If you have any questions, please refer to our following FAQs.
Note: All of the FAQs are solely based off the information provided by Citizenship and Immigration Canada official website.
- General Immigration Questions
- CEC
- BCPNP
- Federal Business Immigration
- Student
- Worker
- Visitor
- LMIA
- Family
- Live-in Caregiver
- Appeals
What is a permanent residence?
What are the application categories for Permanent Residence?
Can I apply to a Canadian visa office which is not responsible for the area in which I reside?
Who can I include in my application for an Immigrant Visa?
What documents should be submitted in support of my application for permanent residence?
When must I submit the supporting documentation?
In what language must my supporting documentation be submitted?
How do I find out if I qualify for immigration to Canada?
Do I need to hire a consultant to represent me?
What is the immigration selection interview?
How long does the immigration process take?
Is there any way to expedite the immigration process?
Can I apply for permanent resident status and temporary status at the same time?
Do I become a permanent resident of Canada as soon as my landing documents are issued?
How long can I wait to come to Canada after my Immigrant Visa is issued?
Can the expiry date on my Canadian Immigrant Visa be extended?
Must I land at or near the location I indicated as my intended destination on my application form?
Can I select any Doctors I want for the medical exam?
When must my accompanying dependents land?
When can Canadian Citizenship be obtained?
Does Permanent Residence status in Canada permit me to enter/work in the USA?
What documents should I take when I land in Canada?
● Birth Certificate.
● Marriage Certificate.
● Driver’s License or International Drivers License
● few copies of lists stating inventory you wish to take to Canada in the future (list of “Goods to Follow”) and when landing in Canada. Include Model Numbers and Serial Numbers of products if they have such numbers.
I am thinking of getting married. Is it better to get married before I apply or after I receive the permanent residence status?
If you want to apply without a spouse, you will have to sponsor him or her after moving to Canada. Important: It is against the law to not to inform the immigration officials that you are married and land in Canada as a single person. If you do so you will not be able to sponsor your spouse after moving to Canada.
Will my application be rejected if I have a certain disease or disorder?
Can I select any Doctors I want for the medical exam?
What is police clearance?
What documents should I take when I land in Canada?
Can I leave Canada after landing there?
Do I qualify under the Canadian Experience Class?
What are the application fees?
The processing fees and must be paid for the principal applicant and any accompanying spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children.
Upon acceptance, applicants must pay the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF). The RPRF is payable by principal applicants and accompanying spouse or common-law partners and each accompanying dependants aged 22 or over. It must be paid before the immigrant visa is issued overseas or before the applicant becomes a permanent resident in Canada.
What are the language requirements for applicants under Canadian Experience Class?
What are the work experience requirements?
This work experience must have been acquired in Canada within the 36 months preceding the date your properly completed application is received by the CIO.
You do not have to be employed at the time of your application.
Note: Any periods of self-employment, unauthorized work, or periods of employment during which you were engaged in full-time study (e.g. work experience gained on a co-op, off-campus or on-campus work permit) will not be included when calculating the period of qualifying work experience. You must have had temporary resident status during the period of work experience acquired in Canada.
If you are a student and graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution, you can gain the work experience required for CEC through the Post-Graduate Work Permit.
Can I apply for Permanent Residence under the Canadian Experience Class if I intend to live in the Province of Quebec?
Is the Canadian Experience Class open to temporary residents of Quebec?
Can experience gained in Canada without proper work or study authorization be counted under the Canadian Experience Class?
Can lower-skilled workers apply to stay permanently under the Canadian Experience Class?
Is it possible for me to qualify under the Canadian Experience Class without the education requirement?
I had a refugee claim denied. Does the work experience I gained in Canada while waiting for a decision on my application as a refugee make me eligible to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class?
Does part-time work experience count toward meeting the requirements for work experience?
I want to apply as a graduate. Can part-time work experience during my full-time studies in Canada be counted toward the one-year requirement?
I want to apply as a graduate. Does work experience that was part of my educational program's requirements (such as Co-op terms and apprenticeships) count toward the one-year requirement?
If I have already submitted an application for permanent residence as a skilled worker, can I still apply under the Canadian Experience Class?
Are my English or French-as-a-second-language courses counted towards my education requirements under the Canadian Experience Class?
What occupations are eligible under the PNP Skilled Immigration Stream?
I don’t have a job offer from a B.C. employer. Can I still apply to the PNP?
What if my employer does not want to support me with my PNP application?
How much does it cost to apply to the PNP?
There is a $3,000 non-refundable processing fee for each application to the BC PNP business immigrants stream (business skills applicants proposing supporting nomination of key staff member must also pay an additional $1,000.)
What happens to my application once I submit it to the PNP?
If the PNP nominates me for permanent residence, am I entitled to work in B.C.?
If I am nominated by the PNP, does this mean I have been approved for permanent resident status?
What if there is a change in my employment (i.e. I am promoted, laid off, terminated or take a new job) after I’ve been nominated?
What if the PNP does not approve my application?
Can I apply for the BCPNP and a work permit extension at the same time?
How long is the review process?
I have a business plan. Can the PNP review it before I submit a formal application?
If the business I want to invest in requires less than the minimum personal investment, is this business eligible?
I am buying an existing business in B.C. What part of the total purchase price can I include towards the PNP’s minimum personal investment requirement?
• At least $400,000 for applicants to the Entrepreneur category; or
• At least $200,000 for applicants to the Regional Entrepreneur category.
If you are purchasing an existing business in B.C., the PNP will consider the lesser of the total purchase price of the existing B.C. business or two-thirds (66.666%) of your minimum personal investment. The remaining amount of your personal investment must go towards upgrading, expanding or improving the business.
For example, if you are purchasing an existing business for $1,000,000 CAD under the Regional Entrepreneur category, the BC PNP will only consider $133,333 as an eligible investment (66.666% x $200,000). You must invest at least an additional $66,667 to upgrade or expand the business. Your total investment will be $1,066,667 or more.
In another scenario, if you are purchasing an existing business for $100,000 CAD under the Regional Entrepreneur category, the BC PNP will consider the entire $100,000 as an eligible investment (the lesser of two-thirds of the minimum personal investment or the total purchase price). You must then invest at least an additional $100,000 to upgrade or expand the business. Your total investment will be $200,000 or more.
Finally, if you are purchasing an existing business for $500,000 CAD under the Entrepreneur category, the BC PNP will only consider $266,666 as an eligible investment (66.666% x $400,000). You must invest at least an additional $133,334 to upgrade or expand the business. Your total investment will be $633,334 or more.
What is the difference between the Regional Business Succession Option and just purchasing an existing business?
How do I calculate my personal net worth?
• assets in bank accounts,
• fixed (term) deposits
• real property,
• investments in bonds, stocks and mutual funds,
• investments in one or more businesses, and
• pensions and other assets.
My wealth is closely tied to that of my family. Can I include my family’s assets in my personal net worth?
Do I need to meet any language proficiency requirements?
I would like my vice-president to join me in B.C. because I feel that he would contribute greatly to the success of my new business. How can I arrange for this?
If you are proposing a key staff member in your application, you must clearly define the senior management role of the key staff member and outline his or her work experience. The key staff member must submit specific application forms, including supporting documentation, and he or she must attend the in-person interview with the principal applicant. If accepted, the PNP will issue the key staff member a work permit support letter to apply to CIC for a work permit. He or she will be included with the principal applicant in the assessment for nomination completed after submitting the Final Report.
I submitted an immigration application to another province, but have not heard back from them. Can I also submit an application to the PNP?
Are my children eligible as dependants?
Is Startup Visa a Canadian government program?
By completing a Startup Visa application, will I automatically be considered for a Startup Visa in Canada?
1. Your credentials to meet the basic rules of the Startup Visa program as prescribed by the Canadian government.
2. The viability of your business to be funded by a Canadian Angel Investor or Ventures Capital organization.
What are the minimum funding requirements for my business to qualify for Startup Visa in Canada?
• $200,000 CDN from a designated Venture Capital organization, or
• $75,000 CDN from an approved Angel Investor.
What do I need to do to get support from an investor organization?
What is an essential person?
How do I show that I have the support of Canadian investors?
Can an entrepreneurial team immigrate to Canada together?
How long is the Letter of Support / Commitment Certificate valid for?
Why is there a difference in the minimum investment required from a venture capital fund or an angel investor group?
Will I have to invest my own money if I want to apply for a start-up visa?
What happens if I receive investment support from multiple designated venturecapital funds or angel investor organizations?
What happens if my business fails?
How can I qualify as a Self-Employed Immigrant?
Assessment in this category is based on:
● business ability and experience (when applying under the economic contribution component of the Self-Employed Immigrant description);
● farming, athletic (at a world level) or artistic qualifications; and
● net worth (sufficient to establish/purchase the proposed business).
Self-employed persons under the Quebec program are required to have relevant experience in a trade or profession that he/she intends to practice in the province of Quebec and they are not limited to the above categories.
Must I, as a Self-Employed Immigrant, make an exploratory visit to Canada during the immigration process?
Are there any minimum net worth requirements for Self-Employed person?
Generally What documents must I provide in support of my application under the Business Immigration Programs?
How Can I prove that I earned my minimum net worth legally?
Do I need a study permit to study in Canada ?
● If you wish to study in a short-term course or program. You do not need a study permit if you plan to take a course or program in Canada that lasts six months or less. You must complete the course or program within the period authorized for your stay in Canada.
In some cases, you do not require a study permit to go to school in Canada.
•If you wish to study in a short-term course or program
You do not need a study permit if you plan to take a course or program in Canada that lasts six months or less. You must complete the course or program within the period authorized for your stay in Canada.
•Foreign representatives to Canada
If you are a family member or staff member of a foreign representative to Canada accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD), you may not need a permit to study in Canada. You should contact your embassy in Canada. Your embassy can contact the Office of Protocol at DFATD to find out whether you need a study permit.
•Members of foreign armed forces
If you are a member of a foreign armed force under the Visiting Forces Act, you do not need a permit to study in Canada. If your family members, including minor children, want to study in Canada, they must meet the requirements.
•Foreign nationals who are Registered Indians in Canada
If you are a citizen of another country who has Registered Indian status in Canada, you do not need a permit to study in Canada.
How do I find information about schools, colleges, universities or other educational institutions in Canada?
When should I apply for my study permit?
How do I renew my study permit while I am in Canada?
Am I allowed to return home for a visit or travel outside Canada during my studies?
● a valid passport or travel documents
● a valid study permit if you are returning to study in Canada and
● a valid temporary resident visa if you are a citizen of a designated country for which Canada requires a visa.
If you are a citizen of a designated country (Including Iran) and you travel to a country other than the United States, Greenland orSaint-Pierre et Miquelon, you will need a multiple-entry visa to re-enter Canada. If your temporary resident visa has expired or if your visa was only valid for a single entry, you must re-apply for a temporary resident visa at a Canadian visa office outside Canada before you can re-enter Canada.
I want to change my school or program of study. How can I change my study permit?
Primary school student
•You must apply to modify your study permit when you move on to high school. Send your application to the CIC Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta.
High school student
•You must apply to modify your study permit when you move on to post-secondary school. Send your application to the CIC Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta.
Post-secondary student
•You may change your school, program, field of study or level of study (e.g. from the Bachelor level to the Masters level) without applying for a new study permit. You do not need to apply for a change to the condition of your study permit, either. You may continue to use your study permit as long as it is valid.
I am an international student in Canada. Can I work while studying?
Yes. You may be eligible to work in Canada while studying and after you graduate. As a study permit holder, you may qualify to work on-campus or off-campus without an additional work permit if you meet specific criteria.
If your academic, professional or vocational training program includes an essential co-op or internship component, you will need to apply for a work permit.
You may also apply for a post-graduation work permit to continue working in Canada after you graduate from an eligible institution.
As an international student, can I work in Canada without a work permit?
If you have a study permit and are enrolled full-time in an eligible institution:
•you may work on-campus without a work permit.
If you have a study permit and are enrolled full-time in an academic, professional or vocational training program at a designated learning institution:
•you may work off campus without a work permit.
If you receive your study permit after June 1:
•your study permit will indicate if you are able to work off campus. If so, you are allowed to work for up to 20 hours per week while:
•your program is in session, and
•full-time during scheduled breaks in the academic calendar.
You may work for any employer in Canada who is not on the ineligible employer list.
You must have the appropriate work permit in order to take part in a co-op or internship program. You also must apply for a post-graduation work permit in order to work in Canada after your studies.
How do I find out about schools for international students in Canada?
Once you have chosen a school, you will need to make sure it is on the designated learning institution list. This list names the schools in Canada that are approved to accept international students. A study permit can only be issued to someone who has been accepted to study at a designated learning institution.
How do I study in Quebec as an international student?
Can a minor child go to school in Canada without a study permit?
•one parent (biological or adoptive) is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident; or
•one parent (biological or adoptive) is permitted to study or work in Canada; or
•neither parent is physically in Canada.
Do I need a medical exam to study in Canada?
•come from a designated country/territory for which Canada requires a visa,
•will be here for more than six months, or
•are a medical student or intend to work in health care, or in another field that brings you into close contact with children or the elderly.
As an international student, can I return home or travel outside Canada during my studies?
•a valid passport or travel document;
•a valid study permit if you are returning to study in Canada; and
•a valid temporary resident visa, if you are a citizen of a country or territory whose citizens require visas in order to enter Canada as visitors.
You must re-apply for a temporary resident visa (commonly known as a visitor visa) if:
•your visa has expired; or
•your visa was only valid for a single entry to Canada.
Can I work as many hours as I want with my off-campus work permit?
What is a post-graduation work permit?
Note: Work obtained through the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program may help support your application to become a permanent resident of Canada through Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Workers, or PNP programs.
How do I apply for a post-graduation work permit?
Can I apply for a job before I get my post-graduation work permit?
How long is a post-graduation work permit valid?
•If you graduate from an eight-month certificate program, you could be eligible for an eight-month work permit.
•If you graduate from a four-year degree program, you could be eligible for a three-year work permit, if you meet program requirements.
How do I qualify for a post-graduation work permit?
I am an international student in Canada. How can I apply to become a permanent resident?
Some of those categories require eligible Canadian work experience. If you want to work in Canada after you graduate from your studies, you must apply for a work permit under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program. If you are international graduates and currently working. You may send us an enquiry through Free Online Accessment, we can access your eligibility and reply you within 24 hours.
What do I need to work in Canada?
•a job offer in Canada,
•proof that you are certified or accredited to work in that occupation,
•proof from Employment and Social Development Canada that your proposed employer is allowed to hire you (known as a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment),
•a visa to travel to Canada,
•a work permit letter from a Canadian mission overseas,
•a work permit issued at the border and generally stamped into your passport.
What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment?
A positive LMIA will show that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job and that no Canadian worker is available to do the job. A positive LMIA is sometimes called a confirmation letter.Your proposed employer must contact Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). ESDC will provide details on the LMIA application process.
In many cases, an employer must get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to hire a foreign worker.
An LMIA is a document from the Government of Canada that permits your employer to hire a temporary foreign worker through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
Employers hiring foreign workers through the International Mobility Program do not need an LMIA. These people need a work permit but do not need an LMIA:
•Workers covered under international agreements
•People taking part in exchange programs
•Spouses and common-law partners of certain skilled foreign workers.
•Workers, their spouses/common-law partners or their dependants who are eligible for a work permit through a pilot project
Pilot projects are agreements between the Government of Canada and provincial/territorial governments. Find out if you are eligible to come to Canada through a pilot project.
•Workers nominated by a province for permanent residence
The person must have a job offer from an employer based in that province.
•Entrepreneurs and workers transferred within a company
This includes workers who will greatly benefit Canadians or permanent residents by working in Canada.
•Academics
This includes researchers, guest lecturers, visiting professors and others.
•Co-op students
These are international students studying in Canada and doing co-op work placements or internships as part of their study program.
•Religious workers
These are people doing charitable or religious work.
•Francophone Significant Benefit Program
Francophone foreign workers working in a province or territory outside Quebec in specific occupations (Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC)).
•Others
These are other people who need to support themselves while they are in Canada, such as those waiting on a refugee claim.
I have received a Canadian job offer. What documents do I need from my future employer?
•a job offer letter, and
•a document from Employment and Social Development Canada that says your employer is allowed to hire you (known as a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment, or LMIA).
Once you have these two documents, you can apply to get, extend or modify a work permit.
Does my work permit allow me to work for any employer in Canada?
As well, a foreign worker cannot work for an ineligible employer. This means an employer who is not allowed to hire a foreign worker because they have not followed the rules of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program.
What is an open work permit?
How long can I work in Canada as a foreign worker?
Are there any conditions on my work permit?
These may include:
•the type of work you can do,
•the employer you can work for,
•where you can work, or
•how long you can work.
There are also standard conditions that apply to all work permit holders. Even if you have no specific conditions on your work permit, you still must:
•not work for an employer in a business where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a risk of sexual exploitation of some workers, specifically: strip clubs,massage parlours, and escort agencies,
•leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay.
How long will it take to process my work permit application?
Can I apply for a work permit from inside Canada?
•you, your spouse or parents have a valid study or work permit,
•you have a work permit for one job but want to apply for a work permit for a different job,
•you have a temporary resident permit that is valid for six months or more, or
•you are in Canada because you have already applied for permanent residence from inside Canada. You will have to pass certain stages in the main application process before you can be eligible for a work permit.
Can I appeal a decision on a work permit application?
You can also ask for a judicial review through the Federal Court of Canada, if you think the process was not fair. A lawyer in Canada would act on your behalf.
Can I extend my International Experience Canada work permit?
Can I apply to extend my Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program work permit?
As a foreign worker,do I need a temporary resident visa to work in Canada?
I have a temporary resident visa. Can I leave Canada and come back?
Single-Entry Temporary Resident Visa
•If you have a single-entry temporary resident visa, you will generally need a new visa to come back to Canada.
•You can request to return to Canada on your original single-entry temporary resident visa, if: ◦you will only visit the U.S. or St. Pierre and Miquelon; and you will return to Canada before the end of your approved stay in Canada.
Multiple-Entry Temporary Resident Visa
•Yes, you can come back to Canada, if you have a multiple-entry temporary resident visa and it has not expired.
Expired Temporary Resident Visa
•You can ask to come back to Canada on your original temporary resident visa, even if it is expired, if: you will only visit the U.S. or St. Pierre and Miquelon, and you will return to Canada before the end of your approved stay in Canada.
An officer will make sure you meet all the requirements before allowing you to come back to Canada. If you visit any country other than those listed above, you will need a new temporary resident visa.
How can I extend my stay as a worker?
Depending on your situation, you may need to use a different application form. For example, if you have a new job offer in Canada, you will need to apply for a new work permit.
Your employer may also need to apply for a new Labour Market Impact Assessment (a document from Employment and Social Development Canada that says that your employer is allowed to hire you).
Temporary residents currently in Canada with a valid study or work permit must submit their application for a new temporary resident visa to the Case Processing Centre in Ottawa (CPC-O), or visa office that serves their country of nationality.
•If your work permit expires after you have submitted your application for an extension but before you receive a decision on your application, you can stay in Canada under what is called implied status. That means the law implies you are a temporary resident. That status lasts until Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) decides on your new permit application. However, you must respect the following requirements:
If you applied for another work permit:
◦You must stay in Canada and meet the conditions of your original work permit. If you applied for a work permit extension before your work permit expired, you can keep working under the same conditions as your existing permit until CIC decides on your application, even if you have applied to extend your stay under another category of temporary resident.
If you applied for a different kind of permit:
◦You cannot do any of the activities allowed by the original work permit. For example, you may have come to Canada as a worker and then applied for a study permit. If so, you must stop working once your work permit expires. After that, you cannot work or study until you get a new permit.
•If you have applied to extend your work permit and plan on traveling outside Canada while your application is in process, you can leave Canada and come back. However, one of three things will happen when you return to Canada: ◦You may be allowed to come back to Canada as a visitor, if Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has not yet decided to extend your work permit. If this is the case, you cannot work until you get your work permit extension. The officer at the port of entry may ask you to prove you have enough money to support yourself in Canada.
◦You may be allowed to come back to Canada as a worker, if the officer at the port of entry finds out that CIC extended your work permit while you were away.
◦You may be asked to apply for a new work permit at the port of entry.
Note: It is possible that you will not be able to enter Canada. The final decision is made at the border by the border services officer.
Can I apply to extend a work permit from inside Canada?
I work in Quebec. How can I extend my work permit?
Can I keep working if my permit expires? How do I prove this to my employer?
You must stay in Canada and meet the conditions of your original work permit. For instance, if you have an employer-specific work permit, you must still work for the employer named on that permit. And you should keep proof that you submitted the application before your work permit expired. This includes copies of the application, the fee receipt, and something that confirms the date it was sent and delivered.
I have implied status, and my health insurance card, driver’s licence and other government ID documents have expired. How can I renew my ID documents?
These services are provided by the province you live in. If your status has expired and you need to renew your government ID, you will have to apply to the government of the province or territory you live in. That government will decide how and when they renew the documents. For more information, contact the appropriate government department or agency in the province or territory where you live, such as those responsible for health or transportation.
I have applied for a Labour Market Impact Assessment or Certificat d’acceptation du Québec but I have not received it yet. My work permit is about to expire. What should I do??
You must:
•include a copy of the application sent to Employment and Social Development Canada/Immigration Québec, or
•include a copy of the receipt confirmation number, if the request was done online, or
•indicate, in the section Details of Intended Work in Canada of the work permit application:
◦the date the LMO/CAQ request was sent,
◦the office it was sent to,
◦the employer’s name, and
◦the confirmation number for the submission, if available.
You must contact CIC with the LMIA/CAQ confirmation number within 2 months of the date your application was received; otherwise your application could be refused.
Note: If you are waiting for your CAQ, you cannot submit your application online. You must submit a paper application.
Can my spouse or common-law partner and dependent children come with me to Canada?
•meet all the requirements for temporary residents to Canada,
•satisfy an immigration officer they will only stay in Canada temporarily,
•can prove they have no criminal record, if necessary, and
•meet all the conditions for getting a temporary resident visa, if they are from a country or territory whose citizens require a visa in order to enter Canada as visitors.
Can my spouse or common-law partner work in Canada?
In most cases, your spouse or common-law partner must apply for a work permit for a specific job. The employer may have to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada. An LMIA allows a particular employer to hire someone for a specific job.
However, your spouse or common-law partner may be able to apply for an open work permit—allowing him or her to accept any job with any employer—if you meet one of these conditions:
•you are allowed to work in Canada for at least six months, doing work in Canada that meets a minimum skill level (usually work that requires at least a college diploma) and doing a job listed in Skill Level 0, A or B in the National Occupational Classification, or
•you are allowed to work in Canada and doing work in Canada that is on a list of eligible occupations in participating provinces.
If your spouse or common-law partner gets an open work permit, it is normally valid for the same period as yours.
In some cases, your spouse or common-law partner will need a medical exam.
Some provinces and territories also have pilot projects for spouses or common-law partners to get open work permits in some cases.
I am a Canadian citizen and my spouse is not. Can my spouse work in Canada?
If your spouse or common-law partner is in Canada on a temporary resident (visitor) visa, they have to apply for a work permit to be able to work.
Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for a work permit from inside Canada if:
•they have a temporary resident permit that is valid for six months or more; OR
•they are in Canada because they have already applied for permanent residence from inside Canada AND they have passed certain stages in the main application process; OR
•you are a Canadian citizen and resident of Ontario returning to that province to work in an academic or health-care career.
Do I need a visa to visit Canada?
What is the difference between a single and a multiple entry visa?
A multiple entry visa allows visitors to come and go from Canada for six months at a time, without having to reapply each time. It can be valid for up to 10 years, or one month before your passport expires, whichever is earlier. You must arrive in Canada on or before the expiry date on your visa.
A single entry visa allows you to come to Canada only one time. Once you have left Canada, excluding travel to the United States and St. Pierre and Miquelon, you will need a new visa to travel back to and enter Canada.
If your visa is still valid and you are travelling only and directly to the United States (including its Territories and Possessions) or St. Pierre and Miquelon, you do not need a new visitor visa to return to Canada. If your visa expires before returning to Canada from one of these areas, and you are not in possession of a valid visitor record, work permit, study permit, or temporary resident permit (authorizing re-entry), you will need to get a new visitor visa.
Starting on February 6, 2014 (00:01 EST), all visa applicants will automatically be considered for a multiple entry visa. The visa officer reviewing your application may be able to give you this type of visa even if you applied for a single entry visa.
Why was I issued a single entry visa instead of a multiple entry visa?
•An applicant is eligible for a fee-exemption and where the purpose of entry to Canada is limited (e.g., for an official visit by a foreign national);
•An applicant is participating in a one-time special event in Canada (e.g., Pan-American Games); and/or
•Country-specific procedures or guidelines are in place and approved by CIC.
I have a visa. What can I expect when I arrive in Canada?
The officer will authorize your stay by stamping your passport and/or issuing another document.
If there is no stamp, handwritten date or document in your passport, your temporary resident status will expire six months from the day you arrived in Canada.
If you received a visitor record, student or work permit, the expiry date is marked on it.
I am in Canada on a temporary resident visa. I plan to take a cruise. Do I need a new visa to come back to Canada?
Do I need a visa if I am travelling through Canada without stopping or visiting?
You may not need a transit visa if you are travelling to or from the United States. The Transit Without Visa program (TWOV) and the China Transit Program (CTP) allow certain foreign nationals to transit through Canada on their way to and from the United States without a Canadian transit visa, if they meet certain requirements.
How do I help a family member or friend apply to visit Canada?
You may provide your family member or friend a letter of invitation in support of their application. It should explain how you will help the person. For example, you may offer to pay for plane tickets or accommodation. A letter of invitation can help, but it does not guarantee the person will get a visa.
Who can I hire to help me with my application for a temporary resident visa?
•a lawyer or paralegal who is a member in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, or
•a notary who is a member in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec, or
•an immigration consultant who is a member in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council.
If I get sick or have an accident while visiting Canada, will the Government of Canada pay for my medical treatment?
Can I fill out one temporary resident visa application for my whole family if we are travelling together?
You can submit all family member applications in the same envelope with one payment receipt for the total fee for all of your applications.
Parents or guardians can help children fill out their forms. Parents or guardians must sign the forms for any children under the age of 18.
I am a Mexican citizen. Can my visa application be processed faster with the CAN+ program?
I have U.S. residency (Green Card). Do I need a visa to visit Canada or can I use my Green Card?
How does the parent and grandparent super visa differ from a visitor visa?
With the parent and grandparent super visa, eligible parents and grandparents can visit family in Canada for up to two years without the need to renew their status.
The Super Visa is a multi-entry visa that provides multiple entries for a period up to 10 years. The key difference is that the Super Visa allows an individual to stay for up to two years on initial entry into Canada, while a 10-year multiple entry visa would only have a status period for each entry of six months only.
Who is eligible for a parent and grandparent super visa?
What is a business visitor?
Visitors may come to Canada to observe site visits. Alternatively, a Canadian company may have invited them to Canada for training in product use, sales or other functions related to a business transaction.
Business visitors must prove that their main source of income and their main place of business are outside Canada.
If I am a business visitor, do I need a work permit to work in Canada?
I got a multiple-entry temporary resident visa to visit a relative in Canada last year. Can I use it to travel to Canada on a business trip?
How do I hire a foreign worker?
1.Find out if you need to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (or LMIA, a document an employer must usually get before they are allowed to hire a foreign worker). See Who Can Apply for information on LMIA and then apply at Service Canada, if needed.
2.Have the foreign worker complete the work permit application.
3.The worker will receive an authorization letter when their work permit has been approved. The actual work permit is issued by a border services officer at the port of entry when the foreign worker arrives in Canada.
What are my obligations as an employer to foreign workers?
•making sure that your workers have their work permits,
•making sure that foreign workers working for you follow the conditions and time limits outlined on their work permit,
•meeting your commitments to the foreign workers regarding wages, working conditions and the occupation that was listed in the job offer or Labour Market Impact Assessment,
•complying with provincial, territorial or federal employment legislation, and
•helping the workers obtain the correct documents (for example, social insurance number and medical documents).
Can I fire an incompetent foreign worker?
What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment?
A positive LMIA will show that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job and that no Canadian worker is available to do the job. A positive LMIA is sometimes called a confirmation letter.
Your proposed employer must contact Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). ESDC will provide details on the LMIA application process.
I want to apply for a work permit. Do I need to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment first?
You may apply for a work permit without an LMIA if you are in one of the LMIA exempt situations.
Which family members can come with me to Canada when I immigrate?
•your spouse or common-law partner,
•your dependent child,
•your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent child, and
•a dependent child of a dependent child.
Your parents, grandparents and other family members cannot come to Canada with you. However, you may be able to apply to sponsor them to come to Canada after you immigrate here. Effective August 1, 2014, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has changed its definition of a dependent child for its immigration programs. A dependent child must be under 19 years of age, instead of the previous limit of under 22 years of age.
When does the parent and grandparent program (PGP) re-open to new applications?
I want to hire a foreign worker as a live-in caregiver in Canada. What steps do I take?
If you have been unable to hire a Canadian or permanent resident, your next step is to apply to ESDC for what is known as a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), which confirms that there is no Canadian worker available to do the job. If ESDC issues you a positive LMIA, you are then authorized to hire a foreign worker.
It also tells you which documents you must give your future employee so that he or she can apply for a work permit through a Canadian visa office outside Canada.
You are responsible for finding a foreign live-in caregiver. To do so, you can use advertisements, personal contacts or hiring agencies.
When you have found a foreign live-in caregiver you want to hire, you must first contact Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). If your future employee applies for a work permit and meets the program’s requirements, he or she will receive a work permit. The approval process could take several months.Your caregiver cannot work for you until CIC approves a work permit showing your name as the employer.
What is a recruitment fee under the Live-in Caregiver Program?
•advertising jobs;
•collecting and filing applications;
•pre-screening workers;
•testing and analyzing workers’ skills or knowledge;
•arranging formal interviews with workers;
•confirming that workers meet the program criteria; and
•negotiating a wage or salary that reflects the employer’s needs and LCP requirements.
Can the live-in caregiver recruiter charge for other services?
•résumé writing help;
•interview preparation; and
•first-aid courses.
Who pays the fees for other services that live-in caregiver recruiters provide?
I am a live-in caregiver. What happens if I lose my job?
You may also be eligible for EI benefits that are provided at certain times when you are unable to work. This includes sickness, maternity, parental and compassionate care benefits.
While you are working, your employer deducts EI premiums from your wages. The amount deducted depends on how much you earn. Your employer sends your EI premiums to the government.
My employer is moving within the province. Do I need a new work permit or Labour Market Opinion?
My employer is moving to another province or territory. Do I need a new work permit or Labour Market Opinion?
Apply for a new work permit well before you move to the new location with your employer. Be sure to apply at least 30 days before your current work permit expires.
Can I keep working as a live-in caregiver if my work permit has expired?
You should apply to extend your work permit at least 30 days before it expires.
Can I work for more than one employer at a time under the Live-in Caregiver Program?
Can I change employers under the Live-in Caregiver Program?
There are several other steps you must take before you change employers, including asking your current employer for some documents.
Can I leave the Live-in Caregiver Program and get another type of job?
The hours you work for any employer outside the LCP will not count toward the work experience you need to apply for permanent residence under the LCP.
Can my family come to Canada with me if I am a live-in caregiver?
However, you may be allowed to bring your family with you if you satisfy a visa officer that:
•you have enough money to care for and support your family members in Canada, and
•your employer will let them live in the home where you will provide care.
Can I study in Canada while I am a live-in caregiver?
As a live-in caregiver, can I work in another country for my Canadian employer?
As a live-in caregiver, can I return to my home country for a vacation?
If you leave Canada before your application for permanent residence is approved, you may not be allowed to come back into Canada, especially if:
•you come from a country whose citizens need a temporary resident visa to enter Canada; or
•your work permit has expired and you no longer have legal status in Canada.
In this case, if you cannot return to Canada for any reason, your application may be abandoned.
Before travelling, check with your country’s government for information on visiting or exit visa requirements. They may have changed while you have been working in Canada.
Can my spouse or common-law partner work in Canada?
In most cases, your spouse or common-law partner must apply for a work permit for a specific job. The employer may have to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada. An LMIA allows a particular employer to hire someone for a specific job.
However, your spouse or common-law partner may be able to apply for an open work permit—allowing him or her to accept any job with any employer—if you meet one of these conditions:
•you are ◦allowed to work in Canada for at least six months, doing work in Canada that meets a minimum skill level (usually work that requires at least a college diploma) and doing a job listed in Skill Level 0, A or B in the National Occupational Classification, or
•you are ◦allowed to work in Canada and doing work in Canada that is on a list of eligible occupations in participating provinces.
If your spouse or common-law partner gets an open work permit, it is normally valid for the same period as yours.
In some cases, your spouse or common-law partner will need a medical exam.
Some provinces and territories also have pilot projects for spouses or common-law partners to get open work permits in some cases.
Do I need to extend my work permit while my permanent residence application is being processed?
However, you may need a valid work permit to renew documents such as your social insurance card or your health card. In these cases, you would need to renew your work permit.
I have applied for an open work permit and permanent residence. What if my current work permit expires?
Will the time I worked under any work permit help me get permanent residence under the Live-in Caregiver Program?
Who must be included on my permanent residence application if I am a live-in caregiver?
How many hours of work experience do I need as a Live-in Caregiver to apply for permanent residence?
•24 months of authorized full-time employment; or
•3,900 hours of authorized full-time employment.
Who Has the Right to Appeal?
What Kinds of Decisions may be Appealed?
•As sponsors who wish to bring family members to Canada, they can appeal if their sponsorship applications have been refused by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
•Permanent residents who have removal orders made against them have the right to appeal the orders
•Permanent residents found not to have met their residency obligation (i.e., they have not resided in Canada for at least 730 days in a five year period) can appeal that finding.
Who Makes Decisions on Appeal?
The IAD and ID are both administrative tribunals and must follow a process similar to what happens in a court, although they are less formal.
The person who hears and decides the case is called a member. IAD and ID members are appointed by the Government of Canada. They are supposed to be impartial.
When may a Permanent Resident be Considered inadmissible?
•has failed in some way to comply with the immigration law
•is a security threat
•has violated human or international rights
•has been involved in crime or organized crime
•has engaged in misrepresentation
Misrepresentation means you misrepresented certain facts, or failed to disclose certain information at the time you applied for permanent resident status. This information must have been relevant to your application. For instance, when you applied to immigrate to Canada, you did not disclose the fact that you had a dependent child. You subsequently tried to sponsor the child to Canada. When this happens, CIC checks to see if you have declared this child in your initial application. If you have not, CIC may initiate an investigation against you for misrepresentation. Misrepresentation may also be alleged against you if, for instance, you were sponsored by your spouse to Canada but just before coming to Canada, you and your spouse became separated and you did not inform immigration about the change in your marital status.
What Happens at an Admissibility Hearing?
Before the hearing, you should receive further information from CBSA about the case they have against you. At the hearing, a person representing CBSA, called the Minister’s Counsel, will tell the ID member why you should not be allowed to enter or remain in Canada. You have the right to respond to what the Minister’s Counsel says. You may also submit your own evidence or call your own witnesses to support your case.
After considering all the evidence, the ID member will make a decision. If the member decides to issue an order to remove you, you have the right to appeal that decision to the IAD. If the member decides not to issue a removal order against you, the CBSA will also have the right to appeal that decision to the IAD.
Types of Appeals before the IAD?
•Appeals by sponsors in family class cases
•Appeals of removal orders made against permanent residents
•Appeals by permanent residents found not to have met residency requirements
•Appeals by CBSA of decisions on admissibility made by Immigration Division