immigration officer can simply deny you entry for a minor offence that was dated back over 30 years ago. These immigration officers are super cautious of who they will allow entry into Canada to ensure the safety of Canadian citizens.

So if you have major offence on record don’t even bother attempting at the port of entry without going in prepared or consulting with an immigration expert. For example, if you have a past assault or DUI charge and you have taken care of your inadmissibility in your country of citizenship but not in Canada then you will be refused entry as you have to take care of it on the Canadian side as well. Depending what is on your record, what you served for it and how long ago it was determines what type of application you need to apply for.

Super Visa Application Refused?

Applied for super visa for your parents or grandparents and got denied? Keep reading to see if you made any mistakes or the immigration officer.

What is a Super Visa?

The super visa is a special visa drafted by the Canadian immigration specifically for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens of permanent residents. A super visa is a temporary document that allows parents and grandparents to live in Canada for up to two years per every visit for ten years. In order to gain this visa you must meet certain criteria set forth by Canadian immigration.

Hiring Temporary Foreign Worker to Canada

Would like to hire a Temporary Foreign Worker in your company but don’t know which route to take? There are many things that employers must determine before attempting to hire a temporary foreign worker. One of those things is the wage you will be paying this temporary foreign worker. For the purposes of this blog I will be talking about the low-wage positions. Let’s take a look at how the wages are determined for low paying jobs.

What to Consider when Hiring Temporary Foreign Worker to Canada

If you wish to hire a temporary foreign worker in your company, you must first determine whether you have a need for a foreign worker or not. Firstly, you have to determine whether or not this position can be taken on by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. There are many ways of doing this as previously explained in the blogs section of our websites. If and when you establish that you have not found anyone in Canada that would carry out the position you are hiring for after doing extensive research, you may be allowed to hire a temporary foreign worker. This has to be determined by applying for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) through the Employment and Social Development Canada and Service Canada. However, determination of labour shortage may not allow you to bring your foreign worker into Canada. You must apply for a work permit given that you receive a positive labour market impact assessment.

Hiring Foreign Worker to Canada

Want to hire a temporary foreign worker but don’t know where to start? There are many steps involved in the process of hiring a foreign worker; for example, the process of applying for a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). There are certain steps that employers need to take even before they start their LMIA application process. Let’s examine what you need to do before you can even be eligible to apply for an LMIA.

What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment?

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), formerly known as a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) is a document that employers have to apply for and it is processed by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Service Canada. In other words, this document is the proof that Canada lacks the kind of skilled work or labour that you as an employer might be looking for. A positive LMIA document will enable employers to hire temporary foreign workers as it enables individuals to apply for work permits. Having a positive LMIA does not guarantee an approved work permit which is a separate procedure that should be conducted on its own.

Employer Looking to Hire Foreign Worker to Canada

Thinking of hiring a temporary foreign worker to Canada? Tired of recruiting without success in Canada? Obtaining a Positive LMIA from Service Canada is not an easy process, especially if you do not have experience in submitting immigration applications. Here are a few important aspects/steps of hiring a foreign temporary worker in Canada.

Are you Eligible to Hire a Foreign Worker to Canada?

Employers can hire foreign workers through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). The TFWP is specifically designed to combat and fill temporary labour and skill shortages in Canada. However, before you start browsing resumes and conducting interviews, make sure you are eligible to hire a temporary foreign worker in the capacity of a caregiver first. One of the most important aspects of eligibility comes from attempting to recruit a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or a foreign worker already in Canada for the position of caregiver. Once all recruitment efforts of finding an employee within Canada have been exhausted, then you can proceed to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment.

What is the National Occupation Code?

The National Occupation Classification also known as the NOC is a system used by the Government of Canada that classifies occupations (jobs). The National Occupation Classification pretty much describes the type of work performed by Canadians in the labour market. These occupations are grouped based on work the performed which are determined by the task, duties and responsibility within the occupation. This information gives employers, job seekers, statisticians, labour market analysts, career counselors to collect information to better understand the nature of work and what type of experience is needed to apply for a program. The NOC tool has a four digit code that helps you classify the occupation based on skill type and skill level. These NOC digits give you important information about the occupation it represents. For example, 3113 Dentist- the “31” tells you that this is a health occupation and it requires university level education.

National Occupational Classification 2016 Update

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) has been updated to help employers and job seekers find the proper NOC without spending too much time and then ending up selecting the incorrect NOC. The NOC 2016 has enlisted new job titles and has simplified the content of the unit groups. Some unit groups have their descriptions and job titles updated, terminology has made changed to reflect the current usage of terminology in occupations. The structure of the NOC remains the same, meaning no major groups or minor have been added or removed or combined. You may find in some groups that their names of been changed or the content is updated. NOC 2016 is based on Skill Type and Skill Level just like NOC 2011.

Travelling with Permanent Resident Card (PR card)

Are you a Permanent Resident (PR) and unsure of your travel rights? You will be surprised at the number of permanent residents whom are confused about their travel rights and what could potentially happen to their status in Canada if they do not meet the residency requirements.

What is a Permanent Resident and am I eligible to become one?

A Permanent Resident is a person who has been given permanent status in Canada but has not obtained Canadian citizenship yet. If you came as a visitor, student or as foreign worker than you are not consider a permanent resident but rather a temporary resident. Also, if you are person that has put a refugee claim in Canada you are not considered a permanent resident until Immigration and Refugee Board approves your claim. Once your claim is approved you can apply for permanent residency. As a permanent resident you can travel in and out of Canada as long you meet and comply to the conditions that are set and you have more rights than someone that comes for temporary basis to Canada.

Applying for LMIA and NOC

Under the recently introduced express entry program, a confirmed offer of employment from a Canadian company would add points to your application, provided – the employer has a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (or LMIA in short) for the position and if the offer corresponds to one of the skill types in the National Occupation Classification (NOC).

What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment?

The LMIA is a process that is used to assess the likely impact of hiring a foreign worker on the Canadian job market. In essence, the LMIA would aim to show that offering a position to a foreign worker would satisfy a need for particular skill set that is needed in Canada and that no Canadians or Permanent Citizens are available for that position. The LMIA application is to be filled by the employer and submitted to the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). This is a very rigorous and often iterative process, after which the ESDC would consider a positive LMIA only to credible offers.

Hiring Temporary Foreign Worker to Canada?

Are you an employer who wants to hire a temporary foreign worker? As you may know, you may need to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment before you may hire a foreign worker. If you need help determining the differences between the High-wage and Low-wage Streams, continue reading this blog. You will find useful information about which stream is best suited to your situation.

What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment?

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is an assessment conducted by Service Canada. You may need to obtain a positive LMIA before you may hire a temporary foreign worker. A positive LMIA shows that there are currently no Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are willing or available to do the job due to a temporary labour or skill shortage. With a positive LMIA and other documents, a temporary foreign worker can successfully apply for a work permit to come and work in Canada for that employer.

Removal Order from Canada

Have you been removed or deported from Canada previously and are ready to travel back there again? Most people, when removed or deported from Canada, don’t know how to get back into the country again, they do not even know if they are able to do so. At Akrami & Associates, we can help you decipher whether or not you are eligible or authorized to return to Canada. At Akrami & Associates, we have a team of knowledgeable and experienced associates who have successfully solved over 15,000 cases and would be more than happy to help you with your legality needs/inquiries as well.

What is Authorization to return to Canada (ARC)?

Not to be confused with Temporary Resident Permits (TRP), Authorization to Return to Canada, also known as ARC is the process one has to go through if they have previously been removed from Canada. There are three ways in which you can be removed from Canada, the first being a Deportation order, followed by Exclusion Order and the last being a Departure Order. As mentioned earlier, do not confuse the authorization to return to Canada with a TRP. A TRP, the abbreviation for the term “temporary resident permit”, is a makeshift permit that grants you entry into Canada if you have an inadmissibility issue such as DUI, felony, misdemeanor etc. ARC applications are for individuals depending on the type of removal order they got based on that it can be determined what you need to apply for. For example, if you had come to Canada as visitor, student or worker and you overstayed your welcome stay then you would need to apply for an ARC application as you violated an immigration rule. Another example would if you misrepresented yourself meaning you lied on your application or withheld information from an immigration officer. Also if you were removed for health reasons from Canada you would need to apply for ARC application. The main difference between a TRP and an ARC is the reasoning behind each stay. For a TRP, you are insisting on residing in Canada for a specific period of time whereas for an ARC, you are asking permission to return to Canada because the Canadian government has previously removed you. Authorization to return to Canada, likewise its name, is the approval you have to get from the government to be able to enter the country again.

Who needs a Visitor Visa to enter Canada?

A Visitor Visa is a piece of official document that is issued and attached on the applicant’s travel document such as passport and allows the applicant to enter the country. It usually states the place where the visa is issued, date of issue, passport number, expiry date before which the applicant has to enter the country or the visa goes invalid, types of visa such as single or multi-entry etc.

Visitors from most countries need a visitor visa to come to Canada, a type of Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). If you are planning to travel to Canada, you should find out online in advance to see if you need a visa to enter Canada or not.

Want to Study in Canada?

Canada is an amazing country to study in; many students from around the world consider studying in Canada because of its high ranked post-secondary schools. Many students, wherever in the world they may reside, at one point in their lifetime consider studying abroad. Some students like the thought of and want to study abroad but are not able to do so solely on the fact that they do not want to go through the hassle of seeing whether or not they are eligible to apply for a Study Permit. At Akrami and Associates, we understand how confusing and difficult it may be to obtain a study permit if you have no experience or are applying for the first time. Our associates are experts regarding the topic of study permits due to their past experiences with helping clients obtain study permit. One of our associates can and will be more than happy to assist you in obtaining your study permit. You can rest assured when you choose to work with Akrami & Associates because the representatives have dealt with many successful cases so hopefully we stick to our success and make your case one of our many successes as well.

Who is eligible to apply for a Study Permit?

You may ask yourself “am I eligible to apply for a study permit?” Well, if you are a foreign person who wishes to study in Canada, you may be able to do so under certain conditions. If you are a foreign person who wants to study in Canada, you must choose to do so (study in Canada) for more than 6 months. You are eligible to study in Canada for professional education and/or training. However, you are not eligible/not permitted to obtain a study permit if your intentions are not solely for the purposes of study, hence, if you choose to abuse the power of this permit to just get into the country, an officer has the right to take it away from you. Officers may refuse your application if your evidence is not sufficient enough and/or they are not satisfied with the information provided. A study permit, likewise its name, is only used for the use of study. A study permit is much like a visa in regards to the application process and documents. Study permits and visas differ from each other in that they are used for different purpose When you choose to obtain a study permit, you must intend to leave the country and go back to your own home country, in order to prove this, you must convince the officer you have ties back home and that you do indeed intend to go back and live there.

Open Work Permit

Does your spouse work or study in Canada and you want to accompany them while traveling and living in Canada? Does the distance and time of study or work period in Canada create a barrier in your relationship? Everyone has the right to be with their family and spend quality time no matter what the situation or circumstances are. This blog will discuss what an Open Work Permit is, who qualifies for one and what the conditions and requirements are for you to be able to obtain the Open Work Permit and reunite with your family members in Canada. This permit has categories to allow people belonging to temporary permits in Canada to bring their spouses for a particular period of time if they meet the requirements.

What is Open Work Permit?

Open Work Permit is a work permit that does not restrict the employee to work for one specific employer or do one job in particular. Open Work Permit is exactly like the Post Graduate Work Permit that international students qualify for once they graduate from a Canadian institution. Depending on the time that the student studied in Canada, Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) allows the student to stay in Canada. For example, if an international student studied in Canada for the duration of 8 months he would qualify for a post graduate work permit with the duration of the same time as he spent in that institution to finish his studies. However, if you studied in a Canadian institution as an international student for 2 years, you will qualify for 3 years of Post-Graduate Work Permit. PGWP does not restrict you to work for a specific employer or do a specific job. Exactly in a same way the open work permit does not restrict you to work for one particular employer. The purpose of this permit is to unite families who have a spouse or common-law partner in Canada.

Express Entry

You must have heard about the Express Entry but you do not know what the program is all about and what category of visas it involves. In this blog we will discuss various aspects of Express Entry and general questions that are asked by clients about this program. There are certain criteria that have to be met to be considered eligible for this program. First we have to understand what the purpose of Canadian government is by implementing such a program. Express Entry program is a new system by Canadian immigration to select candidates for skilled jobs and immigrate to Canada for Permanent Residency. It is an electronic process that involves the federal and provincial governments of Canada as well as the Canadian employers to serve their needs and choose potential skilled workers that they find suitable from outside of Canada.

What Increases your Chance in Express Entry?

What increases your chance is dependent on what category you apply under or fit for. There are three different categories when it comes to Express Entry.

What is Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)

The Federal Skilled Worker program assists foreign workers to immigrate to Canada for Permanent Residency based on their work experience, education, knowledge of English/French and other skills. Since January 1, 2015 foreign workers that are interested in the Federal Skilled Worker Program need to apply through the Express Entry System. If you have submitted an application under the FSW prior to January 1, 2015 then you application will be reviewed under the previous system. Once you complete your Express Entry Profile, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will send you an Invitation to Apply (ITA) based on the information you have provided.

Who can apply for Federal Skilled Worker Program?

To be able to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program the first step is having a job offer with an employer in Canada. Without job offer you cannot apply under this category. Also, you need show that you have sufficient money to support yourself and family members even if they are not coming with you. The amount of money you need to show depends on your size of family, CIC updates this every year. Please refer to CIC website and look up the latest financial requirements. If you have Arranged Employment in Canada and currently working or authorized to work in Canada then you do not need to show funds.