No more sponsorship for parents and grandparents until further notice

As of November 5th, 2011 (last Saturday), Citizenship and Immigration Canada will not accept any sponsorship applications to sponsor parents or grandparents until further notice or for 24 months (until November 4th, 2013) because the waiting period for parents’ and grandparents’ sponsorships is currently longer than 4 years.

All applications received by Centralized Processing Centre-Mississauga after November 5th, 2011 will be returned to the applicants. Only those applications received by CPC-M before November 4th, 2011 at 5 p.m. will be processed continuously.

The material in this article is only for general information. For your specific situation, please consult a professional before you submit your application.


New PhD Eligibility Stream under the Federal Skilled Worker Class

As of November 5th, 2011, international students pursuing PhD studies at qualified Canadian educational institutions may apply under the Federal Skilled Worker PhD Eligibility Stream.

How to be qualified:

1. Your application MUST be received after November 5th, 2011 by the Centralized Intake Office (CIO) in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

2. You must be either
a. an international student who is currently enrolled in a PhD program, by a qualified Canadian educational institution AND who has completed at least 2 years towards the completion of your PhD AND who is in good academic standing AND who is NOT a recipient of a Government of Canada award requiring you to return to your home country

OR

b. a graduate of a PhD program from a qualified Canadian educational institution within 12 months from the date of your application to CIO Sydney, Nova Scotia who is not a recipient of a Government of Canada award requiring you to return to your home country or you have completed such requirement already.

3. You must still meet all other requirements of the Federal Skilled Worker class, as well as the minimum requirements and minimum pass mark in order to be qualified under this stream. Only 1,000 applications per year are allocated for this program, starting November 5th, 2011 to October 31st, 2012.

The material in this article is only for general information. For your specific situation, please consult a professional before you submit your application.

When do you apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)?

1. When you make an application to CIC for a specific purpose, such as

immigration, entry to Canada, study permit, etc.

IN ORDER FOR AN APPLICATION TO BE ACCEPTED, SUCH APPLICATION MUST

a. Be in writing using the form provided by CIC.

Such forms may be changed from time to time. Before you submit your form, it is critical
to make sure that your form is up-to-dated by checking it on CIC’s website on the day
you are going to submit it.

b. Be signed by the applicant.

You must make sure your signature is on the application form in the exact way the
form requests. In addition, your signature should be the same one that is on your
identification, such as on your driver’s licence or passport.

c. Include all information and documents required by the Immigration Refugee Protection

Regulations, as well as any other evidence required by the Immigration Refugee
Protection Act.

How one prepares all the required information and documents differs from case to
case, and you should make sure that you have included all required information and
documents. You should know that the document checklist in the form may not list all
the information and documents you should include.

d. Include the filing fee payment.

e. Show who the principal applicant is if you are married or in a marriage-kind of
relationship.

2. When you enter into Canada at any border.

When you enter into Canada via airport, sea port or land crossing points, you are in fact
making an application to enter into Canada physically. When you do that, CIC has a full
access and right to examine you at such point, regardless of your immigration status. In
other words, even if you are a Canadian citizen, CIC has a right to ask all relevant questions
to you to verify your citizenship and immigration status in Canada. Any incorrect or
misleading statement you give can get you into trouble. For example, as a citizen of USA,
UK or Republic of Korea, you may enter into Canada without applying for an entry visa in
advance. However, if you have a pending study permit, and decide to answer to CIC that
you are here to study in Canada, CIC will demand the production of your study permit.
Therefore, it is critical that you answer all your questions carefully.

Any applications via forms (#1) or in person (#2) will be stored in CIC's global data base for a
significant time period to be accessed by CIC whenever you apply to CIC in the future. Any
inconsistent information or misleading answers may jeopardize your future applications
without you even knowing. As a result, if you have made any application in the past
and wish to make another application, it is important to keep a copy of all your previous
applications and accompanying documents for such future application. If you do not have
a copy of such past applications, you may be able to obtain them by application to the
Freedom of Information office for a copy.

The material in this article is only for general information. For your

specific situation, please consult a professional before you submit your application.

Canadian Experience Class

Basic Required Qualifications

1. You cannot reside in Quebec

2. You must show your language proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages:

a. NOC 0, A – at minimum, you must score 5 points out of the 9 point test score in reading,writing, speaking and listening (ILEST - General)
b. NOC0, B – at minimum, you must score 4 points out of the 9 point test score in reading,writing, speaking and listening (ILEST - General)

3. If you are an international student, you must complete two academic years under the study permit to be completed with a degree, diploma or qualifying certificate, and complete one full year working experience (1950 hours in 12 months) with a work permit in a NOC 0, A or B occupation.

4. If you are a working permit holder, you must complete two full years (3900 hours in 24 months)under a working permit in a NOC 0, A or B occupation.

Some things to watch out for:

a. Your study permit or working permit must be issued legally and maintained correctly in order to comply with all the conditions of such permits.

b. For a working permit holder option under section 4, you must apply within 12 months from the completion of your two full years of work.

c. For an international student under section 3, you must have one full year work
experience within 24 months from the date of submitting your application.

d. Off-campus work experience and co-op work experience do not count as one year work experience under section 3.

e. You cannot have self-employment or business experience as your work experience.

f. You are not required to work or to study while your application is in progress. In fact,you are not required to be in Canada while your application is in progress.

g. You cannot take distance courses for your academic requirements.

h. You cannot use your ESL courses for your academic requirements.

The material in this article is only for general information. For your
specific situation, please consult a professional before you submit your
application.