Immigrate to Canada

Foreword: A Message from Senator Yonah Martin xiii A Word from the Authors xv Abbreviations xix 1 The Basics of Coming to Canada 1 1. The Changing Canadian Immigration Environment 2 2. How Immigrants Can Succeed in Canada 5 2.1 Language barriers and soft skills 7 3. Immigration Categories 8 2 Coming to Canada Temporarily: Workers, Live-in Caregivers, and International Students 10 1. Working Temporarily in Canada 11 1.1 Applying for your temporary visa 11 1.2 Securing a position with a Canadian employer 12 2. Caregiver Program 13 3. The International Experience Canada (IEC) Program 14 4. Studying in Canada 17 4.1 How to get your study permit 17 4.2 Choosing a postsecondary school 18 4.3 When and how to apply 19 4.4 Taking ESL courses while attending other programs 20 4.5 Cost of tuition 20 4.6 Arranging housing 21 4.7 Off-campus and postgraduate work permits 22 4.8 Moving toward permanent residence 23 iv Immigrate to Canada 3 Mandatory Requirements, Fees, and the General Process 24 1. Medical Exam 24 2. Criminal Check 25 3. Application Fees 26 4. General Information about the Application Process 28 4.1 Downloading and completing the forms 28 4.2 Review your application before sending 29 4.3 What happens when the application is approved? 31 4 Legal Representation 32 1. Hiring Representation 33 1.1 Should you choose a consultant or lawyer? 34 1.2 Unpaid representatives 35 2. Filing a Complaint against Your Representative 35 3. You Are Responsible for Your Information 36 5 Federal Skilled Worker Class 37 1. Eligibility and the Point System 38 1.1 Language 39 1.2 Age 42 1.3 Education 42 1.4 Work experience 43 1.5 Adaptability 44 1.6 Arranged employment 45 1.7 Other factors 45 2. The Application Process for Federal Skilled Workers 46 6 Business Immigration 49 1. Investor and Entrepreneur Programs Are Terminated 49 2. Start-up Visa Program 50 2.1 The application process for the Start-up Visa 53 3. Self-employed Persons 54 3.1 Eligibility and the point system for self-employed persons 55 3.2 The application process for self-employed persons 57 7 Provincial Nominee Program 60 1. Choose a Province or Territory 61 2. Get a Job Offer 61 3. Other PNP Options 62 4. The Application Process 63 Contents v 8 Family Class: Spouses and Children 66 1. Bringing Your Immediate Family 67 1.1 Requirements and responsibilities 67 1.2 Possible impediments to becoming a sponsor 69 2. Sponsoring a Spouse 69 3. Common-law Partnerships 71 4. Conjugal Partnerships 71 5. Children as Dependants 72 6. The Application Process 72 6.1 Fees 74 7. Appealing the Decision 75 9 Family Class: Parents, Grandparents, Adopted Children, and Other Eligible Relatives 76 1. Sponsorship Criteria 77 2. Who You Can Sponsor 78 2.1 Sponsorship responsibilities 79 2.2 Possible impediments to becoming a sponsor 80 3. Super Visa 80 4. The Application Process 81 4.1 Fees 82 5. Appealing the Decision 83 10 Canadian Experience Class 85 1. Temporary Foreign Workers 86 1.1 Language proficiency 86 2. International Student Graduates 88 3. The Application Process 89 3.1 Fees 90 11 Federal Skilled Trades Class 91 1. Federal Skilled Trades Criteria 91 1.1 Language proficiency 92 2. The Application Process 94 2.1 Fees 95 12 Express Entry: Canada's Future Immigration Program 96 13 Challenging a Refusal 99 1. Appeals 99 1.1 Sponsorship cases 100 1.2 Appeals of removal orders 101 vi Immigrate to Canada 1.3 Residency appeals 101 1.4 Why appeals are allowed 102 1.5 Disclosure of documents 102 1.6 Alternative Dispute Resolution 103 1.7 Changing the date of an appeal hearing 103 1.8 Bringing witnesses 104 1.9 Translations and interpreting 105 1.10 Steps of an appeal 105 2. Applying for a Judicial Review 106 14 You're Approved! Now What? 107 1. Choose a Location 108 1.1 Industries by location 108 1.2 French-speaking regions 109 2. Present Your Documents to Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) 109 2.1 Proof of funds 110 2.2 Health-care documents 110 3. Customs and Declarations 110 3.1 Permitted and forbidden goods 110 3.2 Paying duty 111 3.3 Bringing a vehicle into Canada 112 3.4 Interview at customs 113 4. Temporary Accommodation 113 15 An Overview of Canada 114 1. Canadian Provinces and Territories 115 2. The Canadian Landscape 116 2.1 Canada's natural resources 116 2.2 Climate from coast to coast 116 3. The People 119 3.1 People in history 119 3.2 Multiculturalism as official policy 120 3.3 Equality under the law 121 3.4 Family life 121 4. The Languages 122 5. Government and the Law 123 5.1 Federal government 123 5.2 Provincial and territorial governments 124 5.3 Municipal governments 124 Contents vii 5.4 Laws of the land 125 5.5 Policing 125 6. Human Rights 126 7. Education System 127 7.1 Postsecondary education 128 8. Health-Care System 128 8.1 Health insurance 129 9. Social Assistance System 129 9.1 Old Age Security 129 9.2 Canada Pension Plan 130 10. Economy and Labour Market 130 16 Your First Steps in Canada 132 1. Ask for Help 132 2. Get Language Training 133 3. Find a Place to Rent 133 4. Buy a Home 136 5. Apply for a Social Insurance Number 136 6. Start Your Job Search 137 7. Apply for Health Care 137 8. Emergency Services 139 9. Enroll Your Children in School 139 10. Open a Bank Account and Get Credit 140 11. Get Around on Transit 141 12. Driving in Canada 141 13. Protect Your Identity 142 14. Apply for Benefits 143 17 Cost of Living in Canada 144 1. Renting or Buying a Home 144 2. Food 145 3. Tipping 146 4. Clothing 146 5. Furniture 147 6. Appliances and Electronics 147 7. Transportation 149 8. Health Care 149 9. Entertainment 150 10. Other Expenses 150 11. Taxes 150 viii Immigrate to Canada 18 Settling In 152 1. An Emotional Journey 153 1.1 The first stage 153 1.2 The second stage 153 1.3 The third stage 154 1.4 The fourth stage 155 2. Canadian Culture and Expectations 155 2.1 Dressing appropriately 155 2.2 Behaving politely 155 2.3 Respecting diversity 156 2.4 Women's issues 156 2.5 Men's issues 156 2.6 Parenting issues 157 2.7 Seniors' issues 158 2.8 Singles' issues 158 19 Maintaining Your Permanent Resident Status 160 1. Renewing Your Permanent Resident Card 161 2. Becoming a Citizen 162 3. Embracing Canada 163 Download Resources 164 Tables 1 Federal Skilled Worker Points System for Language Proficiency 41 2 Federal Skilled Worker Points System for Age 42 3 Federal Skilled Worker Points System for Education 43 4 Federal Skilled Worker Points System for Work Experience 44 5 Federal Skilled Worker Points System for Adaptability 45 6 Minimum Funds Required to Support You and Your Family 46 7 Self-Employed Persons Points System for Education 56 8 Self-Employed Persons Points System for Experience 56 9 Self-Employed Persons Points System for Language 57 10 Self-Employed Persons Points System for Adaptability 57 11 PNP Minimum Funds Required to Support Yourself and Your Family 65 12 Dates Enacted for Canadian Same-Sex Marriage Laws 70 13 Capital Cities 115