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- I looked on the Canada Immigration website, and I see that I qualify. All the forms and manuals are there. Do I need to hire an Immigration Consultant?
- What's the difference between a lawyer and an Immigration Consultant?
- My consultant isn't a member of ICCRC. What now?
- Someone has offered me a money-back guarantee; does this mean I have nothing to worry about?
- I'm married; I have the marriage certificate, that's all I need for Canada Immigration, right?
- Should I apply as a refugee? My counsel suggested it.
- I am here illegally, and I have heard about an amnesty for workers or people who have been here for a long time. Is this true?
- I have a stamp in my passport from the port of entry, but no visitor visa. How do I know when I have to leave?
- I accidentally let my status (visa) expire by a few weeks. What now?
- I have a working holiday / post-graduate visa. Can I get it renewed?
- I am here as a visitor. I have a job offer. Can I get a Work Permit for a job like a bartender or waiter?
- Do I need a study permit for a short ESL course?
- Can I work while my application to be sponsored by my Canadian spouse (partner) is in process inside Canada?
- I see that I need to prove English – French language skills as part of my application as a Skilled Worker. How do I do that?
- What affects the processing time of my application for Immigration to Canada?
- I have been approved in Canada, and I am not sure if I should apply for an open work permit or wait to get landed. What do you advise?
- Can I write to Immigration and ask if they received the last document I sent, and what is happening now?
- I have a failed application. I was given bad advice, which I regret taking. Can I make a new application using your services?
- I have been: ordered to leave Canada . requested to appear for an admissibility hearing . appear at GTEC . held in detention. What should I do?
- What is the difference between a spouse, a common-law and a conjugal partner?
- Why should I consider hiring your firm?
Q
I looked on the Canada Immigration website, and I see that I qualify. All the forms and manuals are there. Do I need to hire an Immigration Consultant?
We encourage you to read the Seven Secrets, as it explains many of the problems and pitfalls that you may encounter. We have intelligent and qualified candidates come into our office every day with failed applications, and we can see that they missed critical points. The forms, Act and Regulations may be there, but there is no explanation as to how to interpret the law, and no guidance to provide help on your personal circumstances. Canada Immigration has changed its approach over the years as the volume of applications increased, and they state that they are no longer in the counseling business. Calls to their hotline will yield different and often conflicting replies, adding to the confusion. You will want to make a good application the first time, and not have wasted years of waiting and good money doing anything else, and it's always best to work with an expert. ↑ Top
Q
What's the difference between a lawyer and an Immigration Consultant?
An Immigration Consultant (ICCRC member) and an immigration specialist lawyer who have equal experience and background in the specific area of immigration that you need should serve you equally well. You need to find out if they have in-depth knowledge and experience working in the specific area of immigration law that concerns you. Many types of appeals can be handled effectively by a consultant. However, certain categories of failed applications can only be appealed in Federal Court, and only a lawyer may represent you. For Federal Court appeals, it is best to hire a lawyer who is an immigration specialist and who has handled your type of appeal before. That may mean switching from the lawyer (or consultant) who submitted your first application. Immigration Consultants work in Immigration matters all day long, and no other area, much like lawyers that are Immigration specialists. Many lawyers have little or no experience working in Immigration law. Whoever you decide on, ask lots of questions, and choose someone you feel comfortable with. ↑ Top
Q
My consultant isn't a member of ICCRC. What now?
ICCRC was created to protect you as a consumer, as its members must adhere to a strict code of ethics and professional conduct and meet standards of knowledge and competency. Non-ICCRC consultants are not allowed to represent you in any matter with Canada Immigration, and any application prepared by a paid representative that is not a ICCRC member will be returned by Canada Immigration. We have two members of ICCRC on staff to represent you. ↑ Top
Q
Someone has offered me a money-back guarantee; does this mean I have nothing to worry about?
No. Competent professional help is never free, and the adage that you get what you pay for rings especially true in the sensitive area of immigration. You should be interested in the best possible application the first time round, and not gamble with your future. ↑ Top
Q
I'm married; I have the marriage certificate, that's all I need for Canada Immigration, right?
No. Canada Immigration will want to see substantial documentation to prove beyond reasonable doubt that your relationship is both genuine and ongoing. A poorly documented application will be delayed, and may face needless challenges. We make sure that your relationship is very well documented, so that you aren’t challenged by Canada Immigration by relying on the proof of one document alone. ↑ Top
Q
Should I apply as a refugee? My counsel suggested it.
If you have good reason to believe that you are in danger, and are afraid to return home, then the refugee claim was intended for you and you have been given sound advice. If you have been 'encouraged' to file as refugee because you don't qualify in other ways, and someone has offered to embellish or create a story for you, and you have been promised an easy work permit and social assistance, then that is not in your best interest, and you will have lost all your fees in the end, and damaged your credibility for any future application that you may qualify for. ↑ Top
Q
I am here illegally, and I have heard about an amnesty for workers or people who have been here for a long time. Is this true?
There has been talk about the potential of a special program to 'legalize' those who are working without the proper Work Permits, but as of now there has been no program put in place. There may be some merit to a Humanitarian and Compassionate application, if your personal circumstances warrant it. It's always best to ask someone who has lots of experience working with these unique applications, and will treat your inquiry with care and respect. ↑ Top
Q
I have a stamp in my passport from the port of entry, but no visitor visa. How do I know when I have to leave?
You have 6 months from your arrival as a visitor if you only have the stamp in your passport with no special notations to the contrary, and will need to leave Canada or apply to extend your status before the expiry date. ↑ Top
Q
I accidentally let my status (visa) expire by a few weeks. What now?
You may apply for a reinstatement within 90 days of a lapsed visa, and pay a special higher fee (currently $200) if you have a valid reason to stay on. ↑ Top
Q
I have a working holiday / post-graduate visa. Can I get it renewed?
Unfortunately, those visas are issued only once. You may wish to investigate if you qualify for a Work Permit under the usual criteria, or there may be reasons to extend your stay as a Visitor. ↑ Top
Q
I am here as a visitor. I have a job offer. Can I get a Work Permit for a job like a bartender or waiter?
Visitors can't upgrade from visitor to worker from inside Canada. Any first initial visa must be applied for from outside the country prior to arrival. For highly skilled positions where there is a labor shortage in Canada, there are processes that a foreign national can do to get a work permit, provided they have the right education and the approval of HRDC. ↑ Top
Q
Do I need a study permit for a short ESL course?
No. Short courses that start and end during your status as a visitor after your initial entry to Canada do not need Study Permits. ↑ Top
Q
Can I work while my application to be sponsored by my Canadian spouse (partner) is in process inside Canada?
You may qualify for a Work Permit already under the normal criteria based on your education, work in a skilled profession and labour market shortage. If not, you will need to wait and apply for an open work permit only after you receive ‘approval in principle’. ↑ Top
Q
I see that I need to prove English – French language skills as part of my application as a Skilled Worker. How do I do that?
You will need to sit one of the acceptable standard tests (currently IELTS for English, TEF for French), and have the test results ready to include with your application to CIC. ↑ Top
Q
What affects the processing time of my application for Immigration to Canada?
Many factors are involved, with the most determining one being the volume of applications being handled by the Visa post in question. Other factors are the kind of application you are making, and how complete the application is, with all forms completed and all requested documentation attached at the outset. Your file may be selected for a detailed background security screening; this is done at random, and will add several months to completing your file. ↑ Top
Q
I have been approved in Canada, and I am not sure if I should apply for an open work permit or wait to get landed. What do you advise?
If you don't need to work, then you can wait. The completion process is usually another 60 to 120 days on average. However, if you need a status document, and also need to work, the added cost of the work permit is worth it, so that you are not gambling on unexpected delays in transferring the file to the local office, or any other unexpected turn of events. ↑ Top
Q
Can I write to Immigration and ask if they received the last document I sent, and what is happening now?
Best to resist the urge. Unnecessary frequent inquiries from the 'worried well' only serve to frustrate the staff, and they have a lot of influence on both the decision and the timely communication of the decision. If you have counsel, ask if the time you are waiting is within the expected norm of that visa post, and your category of application. ↑ Top
Q
I have a failed application. I was given bad advice, which I regret taking. Can I make a new application using your services?
That all depends on what went wrong in the first application, and the reason that was given for the decline. Some applications cannot be repeated, like refugee claims. Others may qualify to be appealed within the prescribed periods set out by Canada Immigration. If there was no misrepresentation in the first application, and the grounds for the original application still exist, then a new application can be made, and is often successful. ↑ Top
Q
I have been: ordered to leave Canada – requested to appear for an admissibility hearing – appear at GTEC – held in detention. What should I do?
These are all serious matters that require expert guidance and individual assessment. You must not ignore any requests made of you or contemplate not appearing for the hearing. You should seek out expert help immediately. ↑ Top
Q
What is the difference between a spouse, a common-law and a conjugal partner?
Spouses are partners who are married to each other. If the foreign national is in Canada with current status (i.e. as a visitor or student) that has not expired, we can apply for you either inside Canada or overseas. (Status must be maintained at all times by applying for visa extensions while the application is in process.) Common-law partners are partners who have lived together continually for at least one year. If the foreign national is in Canada with current status (i.e. as a visitor or student) that has not expired, we can apply for you either in Canada or overseas. (Status must be maintained at all times by applying for visa extensions while the application is in process.) Conjugal partners are partners who are neither married and have not lived together continually for at least one year, and are involved in an intimate and exclusive marriage-like relationship. Typically this application must be filed overseas, as the foreign national is usually not in Canada. ↑ Top
Q
Why should I consider hiring YOUR firm?
You can be assured of getting honest and complete information, value added personal attention, the highest quality work, detailed submissions that outline how your application qualifies, and skilled representation in any challenges from Canada Immigration. If you don’t qualify, we won’t accept your money. Our fast-growing family of delighted clients refer their friends to us with confidence. We have been serving clients worldwide since 1995 in every visa office internationally, and hope to be working for you soon. ↑ Top
