Jul 19, 2017 | Blog, Immigrate to Canada, Immigration, In the News, Permanent Residency, Skilled Workers, Spousal Sponsorship, Student Visas, Work Permits, Working In Canada
There are many reasons why a person would choose to immigrate to Canada. Some people immigrate in hopes of living a better life and/or to give their children opportunities that may not be so readily available in their country. Some people immigrate because they live in a war-torn country and they fear for their safety and that of their family. Others have family already in Canada and they want to be close to them. Some people choose to immigrate to Canada with their spouse or partner. This process is called Spousal Sponsorship. Then there are those who come to Canada to gain valuable education and/or work experience.
When it comes to quality of life, Canada has most other countries beat. In fact, Canada was ranked #2 best country in the world and #1 in education. Just to compare, the US was ranked 7th best country and 7th in education. Canadians are also “the 6th happiest people in the world, while Americans lag behind at 13th.” And there is a reason why Canadians are so happy. They have universal healthcare, for one. And, relative to other countries, Canada has easier access to education / cheaper degrees, higher press freedom, higher economic freedom, and better prison and justice systems. Canadians also live longer, work less hours, take more days off, and earn more money than Americans. Wow. It’s true. The American dream has moved north.
Let’s talk about immigration policy. The main issue to consider here is that Canadian provinces, unlike US states, have the ability to set immigration policy. Immigration in Canada is a joint effort between the federal and provincial governments. Canada has a program called the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which allows provinces to choose who they bring in based on economic need. The PNP helps individuals and their families to apply for permanent residence based on set criteria developed by the individual provinces. This is good both for the immigrant, whose application for PR is fast-tracked by a provincial nomination, and for the province, as they are able to bring in workers to meet labor market demand. While many of Canada’s immigration programs focus on skilled worker immigration, the PNP allows provinces to select workers in any occupation, including low or no-skilled occupations, to meet the labor demands of the province. So, if you find yourself to not be eligible for any other economic immigration program, you may find success in one of the Provincial Nominee Programs.
Overall, Canada’s immigration policy is far superior to that of the United States. Canada welcomes immigrants based on merit, which means that individuals who receive permanent residence in Canada are typically well educated and highly skilled. Immigration to Canada is also easier and faster than US immigration for many people. So, if you are a young professional looking for better opportunities in a beautiful country, Canada might just be the best place to go. Or if you are a businessman or woman looking to expand your business or set up a new business, Canada is a great place to do this. Whatever your reasons are, our team of qualified immigration consultants can assist you with all of your immigration needs. To start, take our free online assessment and find out if you qualify for one of Canada’s many immigration programs. If you have any immigration questions, contact us for a consultation today.
May 17, 2017 | Blog, Citizenship, Family Immigration, Featured, Immigrate to Canada, Immigration, In the News, Permanent Residency, Spousal Sponsorship, Student Visas, Temporary Foreign Workers, Tourist Visas, Work Permits, Working In Canada
According to a U.S. News study, Canada was ranked the second best country in the world in 2017. U.S. News partnered with Y&R’s BAV and Wharton to rank 80 countries, based on several attributes, divided into nine (9) sub-rankings:
- Adventure (friendly, fun, pleasant climate, scenic, and sexy);
- Citizenship (cares about human rights, cares about the environment, gender equality, progressive, religious freedom, respects property rights, trustworthy and well-distributed political power);
- Cultural Influence (culturally significant in terms of entertainment, fashionable, happy, has an influential culture, modern, prestigious and trendy);
- Entrepreneurship (connected to the rest of the world, educated population, entrepreneurial, innovative, provides easy access to capital, skilled labor force, technological expertise, transparent business practices, well-developed infrastructure and well-developed legal framework):
- Heritage (culturally accessible, has a rich history, has good food and many cultural attractions);
- Movers (different, distinctive, dynamic and unique):
- Open for Business (bureaucratic, cheap manufacturing costs, corrupt, favorable tax environment and transparent government practices);
- Power (a leader, economically influential, politically influential, strong international alliances and strong military alliances); and
- Quality of Life (affordable, a good job market, economically stable, family friendly, income equality, politically stable, safe, well-developed public education system and well-developed public health system).
Coming in as the second best country overall after Switzerland, Canada was also ranked #1 in the Quality of Life sub-category and 4th in the Citizenship sub-category. With a great public health care system and strong education system, as well as being a safe and family-friendly country; Canadians can boast a high quality of life. Canada is also known for being welcoming to immigrants and accepting of the diverse cultures of all their citizens. Canada is a land of opportunities for many foreign nationals as well as a safe haven for refugees. It might even be said that the American Dream is currently alive in Canada. In fact, the United States ranked 7th overall behind the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Sweden (ranked 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th, respectively). Canada also ranked second best country overall in the same survey done in 2016 (behind Germany) as well as #1 in Quality of Life and #2 in Citizenship.
In addition to the above-mentioned categories, Canada also ranked number one for Best Countries for Education, well above the United States (which ranked 7th). Canada secured this #1 spot because of its highly developed public education system and quality universities. All in all we can say that Canada is a wonderful place to live. No matter where in the world you come from, what your beliefs are, and what your future goals look like, Canada and its occupants welcome you with open arms.
Are you interested in exploring this beautiful country? There are so many opportunities for individuals and families looking to study, work, and live in Canada. Our team of experienced immigration consultants is here to help you achieve your dream. Maybe you want to come for a visit to see the sights or to visit family. Perhaps you are looking for temporary status that allows you to work and /or study in Canada. Even if you are seeking a more long-term status, we can help. Canada places much value on the reunification of families. So if you have family members living in Canada, we can help with Family Sponsorship applications, including Spousal Sponsorship. From visitor visas to permanent residence to citizenship, our team can help you choose the best program to fit your needs. To get started, take our free online assessment or contact us today. We would gladly answer all of your questions and discuss your options for Canada immigration.
May 3, 2017 | Blog, Family Immigration, Immigrate to Canada, Permanent Residency
Currently, families immigrating to Canada under an economic, family, or refugee/humanitarian program are able to include their dependent children on their applications, as long as the child is under 19 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship. Prior to August 2014, dependent children aged 21 and under were eligible to be included in their parents’ application for permanent residence. Now, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has made the decision to return to the previous definition of dependent child. Beginning Oct. 24, 2017, applicants will be able to include dependent children who are under 22 years of age in their application for permanent residence.
The purpose of this change is to help families stay together through the immigration process. According to IRCC data, adult children often remain dependent on their parents for both financial and emotional support as they work on gaining an education and work experience of their own. By keeping families together, Canada is helping these young adults to gain valuable experience through post-secondary education without the added burden of being independent or being away from their families. These young adults may not be eligible to apply for permanent or even temporary status on their own merits. Thus, allowing them to be included in their parents’ applications will make the transition easier on the entire family. In many cases, these young adults help their family by watching younger children, thus allowing their parents to work. They may also help the family by working themselves. Thus, keeping families together is beneficial for the entire community. By making this change, Canada holds true to its promise of reuniting families and keeping them together.
Children who are unable to financially support themselves due to a physical or mental illness can also be included in their parents’ permanent residence applications, regardless of age.
For more information about Canada’s many immigration options, click here.
If you have any questions about this change or any other inquiries, contact us to speak with an immigration consultant.
To determine your eligibility for permanent residence, take our free online assessment.
May 2, 2017 | Blog, Family Immigration, New Laws, Permanent Residency, Spousal Sponsorship
On April 28, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the elimination of the conditional permanent residence provision for sponsored spouses and partners. This provision, put in place in October 2012, was meant to prevent fraudulent marriages entered into for the sole purpose of immigration. Under this provision, a sponsored spouse or partner of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident was required to live with their sponsor for two years if, at the time of applying, the couple did not have any children together and the relationship was less than two years old.
Effective immediately, sponsored spouses and partners will be relieved of this requirement to live with their sponsor and instead receive full permanent resident status upon landing. By getting rid of the conditional permanent residence provision, the government of Canada hopes to promote gender equality and battle violence. Under the conditional permanent residence provision, vulnerable spouses or partners may have felt the need to remain in an abusive relationship for fear of losing their status. While there did exist an exception to the condition that addressed violence, this does not mean that victims were aware of it or that no other factors might have prevented them from coming forward. Fear is a big factor in these situations and abuse is not always an easy case to present. As such, it is believed that sponsored spouses were put in a difficult position under this conditional status. With this change, sponsored spouses and partners can feel secure in their status without staying in a bad or dangerous relationship. As noted on the Government of Canada website, “any case that was under investigation for non-compliance with the cohabitation condition has ceased. However, cases involving marriage fraud will continue to be investigated.”
Violence is not tolerated in Canada. If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse or neglect under the hand of a sponsor or sponsor’s family, you can get help.
For more information about spousal sponsorship, click here or contact us to discuss your options for permanent residence.
Nov 9, 2011 | Family Immigration, In the News, Why you need an immigration specialist
Canadian marriage fraud is on the rise. The Canada Border Services Agency currently has more than 30 criminal probes with relation to fraudulent marriages that took place during the past few years. Canada’s border agency brought up the possibility that organized crime syndicates may have a hand in facilitating these fraudulent marriages in order to achieve legal status in Canada.
Upon analysis by Citizen and Immigration officials, they noticed that there were too many dubious similarities among marriage sponsorships, which led to the conclusion that most of these marriages might be fraudulent in nature.
There are two types of fraudulent marriage:
- A Canadian sponsor with good intentions falls prey to a foreign national, who takes advantage of their union to gain permanent resident status in Canada, and the same can result to the offender being kicked out of Canada.
- Both individuals are aware and participate, of their own free will, in a phony marriage. This is what is considered by the government to be “organized crime”.
In order to gather enough evidence to support and successfully prosecute the offending parties, the Public Safety Ministry has conceded that they require investigations, which take up a lot of resources.
More than three-dozen investigations have been initiated in the last four years, out of which seven cases have been brought before the courts, resulting in convictions for three of these cases. As of the end of 2010, more than a dozen of these cases were still pending.
The result of all of this is that Canadian marriage immigration may become more difficult and restrictive, like it is in the USA. A move has been proposed where “conditional permanent residence” would be granted to foreigners who have been married to their Canadian sponsor for less than 2 years, just like in the US process. Upon arrival in Canada, they have to remain in that relationship for 2 more years, otherwise they risk losing their permanent residency status. For this reason you should contact our firm for help filing your Canadian marriage sponsorship application, to increase your chances of success!
