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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |
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| Do I have to be fluent in English or French? | |
| Fluency in English or French is highly recommended for the skilled worker category. The Government places emphasis on the applicant's fluency in English and French, and a person fluent in both languages will receive the maximum number of language points. An individual with no fluency in either language will receive no points, which may place that application in jeopardy. The point system indicates that a maximum of 24 points can be obtained for English and French fluency. Varying points for a lack of fluency in either speaking, writing, or reading will decrease the total number of points. For Canadian Experience Class applications, language testing is also required, and the level of fluency is gauged to the occupation. | |
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| Do I have to secure a job before coming to Canada? | |
| It is possible to achieve the total points required for immigration without having arranged employment if you fall under one of the accepted job categories, and have at least one year of experience in the said job. However if your job is not found on the list, then it is absolutely essential to have a confirmed job and it must be arranged by your Canadian employer in conjunction with Service Canada. See our work permit page. | |
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| What documents do I need to assemble for my application? | |
The documents required for your application depend upon the category under which you apply. Generally speaking, for a skilled worker application or a business application the documents which are required include:
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| How much money do I need to have before immigrating? | |
| Although there is no said amount established by the Canadian government with respect to money required for the interim period after landing, it is recommended that individuals have a minimum of CDN$20,000 to manage maintenance for themselves and their dependents during the interim period prior to finding and locating a job. In many cases individuals who immigrate will have much more than that. However, it is best to have clear records both by way of bank statements and by valuations of real property to show net worth in order to convince the immigration officer that you will not be required to seek public assistance once having landed in Canada. | |
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| What if I only want to work in Canada and not live there permanently? | |
| The Immigration Act and Regulation allows the entry of temporary workers into Canada with or without confirmations, or with work permits. Currently there are certain occupations within Canada that are in extremely high demand and which require a simple permit without confirmation that there are no other Canadians available for the job. The particular channels under which you can apply for entry into Canada are many and can only be decided upon after a full review of your own skills and the opportunities which are available in Canada. | |
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| Can my elderly parents come with me? | |
| Generally the answer to such a question is "no", unless there are very extenuating circumstances. The normal course for applying for the entry of parents or grandparents is under the family sponsorship route which requires a proof of relationship and meeting the LICO (Low Income Cut Off) standards of income. This basically means that in order to sponsor your relatives you must show to Immigration Canada that you have, according to the income tables, sufficient income to support a family group of a certain number, depending on the city in which you live in Canada. These LICO figures are adhered to very closely by the immigration officers when assessing whether you will be able to sponsor any family relatives. | |
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| Do I have to go to a certain region within Canada to settle? | |
| No. Canada does not have a policy of insisting that you move to a certain region within Canada to seek opportunities for which you have qualified. | |
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| Does it help my application if I have a relative in Canada? | |
| If you have a mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, grandfather or grandmother in Canada, the point system provides an additional five points under the selection process. | |
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| What if I can't get answers from the government? | |
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If Immigration Canada has not responded to your letters and you find it impossible to make contact by telephone, our firm will assist you immediately by obtaining a full copy of your file together with all computer notes which are pertinent to your file.
Often, such a full disclosure of the file will reveal the status of your application with Immigration Canada, why delays are taking place and the points of concern. We have established methods by which we can obtain all such information from Immigration Canada within 30 to 45 days. Please contact us immediately in order to determine why your file is not being processed or the reason for the delay. We can provide an immediate telephone consultation. [ details ] |
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| Will buying a house or a business help my immigration to Canada? | |
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Buying a house does not increase chances of entry, but nor does it hurt. The purchase of a home certainly shows a connection to Canada and the home is ultimately treated as a part of the overall net worth of the individual, but simply owning a house and living here as a visitor will not affect the selection process.
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| As a foreigner can I get a mortgage? | |
| The answer is yes. The requirements for obtaining a mortgage to finance a purchase, whether a home or a business, will depend on the institution with which you will do business. Generally speaking, there is no problem in securing mortgages with more-established financial institutions. These institutions will usually require a letter of introduction from the previous banking facility with which you have done business in your home country. Previous income in the home country will also be verified. Also, institutions may require a greater percentage of the purchase price as a down payment. | |
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| How long can I stay in Canada? (Can't I just go out for a day and come back?) | |
| Generally, a person is allowed a six month entry as a visitor. If a second home is purchased, one can bring in a reasonable amount of furniture as a "seasonal resident" without paying any duty. There is no corresponding regulation in the immigration act (IRPA) that says you have to leave for six months before returning, so multiple entries can be allowed. CAUTION! You cannot "flagpole" continuously. Flagpoling means leaving Canada for a few days and then returning to Canada. Although such re-entry may be allowed on one or two occasions, you do run a risk of being refused entry into Canada because you are living in Canada as a resident under the guise of being a visitor. You must maintain substantial roots with your home country. For more about this, see this article. | |
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| If I rent out my home, what are the tax implications? | |
| Occasionally, foreign nationals will purchase a home, reside in it for a few months of the year and rent it out for the balance. NOTE: Special tax rules do apply to such situations and Canadian tax returns must be filed by the foreigner. In fact, if the taxation payments are not set up properly, the foreign landlord will be required to pay 25% of the rental income per month to the tax department as a holdback until the tax returns are filed. However, such a drastic reduction of rent can be avoided if you appoint a Canadian resident to make the filings on your behalf at the end of the year. CAUTION! When selling a residence, you must file a clearance certificate well in advance of the sale or there can be up to a 25% holdback of the full selling price until the clearance certificate is obtained from the tax department. | |
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| Can I retire in Canada? | |
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There is no retirement category under the immigration regulations. Such an avenue did once exist, but the retirement avenue of immigration was phased out in the late 1980s. If you plan on buying a home with the view of ultimately retiring here, it is important to call us immediately. Qualifying for immigration is time sensitive in that points are awarded based on the number of years of experience in both business and in work as well as the age factor. It is important to seek immediate immigration legal advice to ensure that a proper strategy exists for the potential permanent entry in the future. There are also health and age-related questions which may impact the admissibility. For more information see this page |
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