A GCKey is required for the online submission of Canadian immigration or visa applications and is a secure way to communicate with online Canadian government services by using special electronic credentials.
GCKey is a service offered by the Government of Canada that generates login information (username and password) for use with online federal government services. If you do not have, or prefer not to utilize, a credential with one of the Sign-In Partners you can use the GCKey service.
As a result, having it is convenient and practical because you do not need to keep track of multiple usernames and passwords.
If you’ve already created an account, you can log in here. If you’re a new user, you must select “Sign up” from the Simple Secure Access menu on the right side of the screen.
The Terms and Conditions will appear after you click on the sign-up button. To proceed, click ‘I accept’.
Finally, you need to create your User Name and Password. After deciding on your username, you must select a secure password.
Important:
There must be between eight and sixteen characters in your password. It must not contain three or more consecutive characters from your Username and must at least have one upper case letter, one lower case letter, and one digit. Lastly, remember not to share your password and keep it in a safe place. Now you are all done!
Can I use the same GCKey to access several services?
Yes. You can use the same GCKey credential to access all available online services, with the exception of the CRA services. Using the same credential to access many services is convenient, as you don’t have to remember several username and passwords.
To access the CRA’s login services, you must either use one of the Sign-In Partners or register for a CRA User ID and password.
What services do I need Sign-In Partner or GCKey for?
Employers and temporary workers to benefit from family work permits to address labour shortages
As the Canadian economy recovers, employers, including tourism industry employees, have had difficulty finding workers. However, an announcement stated that temporary workers would now be eligible to obtain work permits for their families
On Friday, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser announced that family members of temporary foreign workers will be eligible to apply for work permits.
Canada is expanding work permits for family members! Starting in 2023, spouses and children of a principal applicant will be eligible to work in Canada. https://t.co/einP1Op4RC
“Expanding the eligibility for work permits to family members accompanying the principal applicant to Canada will help address labour shortages by assisting employers in finding the workers they need,” he said in a press statement.
Before this announcement, spouses were only eligible for a work permit if the principal applicant worked in a high-skill occupation. However, temporary workers will benefit from family work permits starting in 2023.
Families will be kept together as part of this temporary measure. By that, workers’ emotional well-being, physical health, and financial security will improve. Ultimately, the goal is to provide the worker with a better integration into their work environment and community.
Phase 1 will enable family members of workers coming to Canada through the high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program to apply for an open work permit.
Phase 2 aims to expand the measure to the family members of workers from the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, following consultations.
Phase 3 will include consultation with agricultural partners and stakeholders to assess operational feasibility for expanding the measure to family members of agricultural workers.
Canada has issued over 645,000 work permits between January and October 2022—nearly 4 times more than the 163,000 issued over the same period in 2021.
“Should I apply for a work permit or a student permit? Is there a better option for me? Which path should I follow?”. We receive this type of question all the time and, to be honest, there is not a straight answer as a number of factors go into this decision. However, you can use these three questions to help you decide.
By having realistic expectations, you can work efficiently towards your immigration goals. So let’s dive right into it!
Q1: What is my English proficiency? Is it important to work or study in Canada?
This is key to determining the program you can apply to. On one hand, if you have a beginning level of English, perhaps the best and only option is to start a study program before thinking about working. On the other hand, if your proficiency is higher (certified by a standardized test such as IELTS) you can consider other immigration options, like the Provincial Nominee Program.
The IELTS scale (1)
Q2: How much money can I invest? Studying and working are compatible?
Immigrating always involves a considerable cost. However, determining how much you’re willing to invest can make or break your immigration options.
For example, you must consider the annual cost of living in the city or province you wish to live in, the average salary for your desired job, and how long it will take for you to recoup your investment.
In addition, there are other factors to look at such as working while studying, the number of hours you are allowed to work, the industry you are planning to work in, etc.
Check out the cost of living of the most popular cities ranked from lower to higher cost of living.
Maybe you initially planned on working in Canada, but you do not qualify for any program. Don’t let that discourage you! After all, there are several pathways to immigrating to Canada; each step counts toward achieving your ultimate goal.
The Canada Super Visa is also known as the Parents and Grandparents Super Visa. Under this permit, parents and grandparents of permanent residents and citizens can visit their relatives for up to 2 years at a time. So it is much better than a Standard Visitor Visa!
The general requirements are:
A letter of invitation from your son or grandson.
Proof that your child or grandchild meets the minimum family income requirements.
Proof of payment of Canadian health insurance, valid for at least 1 year from the entry date.
It is important to note that a letter of invitation does not guarantee that a visa will be issued. The visa offices only use this to determine whether the applicant satisfies the terms and requirements of Canadian immigration law.
Additionally, take into account that a number of other factors are taken into consideration by the officers, including the purpose of the visit, the stability of the home country’s economic and political systems, and their ties to that country.
Why is it better than a Standard Visitor Visa?
One of the biggest benefits of the Super Visa is that allows the person to enter Canada multiple times for up to 10 years. It is possible for individuals to stay in Canada for a maximum of two years at a time. In contrast, a 10-year multiple entry visa (Standard Visitor Visa) only has a six-month visit period for each entry into the country.
You may be asking yourself what are the benefits of hiring an immigration authorized representative? Can’t I just prepare my own application? Why should I pay someone else to do it? These are all valid questions and, of course, you are not required to hire an authorized immigration representative. However, the process of preparing and submitting an immigration application can be time consuming and often complex. Making even what may seem as a minor error on an application or failing to submit a required document could result in delays in the processing of your application or even a refusal.
Many of our clients are those who tried to submit their application themselves and either received a refusal, or had their applications returned for different reasons. A refusal doesn’t just mean more time and money, it could also result in subsequent attempts to apply being more complicated and difficult each time.
With over 80 different immigration programs available, finding the right program or path to accomplish or achieve your goal can be complex and applying to a program for which you don’t meet the requirements will only lead to a refusal. Our team of authorized representatives have prepared hundreds of successful applications and assisted countless individuals and families to immigrate to Canada. We are well versed in immigration law, regulations and policies and can help you determine the best program for which to apply. Our authorized representatives will learn about your specific situation, your goals and We will communicate with you to assess your situation, learn about your work and education history and provide you with professional advice and recommendations. Our representatives stay with you every step of the way to ensure a smooth and timely process from that very first consultation until you successfully land and integrate in Canada.
What is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC)?
As of 2004, Canada requires that all consultants complete an accredited program in immigration law and ongoing education to keep consultants informed on any new developments. Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) are legally authorized representatives in good standing with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC). Before you hire anyone to work on your application or provide you with immigration related advice, it is very important that you verify that they are members of the ICCRC. Ask your consultant for his/her RCIC number and you can look them up to ensure you’re working with someone who meets the rigorous standards of the ICCRC. You can do this by going to the regulatory website www.iccrc-crcic.ca. You should be aware that there are many people who are not licensed but appear to be. Many scams exist, so be sure that you do not become a victim.
Every few weeks, the government of Canada holds anExpress Entry draw, inviting thousands of qualified applicants to apply for Canadian permanent residence (PR). In the most recent Express Entry draw, held on Wednesday, November 27,Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC)sent out invitations to 3,600 candidates in the Express Entry pool with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 471 or more. Individuals who have a profile in the Express Entry pool and meet the minimum CRS cut-off score should have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) forimmigration to Canada.
This is the second draw to occur this month, continuing the trend of two draws a month by IRCC. The previous draw, held on November 13th, had a cut-off CRS score of 472, just one point more than the most recent draw. The same number of candidates received ITAs in the last draw as in this recent one, bringing the total number of invitations to 7,200 for the month of November. In total, 78,900 invitations have been sent out so far this year. In 2018, a record-breaking 89,800 candidates received ITAs and with just one more month left in 2019, it is unclear whether that record will stand. It’s still possible for this record to be broken in the final month of the year, depending on the number of draws held and the size of the draws.
Did you receive an ITA?
First of all, we want to congratulate those who received an invitation this week. If you are among the individuals who received an ITA in this week’s draw, now is the time to start preparing your permanent residence application. Keep in mind that you must submit your complete application with all required documents within 60 days of receiving your ITA. Often, these applications can be confusing and even the smallest of errors could result in your application being delayed or even refused. If you have a spouse, common-law partner, and / or dependent children, whether or not they will accompany you to Canada, it is necessary to include these family members in your application. If you wish to bring your spouse, partner, or dependent children with you to Canada, this can make the application process all the more complex. To prevent delays or refusal of your application, it is important that you prepare your application accurately and completely. Our immigration consultants can help you to determine what information is required and what documents you need to provide. We will guide you throughout the process and be with you every step of the way to ensure the best possible outcome for you and your family. If you need help preparing and submitting your permanent residence application or if you are interested in entering the Express Entry pool before the next draw,contact usto speak with a licensed immigration consultant.
How to apply for Express Entry
Individuals who wish to enter the Express Entry pool to possibly receive an ITA in the next draw will need to first determine that they are eligible for one of the three current economic programs. The first step to determine your eligibility is to complete ourfree online assessment. Our team of consultants will review and assess your qualifications to determine if you meet the requirements for an Express Entry application. This assessment will rank you based on various factors – including language, work experience, education, and others – to determine whether you meet the minimum requirements for one of Canada’s economic immigration programs. If you are found to be eligible, you may then proceed with the next step in the application process.
Canada’s Express Entry pool is open to all individuals who meet the minimum requirements of any one of the following economic programs:
In addition to these three programs, certainProvincial Nominee Programsalso allow candidates to apply through the Express Entry pool. You may be required to enter the pool before or after receiving a nomination, depending on the requirements of the provincial program. If you meet the requirements of a Provincial Nominee Program, we can assist you in the process of entering the Express Entry pool and submitting an application to the province of your choice.
How to get an ITA
Individuals who meet the requirements of one of the above listed economic immigration programs will need to first create an online profile in the Express Entry pool. Once you’ve entered, your profile will remain in the pool for 12 months. If, after that 12-month period, you have still not received an invitation, you may submit your profile to the pool again. IRCC will select the most qualified applicants from the pool to invite so it’s important to make sure you meet the minimum selection criteria. For example, having a job offer is not a requirement to enter the pool but those with job offers will receive more points, making them more likely to be selected and receive an ITA. Other factors that impact your score include age, education level, work experience, and language ability. If you did not receive an ITA this time around, you may want to work on some of these factors. Increasing your language ability will result in a higher score, improving your chances of being invited in the next draw. Applicants who receive a nomination from a province will receive 600 CRS points, all but ensuring that they will receive an ITA in the next round of invitations. In total, there are 1200 CRA points that one can acquire. Our immigration consultants can assess your situation and assist you in determining which areas you may be able to improve in order to earn more points and possibly receive an ITA in a future draw.
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