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List of Requirements Updated

Monday, May 30, 2011

IDENTITY AND CIVIL STATUS DOCUMENTSShould be NSO Authenticated

  • Provide birth certificates or other official document confirming identity for you and each of your family members.
  • Marriage certificates
CHILDREN’S INFORMATION (IF APPLICABLE)
  • Children’s birth certificates
  • Adoption papers issued by recognized national authorities showing the legal, approved adoption of adopted dependent children.
  • Proof of custody for children under the age of 18 and proof that the children may be removed from the jurisdiction of the court
  • If the other parent of your children is not accompanying you to Canada, you must submit a signed copy of the "Declaration From Non-Accompanying Parent/Guardian For Minors Immigrating To Canada" form IMM5406 for each child consenting to their travel to Canada along with a copy of the non-accompanying parent's photo ID showing their signature.
  • If the children will not accompany you to Canada, proof that you have fulfilled any obligation stated in custody agreements
  • Proof of continuous full-time studies of all dependent children aged 22 or over, including:
  1. complete school records/transcripts since before attaining age 22;
  2. letters from the schools indicating the number of hours of classes attended per day, and the number of days attended per week;
  3. proof of full financial support by parents since before attaining age 22.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND PASSPORTS
  • Copies of passports or travel documents for you, your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children. Include only copies of pages showing:
  • the passport number,
  • date of issue and expiry,
  • your photo, name, date and place of birth.
  • If you live in a country different from your nationality, include a photocopy of your visa for the country where you currently live.
  • You must hold a valid regular passport; diplomatic, official, service or public affairs passports are not valid for immigration to Canada.
PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP IN CANADA (IF APPLICABLE)
  • Proof of relationship to your qualified first degree relative (see definition below) in Canada, including a family tree and birth, marriage or adoption certificates.
  • If your close relative is a permanent resident of Canada: One photocopy of either his or her Record of Landing (IMM 1000), or Confirmation of Permanent Residence or Permanent Resident Card.
  • If your close relative is a Canadian citizen: One document showing proof of Canadian citizenship, such as a photocopy of the bio-data of their Canadian passport or a copy of their Canadian citizenship card.
Evidence to show that your listed relative is currently residing in Canada (Submit a maximum of three (3) documents confirming residence.) This may include copies of:
  • lease agreements,
  • current Revenue Canada Notice of Assessments,
  • employer's letter confirming their employment, or
  • the first page only of monthly bills showing name and address, etc.
Definition of "qualified first degree relative": A "qualified first degree relative" is a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, child of a parent, sibling, child of a grandparent, aunt or uncle, or grandchild of a parent, niece or nephew of you or your accompanying spouse who is residing in Canada and is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

EDUCATION/TRAINING/QUALIFICATIONSFor you and your spouse or common-law partner:
  • Post-secondary education documents: copies of vocational or technical certificates or diplomas;
  • College or university documents: copies of certification of completion and the graduation degree, diploma, or certificate issued by the college or university and the evaluation committee;
  • Transcripts: certified true copies of transcripts of all degrees.
  • If you are currently in a program of study, provide a letter from the Department Head advising the date of expected completion of your course work and expected graduation date;
  • Professional qualifications certificates: copies of professional qualifications certificates. (e.g., Engineer, Accountant, Registered Nurse, Physician, Teacher, Architect).
Note: Do not submit certificates from routine training courses, certificates of appreciation or attendance certificates.

WORK EXPERIENCE
For you and your spouse or common-law partner:
  • copies of employment contracts from your present and past employers, accompanied by an English or French translation
  • original and up-to-date employment certificates from your current and past employers for the ten (10) years preceding the date of your application. Letters must be written on company letterhead, be signed by the responsible officer/supervisor and show the company's full address, telephone, fax numbers, email address and website and be stamped with the company's official seal.
Letters must include all of the following information:
  • the specific period of your employment with the company
  • the positions you have held during the period of employment and the time spent in each position
  • your main responsibilities and duties in each position
  • your total annual salary plus benefits
  • the number of hours worked per week
  • the signature of your immediate supervisor or the personnel officer of the company
  • a business card of the signatory
Note: If you cannot provide an employment certificate from an employer, provide a written explanation and any other documentation that would support your claim to such employment and provide the information as set forth above.

PROOF OF LANGUAGE PROFICIENCYTest results from an approved language-testing organization: You must submit test results. You must provide the original. Photocopies are unacceptable. Language test results must not be older than one year upon submission.

Proof of language proficiency is required for your application to be considered complete, otherwise it will be returned to you.

ARRANGED EMPLOYMENT (IF APPLICABLE)
If you are currently working in Canada under a work permit, provide:
  • a photocopy of the permit, and
  • a letter from your employer indicating that you will be employed indetermi-nately upon receiving permanent resident status.
If you have a permanent job offer confirmed by Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC), provide:
  • a photocopy of the HRSDC/Service Canada confirmation letter (Arranged Employment Opinion) which was sent to your employer and
  • a letter from your prospective employer indicating that you will be employed indeterminately upon receiving permanent resident status.
The original version of the "letter from your employer" or "letter from your prospective employer" must be:
  • written on company letterhead,
  • signed by the responsible officer/supervisor,
  • show the company's full address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and website addresses and
  • stamped with the company's official seal (if applicable)
Letters must include all of the following information:
  • the specific period of your anticipated employment with the company
  • the position you will hold during employment
  • your main responsibilities and duties in anticipated position
  • your total annual salary plus benefits
  • the number of hours per week you are anticipated to work
  • a business card of the person signing
WORK OR STUDY IN CANADA (IF APPLICABLE)
If you or your spouse or common-law partner are/were an international student:
  • proof that you've legally resided in Canada for at least 12 months before submitting your application
  • a photocopy of your study permit
  • proof of your student status
  • proof of enrollment from your educational institution.a temporary foreign worker
  • proof that you've legally resided in Canada for at least 12 months be-fore submitting your application
  • a photocopy of your work permit
  • letter of employment (employment certification)
  • any other evidence of employment in Canada
NON-ACCOMPANYING FAMILY MEMBERS DECLARATION (IF APPLICABLE):Failure to have a family member examined with your application will result in their future exclusion from the Family Class for sponsorship for immigration to Canada.

SETTLEMENT FUNDS
Provide proof of unencumbered and readily transferable funds in a convertible currency available for settlement in Canada (for you and your family members whether accompanying or not):
  • current bank certification letter showing evidence of savings balance;
  • evidence of fixed or time deposit statements;
  • evidence of any other assets.
http://www.gatewaytocanada.com/2010/01/settlement-funds-requirement-january.html
If applicable, submit proof of ownership (by you and/or your spouse or common-law partner) and an official statement of valuation for all assets such as:
  • house, apartment,
  • automobile, or
  • land owned.
POLICE CERTIFICATES AND CLEARANCES
Please consult our Web site at: www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/index.asp for specific and up-to-date information on how to obtain police certificates from any country in which you have lived for over (6) six months since the age of 18 years.

PHOTO REQUIREMENTS
Supply six (6) photos taken within the past six (6) months for each member of your family and yourself. The photos must:
  • measure between 25 mm and 30 mm (1” and 1 1/5”) from chin to crown;
  • have a 35 mm x 45 mm (1 3/8” x 1 3/4”) finished size.
Note: On the back of each photograph, write the name and of birth of the person who appears in the photo as well as the date the photo was taken.

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Free Canada Visa Scam

So you filed an application, you were promised a 6-12 months processing by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. In the middle of the process, you were told that it may take up to years more to process your application.

And then suddenly, you received an e-mail message from noreply@cic.gc.ca advising you that you have been selected for a free Canadian visa. Should you be happy?


Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has been advised of an Internet visa scam that involves a convincing copy of the CIC website. An e-mail message (noreply@cic.gc.ca) advises recipients that: “they have been selected for a free Canadian visa” and it includes a link to a fraudulent website: http://aslcpanthers.com/visa.html

E-mail recipients are asked up front to provide personal information and pay an initial fee.

Beware of Internet scams and false websites. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)’s official website home page is www.cic.gc.ca. Remember, if even one chahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifracter is different, that means it’s a different website. All Government of Canada websites end in “.gc.ca”

DON’T BE THE VICTIM OF A SCAM. If the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Do not pay for offers of guaranteed entry into Canada or faster processing of your application. These claims are false. No one can guarantee you a job or a visa to Canada.

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The Upcoming Ministerial Instruction 3 (New Priority Occupations) and Appilcation Backlogs

The Canadian Visa Office in Manila is yet to finish applications filed in 2004. Yes, there are applicants who have been waiting for more than 6 years now. Imagine how many applications are pending between 2005 and 2007. There's a huge backlogs there.

Then recently, the visa office in Manila was explaining that there is a delay in processing for applications filed under Ministerial Instruction 1 (MI-1). The office said it may take about two years to process them all. The visa office also said they are prioritizing applications filed under MI-2 because they are the ones needed in Canada. But who are they kidding? Nurses, Electricians, Physicians filed under MI-1 should not be delayed following their own logic. In fact, because of suce explanation, some applicants (nurses and physicians for example) are thinking of withdrawing their application filed under MI-1 with the end in view of filing it under MI-2. Citizneship and Immigration Canada created this mess, the application should not be punished by letting them wait longer than promised.

And then a new Ministerila Instruction will be issued on or before July 1, 2011. What do you think will be the directives uner Ministerial Instruction 3 (MI-3) this time?

Considering the backlogs, there could be fewer list of occupations to be identified as priority list. Furthermore, the number of applications to be received (cap) could also be dramatically reduced. Currently, the cap is set at 1,000 per occupations. These are just speculations but highly possible. So you better be ready to file your application immediately once your occupation is included in the priority list.

The visa office needs to address its backlogs badly. But I'm concerned in the trend I'm seeing in the way the visa office in Manila is refusing an application due to insufficient documents to support employment and or relatives in Canada. Sometimes you will wonder how did they come up with such a conclusion because the documents were actually there. In some cases, their explanation as to whay an application was refused doesn't even match the actual points awarded. The applicants can of course appeal their case but it will take time. And it isn't fair. I just hope that this isn't the visa office's way of cleaning up the backlogs. Not good.

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Reactions on Canada Visa Processing Delay

After posting Canadian Visa Office Manila's explanation about delay in processing, I've got several reactions from my blog readers. Some were enlightened while some others were disappointed.

I can understand why many were disappointed. The visa office's explanation actually doesn't make sense. It's illogical.

Here's a part of the visa office's explanation:

CIC’s goal is to make the immigration system more responsive to labour market needs. By giving priority to FSW applications received on or after June 26, 2010, CIC is responding to the most urgent labour market needs first.

The thing is nurses, physicians, etc are included in both Ministerial Instructions. Now, are nurses filed under Ministerial Instruction 1 (MI-1) got different skills from nurses filed under Ministerial Instruction 2 (MI-2). Who is to tell that nurses under MI-2 would best respond to labor market needs than nurses MI-1? Oh, right, the Immigration Minister.

To come up with a decision is one thing. That is understandable considering the volume of applications the visa office is processing. Go ahead and prioritize those that are really needed in Canada. They don't have medical examination that may expire anyway.

But for Pete's sake, why delay those who have already done the medical exam and have submitted their passports for visa stamping? Why do they have to wait for more than 6 months while some applicants got theirs in less than 2 months after submission of passports?

It isn't just about volume, I guess. Something is really wrong.

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Processing Delays of Canada Visa Applications

Finally, the Canadian Visa Office in Manila spelled it out not just the usual reply that the application is in process and that applicants need to be patient.

On our follow up letter dated May 3, 2011 asking for specific explanation and status of several clients waiting longer than the promised processing period, this is their reply:

Changes to immigration law in 2008 allow Citizenship and Immigration Canada
(CIC) to set, through Ministerial Instructions (MI), the number and type of applications considered for processing each year, and the order in which these applications will be processed.

Under the first set of instructions (MI-1) CIC used this new authority under immigration law to control the type of applications received, but not the number. The number of applications received exceed the ability to process them in a timely way. CIC introduced caps on June 26, 2010 on the FSW program as part of the second MI. CIC has limited the intake of new FSW applications to better match the number CIC can actually process within the annual levels plan tabled in Parliament. FSW applications under the second MI are processed on a priority basis.

CIC has received enough FSW applications since February 27, 2008 to reach immigration levels for the next two years. Unfortunately, it will take longer to process those submitted under the first set of instructions (between February 27, 2008 and June 25, 2010) than originally projected.

This number represents more than twice the number of projected admissions under the program in 2011. Therefore, few applications received before February 27, 2008 (processed in the order they are received) are expected to be processed this year or next.

CIC’s goal is to make the immigration system more responsive to labour market needs. By giving priority to FSW applications received on or after June 26, 2010, CIC is responding to the most urgent labour market needs first. The length of time it takes to finalize an application under this program varies from one visa office to another since visa offices face different challenges. CIC continues to work towards global service standards and the use of departmental standard forms to minimize such regional
variations as much as possible.

Prior to this, similar notice but a more detailed one from Canadian Visa Office New Delhi, India was posted in other online forums for Canada Immigration. Here's the content:

We are in the process of working with HQ to update processing information globally in this program. For New Delhi, our revised standard replies will provide information along the lines below. Please note that the processing of cases who applied under Ministerial Instructions II before those who applied under Ministerial Instructions I, was a policy decision taken by the government of Canada.

If you applied as a Federal Skilled Worker on or after February 27, 2008 and before June 26, 2010 , your application will take two years or more to be processed. This is due to the fact that Canada received over 425,000 applications under this program during this period.

* Unfortunately, it will take longer to process federal skilled worker applications submitted under the first set of instructions (between February 27, 2008 and June 25, 2010) than originally projected.

* During this time, the department received applications for more than 425,000 people, and 144,000 of these have not yet received a decision.

* This number represents more than twice the number of projected admissions under the federal skilled worker program in 2011, so many of these applicants will have to wait two years or more to be processed.

Please advise your clients accordingly, thank you.

David Manicom
Minister and Immigration Program Manager
Area Director, South Asia
Canadian High Commis

So there. There is a backlog due to high volume of applications received under Ministerial Instruction 1 (MI-1).

I have said it before and I'm saying it again. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT the visa office via email or fax for status updatescas. You can check your application status online. But should there be an aspect of your application that is not routine and you are concerned that is what is delaying processing, then by all means contact the visa office. You need to understand that high volume of requests requires many hours of work on the part of the visa office to respond, and this is time that you would prefer they spend processing your applications thane responding to you status update requests.

Unfair for MI 1 applicatants? Yes. But it's not the worst. The Canadian Visa Office in Manila is yet to finish 2004 applications - those that filed prior to February 2008.

Patience is a virtue.

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Live In Caregivers Canada

By July 1 2011, We are all expecting the impending change of list of priority list of Canada. New Professions will be open and new opportunities will be taken. Lets halt first on talking about immigration program and lets discuss the chances of having a work visa in Canada.

Make a wild guess. Which country do you think sends the biggest temporary foreign worker in Canada? As we all know that there is North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which enable mexicans and americans to work in canada freely. But those countries are not the answer. The answer according to the recent survey is the Philippines. Yes you read it right we are the number one exporters of foreign workers in Canada. There are 51,325 Pinoy foreign workers in Canada as of 2009. Most of them are under the Live in Caregiver Program in Canada.

The Live-in Caregiver program is a quid pro quo proposition. The deal is they come, they toil at the jobs that Canadians don’t want and they eventually are granted permanent residency, which then leads to citizenship. The ‘they’ are for the most part women and by and large nationals of the Philippines.

A Live-in caregiver in Canada must first complete two years of work (within 36 months) before becoming eligible to submit an application for permanent residence. The applicant’s spouse and/or children may be included in the application. It’s a lengthy process that can easily add a couple of years to the time the family remains apart. Government statistics tell us that more than 90% of those who enter Canada as live-in-caregivers ultimately apply for permanent residence and 98% are successful.

If you have an employer in Canada or does not know how to process your live in caregiver application contact us we might able to help you.

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Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program Strategic Initiative (MPNP Strategic Initiative)

Thursday, May 12, 2011

If your occupation is not included in the list of priority occupations, you are unlikely eligible to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker program, unless you have an Arranged Employment. Finding an employer in Canada who is willing to sponsor you is not that easy.

One of the alternatives if you want to live and work in Canada is Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. There are many application streams available depending on your circumstances. If you have immediate relatives or two friends willing to sponsor you, you may be eligible!

What? You don't know anybody in Manitoba? No problem. There's MPNP Strategic Initiative available for you!

You could be eligible to apply under MPNP Strategic Initiative if you have been interviewed by a MPNP officer and received an invitation to apply as part of a targeted promotion and recruitment initiative or have been given an invitation to apply after participating in a pre-approved Exploratory Visit to Manitoba and had an interview with a MPNP officer.

You need to meet the following criteria for exploratory visits to Manitoba


1. You are between the ages of 21 to 49.

2. You have completed a minimum one-year post-secondary education or training program for which you received a diploma or certificate.

3. You have worked at least two years in the past five years in a full-time occupation and can demonstrate that you could be employable in Manitoba in that occupation within the first year of permanent residence in Canada.

4. You can demonstrate a minimum of six points in English or French based on the Manitoba PNP language grid and/or a minimum score of five on an IELTS.

5. The MPNP is satisfied that you do not have stronger ties to other provinces in Canada and have good potential to settle permanently in Manitoba.

6. You must contact the MPNP at least two months in advance to discuss the possibility of an exploratory visit.

7. The MPNP agrees before you arrive in Manitoba to have an interview with you during your exploratory visit.

For more information about MPNP Strategic Initiative, visit www.immigratemanitoba.com.

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Exploratory Visit to Manitoba

So you want to apply for MPNP Strategic Initiative? First, you need to plan for your exploratory visit to Manitoba.

An exploratory visit to Manitoba is an opportunity to discover Manitoba and to make a more informed decision about choosing Manitoba as an immigration destination in Canada.

Five steps to planning a successful exploratory visit from MPNP Website.

1. Research and learn as much as you can about Manitoba before you visit. The following websites will help you to find important information about employment opportunities, housing, education, cost of living and different Manitoba communities.

2. Review the criteria for exploratory visits to Manitoba described above and ensure that you are able to meet all the requirements.

3. Contact the MPNP office by e-mail at immigratemanitoba@gov.mb.ca at least two months before your visit to communicate your interest in undertaking an exploratory visit as well as your ability to meet all requirements. You should include a detailed resumé listing your education, training and work history as well as electronic copies of any additional documentation that could support your request.

4. The MPNP will provide you with a response by e-mail with one of the following responses:

  • We are unable to approve your request for an exploratory visit with an interview with MPNP at this time. OR

  • The MPNP is prepared to consider an interview with you, pending available resources. Please contact our office by e-mail at immigratemanitoba@gov.mb.ca and provide additional details of your visit.


  • 5. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the proper travel documents required by the Government of Canada to visit this country. The MPNP will not provide you with a letter of invitation in order to obtain a visitor visa if required and cannot intervene on your behalf if your visa application is denied.

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