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Many dream of starting a new life in Canada. To reach this goaone must first
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| FAQ |
- Skilled worker
- Investor
- Entrepreneur
- Self-employed person
Some differences between the processes:
- Inside Canada
- Outside Canada
Skilled worker
Why has Citizenship and Immigration Canada introduced the simplified application process for Federal Economic Class applications?
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is committed to client-focused service delivery. CIC recognized that changes in procedure could simplify the initial application requirements for Federal Economic Class applicants waiting to have their applications assessed.
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What does the supporting documentation to be provided later include?
Supporting documentation would include education documents or other certificates attesting to the educational level, employment letters confirming work experience, language test results, police certificates, birth and marriage certificates, and bank statements confirming the applicant’s funds.
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Is the simplified application process being used at all visa offices?
Since September 1, 2006, the simplified application process is in use at all visa offices except Buffalo, U.S.A. For applicants who submit their applications in Buffalo for processing by Buffalo and the other U.S. offices, the regular application process continues to apply. Applicants must submit their supporting documents at the same time as the application form.
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If I am using the simplified application process, do I have to notify the visa office if I change jobs?
No. You only have to notify the visa office if you have a new address (postal or email) or hire a new immigration representative. You should also contact the visa office if you decide to withdraw your application. You do not have to notify Citizenship and Immigration Canada of any other changes until the visa office contacts you (about four months before the office is ready to assess your application).
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I have already submitted my application. Do I have to start over?
No. Applications that were submitted before September 1, 2006, will be processed as usual. Regular applications received after September 1, 2006, are accepted, but the supporting documents will be returned to the applicant until the visa office requests them.
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Why do you return the supporting documents?
The simplified process is intended to help applicants by eliminating the burden of continuously having to submit documents while waiting for their application to be processed. It also allows Citizenship and Immigration Canada to avoid duplication of work and save storage space. In addition, given application processing times, most documents would have to be updated if the applicant’s situation changes (for example, marital status, job, education and financial situation).
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I have been nominated under a province’s immigration program. Do I submit a simplified application?
No. Individuals applying under a provincial nomination program do not submit a simplified application because these applications are processed on a priority basis
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Will my processing fees be refunded if I decide to withdraw my application?
Yes. If you contact the visa office before they contact you (that is, before the assessment of your application begins), your fees will be refunded.
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I have just taken a language proficiency test at a designated organization, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Test d’évaluation de français (TEF). Can I submit the results now?
If you apply under the simplified application process, the visa office will not accept any supporting documents. If you submit documents with your application, they will be returned to you.
Submit your language test results with your other supporting documents. The visa office will contact you to request these documents about four months before your application is processed. If you take the language test within one year of submitting your simplified application, the results remain valid and will be accepted as supporting documentation by the visa office.
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Investor
What are the requirements for qualifying as an investor?
To qualify as an investor, you must have two years of business experience and a net worth of at least C$ 800,000 that was obtained legally. You must also obtain a minimum of 35 points in a selection grid designed to determine whether you will be able to become economically established in Canada. Before a visa is issued, you must make an investment of C$ 400,000 to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
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What is the procedure for becoming an investor?
You must meet all the eligibility requirements, pass medical, criminal and security checks and make an investment of C$ 400,000.
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What are the business experience requirements?
You must have been a part or full owner of a business for two years or more, or have managed the equivalent of five full-time workers in a business for a minimum of two full years.
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Does the business experience have to be recent?
The business experience must be in the period that begins five years before you submit your application and ends when a decision is made on your application.
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How do I satisfy Citizenship and Immigration Canada that my net worth was obtained legally?
You must be able to prove that no portion of your net worth was obtained through criminal activity. You will be asked to explain any discrepancies between your net income over the years and your present net worth. The visa officer who assesses your net worth may ask you for documents to back up both your income sources and your net worth.
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Who is responsible for the investment operations of the program?
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) administers all aspects of the program, including the investment that successful applicants must make. CIC acts as an agent for the participating provinces and territories.
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What documents do I receive after I make my investment?
You will receive a zero interest promissory note that is not transferable. You cannot sell the promissory note, but you can use it as collateral for a loan. At the maturity date, you must return the promissory note to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for repayment of your C$ 400,000 investment.
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Why do you recommend that I make my investment through a Citizenship and Immigration Canada-approved facilitator?
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has set up administrative procedures with a number of facilitators to assist in the payment and redemption of your C$ 400,000 investment. These services are available to you at no cost. Facilitators also offer a variety of financing options if you want to finance your investment or use your promissory note as collateral for a loan in the future.
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Where do most immigrant investors come from?
Investors come from all over the world. Currently, the majority of investors are from China, Taiwan, Korea and Hong Kong, but there are also substantial numbers of investors applying from the Middle East and elsewhere. You can find more information on where business immigrants come from in Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s annual report, Facts and Figures.
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Entrepreneur
What are the requirements for qualifying as an entrepreneur?
To qualify as an entrepreneur, you must have at least two years of business experience and a net worth of at least C$ 300,000 that was obtained legally. You must also obtain a minimum of 35 points in a selection grid designed to determine whether you will be able to become economically established in Canada.
You must also make a commitment to own and operate a business in Canada that will contribute to the economy and create jobs. After you become a permanent resident in Canada, you will have three years to meet the conditions of the Entrepreneur Class.
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What is the procedure to become an entrepreneur?
You must meet the definition of an entrepreneur, pass medical, criminal and security checks, and agree to operate a business in Canada.
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What are the business experience requirements?
You can meet the business experience requirements if you have owned a percentage of a business of a specified size for at least two full years.
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Does the business experience have to be recent?
The business experience must occur within the period that begins five years before you sign your application and ends when a decision is made on your application.
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How do I satisfy Citizenship and Immigration Canada that my net worth was obtained legally?
You will have to satisfy the visa officer that no portion of your net worth was obtained as a result of criminal activity. You should be able to explain material differences between your net income over the years and your present net worth, and to comply with reasonable requests for documents to back up both your income sources and the components of your net worth.
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Who do I contact for more information about meeting my business conditions in Canada?
Once you are accepted into the Entrepreneur Program, you will receive a brochure that contains instructions and contact information for the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices in Canada. You are required to contact a CIC office within six months after you enter Canada as a permanent resident to report your address and telephone number. You must provide a further update on your progress 18 months after you arrive in Canada.
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Self-employed person
What are the requirements for qualifying as a self-employed person?
To qualify as a self-employed person, you must have two years of relevant experience and show that you intend to become self-employed in Canada.
You must also obtain a minimum of 35 points in a selection grid designed to determine whether you will be able to become economically established in Canada.
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What is meant by "relevant experience"?
A self-employed person, means a minimum of two years of experience, during the period beginning five years before the date of application for a permanent resident visa and ending on the day a decision is made on the application. The experience must consist of:
- in respect of cultural activities,
- two one-year periods of experience in self-employment in cultural activities, or
- two one-year periods of experience in participation at a world class level in cultural activities, or
- a combination of a one-year period of experience described in (A), above, and a one-year period of experience described in (B), above,
- in respect of athletics,
- two one-year periods of experience in self-employment in athletics, or
- two one-year periods of experience in participation at a world class level in athletics, or
- a combination of a one-year period of experience described in (A), above, and a one-year period of experience described in (B), above, and
- in respect of the purchase and management of a farm, two one-year periods of experience in the management of a farm.
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What is meant by "cultural activities"?
"Cultural activities" include occupations generally considered to be part of Canada’s artistic and cultural field. Examples include authors and writers, creative and performing artists, musicians, painters, sculptors and other visual artists, technical support and occupations in motion pictures, creative designers and craftspeople. You can find a full list of qualifying activities in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
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What are specified economic activities?
You must plan to be self-employed in Canada in cultural or athletic activities, or purchase and manage a farm.
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What is meant by a “significant contribution”?
There is no formal definition of what constitutes a significant contribution. This gives visa officers the ability to use their judgment and allow them to recognize that a contribution to athletics or the arts, even at less than a national standard, may still be of significant benefit at the local level. For example, a music teacher with reasonable qualifications will be in a better position to make a significant contribution in a small town than in a large city.
Please note that you must contribute to economic activities in Canada. While this does not preclude some activities outside of Canada, your experience must include a significant contribution within Canada.
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Are there any reporting requirements once I arrive in Canada?
No. Unlike the Entrepreneur Program, you do not have to meet any conditions after becoming a permanent resident of Canada. However, there are requirements to retain your status as a permanent resident.
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Is there a net worth requirement?
There is no regulated minimum net worth requirement. However, you will have to satisfy a visa officer that you have sufficient funds to settle in Canada with your dependants, and to finance the economic activities on which your selection was based. For example, if you are a farmer, you will have to prove that you have sufficient funds to purchase and operate a farm in Canada.
Sponsoring your family
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If I have overstayed my visa or visitor record or if I have been working or studying without a permit, can I apply for permanent residence under the Spouse or I entered Canada without a valid passport or travel document. Can I apply for permanent residence under the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class?
Yes. You can apply under the public policy relating to the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class. However, you must obtain a valid passport from your home country or travel documents before Citizenship and Immigration Canada will grant you permanent residence.
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Can I apply for permanent residence under the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class if I am inadmissible to Canada?
Yes. You can apply under the public policy relating to the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class. However, your application for permanent residence may not be approved if there are reasons that prevent you from staying in Canada that are not related to lack of status. For example, you may not be allowed to stay in Canada if you do not meet medical or security requirements, or if you have been convicted of a criminal offence.
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I am a temporary resident permit holder. Can I apply to become a permanent resident as a sponsored spouse or common-law partner?
If you are in Canada on a temporary resident permit, you can apply to become a permanent resident of Canada. However, if you have a temporary resident permit because you are inadmissible to Canada for reasons other than lack of status, you cannot be granted permanent residence under the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class.
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I was deported from Canada and I returned without getting proper permission. Can I apply as a permanent resident under the public policy for the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class?
Your application will be refused because you do not have permission to be in Canada. You may be able to be sponsored from abroad if you return to your home country.
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I am a failed refugee claimant. Can I stay in Canada if I marry a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada?
Being in a common-law relationship with, or married to, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident does not guarantee that you can become a permanent resident of Canada.
As a failed refugee claimant, you can apply to be a permanent resident under the public policy relating to the Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada Class if you meet all the requirements and you are not inadmissible to Canada.
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Can I cancel my application once it has been approved?
If you change your mind about sponsoring a family member, you must write a letter to the appropriate Case Processing Centre before a permanent resident visa is issued. Once permanent resident visas are issued, the promise that you and, if applicable, your co-signer, made to support your family member is valid for the term of your application.
The application is an unconditional promise of support. For example, the granting of Canadian citizenship, relationship breakdown or moving to another province does not cancel the application. The application also remains in effect if your financial situation changes and you can no longer afford to provide financial support.
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What family members may come with me to Canada when I immigrate?
The family members that can come with you to Canada when you become a permanent resident include:
- your spouse or common-law partner
- your dependent child or your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent child and
- a dependent child of a dependent child.
Your parents, grandparents and other family members are not eligible to come to Canada with you. However, you can apply to sponsor them to come to Canada after you immigrate here.
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I want to sponsor my spouse. Is it faster to apply from inside or outside Canada?
It is usually faster to apply to sponsor a spouse from outside Canada. However, the requirements to immigrate to Canada are the same in both cases.
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Some differences between the processes:
Inside Canada
- average of 12 to 18 months to process routine applications
- no right of appeal
- you are advised to stay in Canada while your application is being processed (If you leave Canada and cannot re-enter, the application will be abandoned)
- you can send an application for an open work permit with the sponsorship application (the permit will be issued as soon as you are eligible for it)
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Outside Canada
- average of 6 to 12 months to process routine applications
- right of appeal
- you can leave and re-enter Canada while your application is being processed as long as you meet all requirements to enter Canada
- if you want to work in Canada while your application is being processed, you must apply for a regular work permit .
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