Month: December 2020

Your Canadian immigration specialist makes a vast difference in the successful application of your immigration. For this reason, you should equip yourself with the necessary knowledge to choose a consultant that can give you the best answers for your situation.

A Canadian immigration specialist can either be a regulated consultant or an immigration lawyer. Both types give guidance, prepare documents, and submit your applications, but only lawyers are authorized to represent you in a court of law. However, that doesn’t make lawyers the better option as consultants. Both types are functionally the same as an immigration specialist, and only an individual’s track record and review should influence your decision when hiring one.

Aside from the two immigration specialist types, here are some things you should consider:

1. ICCRC registration number or provincial bar association listing

If you’re paying for Canadian immigration representative, you need to make sure they hold the proper license to operate as either an immigration consultant or an immigration lawyer. Do not work with people who can’t provide the appropriate credentials. Otherwise, you’ll get scammed from getting advice from a non-professional and uncredited person.

Regulated Canadian immigration consultants, or shortened as RCIC, possess a valid RCIC number that proves they are in good terms with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council or the ICCRC. When your consultant provides their RCIC number, verify their credibility on ICCRC’s site.

Regulated Canadian immigration lawyers can provide you with a link to their listing before proceeding with anything. You can verify their listing with Canada’s various bar associations as well.

2. Retainer/contract coverage and one-time consultations

Make sure that you know and understand the full details of the extent of your contract. Otherwise, you’ll have trouble in the future in case any unprecedented event delays the processing time of your chosen immigration program.

Also, it is essential to know if they offer one-consultations. In the unlikely event that your contract expires, and you’re still in the immigration process, a one-time consultation allows you to seek your consultant’s expertise.

3. The best immigration program

The immigration specialist should be able to tell you which programs work best for your situation before you sign any cont\racts. This prior consultation is a good indicator of whether the consultant can satisfactorily explain your options to you. If not, it is best to find another one.

4. Chances of success in passing the program

You must remember that no reputable immigration specialist guarantees 100 percent success in any immigration program. It is a big red flag if someone guarantees your sure success with confidence. When someone offers you this, run away. On the contrary, a reputable immigration specialist can provide an estimate of chances before you sign any contract. 

5. Family members’ eligibility to apply for immigration

Various immigration programs include family members. However, the plan that may be best for you may not cover your family as well. Consult with your immigration specialist if you can include your family members in your program. If not, discuss your options in the future.

Conclusion

The questions listed above are vital indicators when hiring a Canadian immigration specialist. When an immigration specialist cannot satisfactorily answer these questions, be in doubt, and look for another one.

If you’re looking for a Canada immigration agency with reputable Canadian immigration consultants and lawyers, reach out to us today to see how we can help process your immigration.

Thanks to a Canadian passport’s privileges, many Canadian citizens choose to live abroad for a specific time. Whether it’s to pursue further studies, take on a new role, or simply enjoy refreshing scenery, they enjoy the unique experiences that other countries have to offer. Sometimes, they meet a special person they choose to marry and want to bring back to Canada. At the time of their decision, they may even have children with their new spouse that they would like to take home with them.

Fortunately, Canada has many immigration options for those who want to start a new life in the country. Knowing the options available to them is essential for finding the best immigration route possible. Here’s what you need to know about moving to Canada with your Canadian spouse:

Applying for Sponsorship

Undergoing a spousal sponsorship application in Canada is a relatively simple process. The most common sponsorship pathway for aspiring immigrants is by applying for sponsorship before arriving in Canada. In this scenario, you’ll apply for Canadian permanent residence (PR) and then wait for the Canadian government to approve the application. It usually takes six to twelve months before they grant you permanent residence status. 

Once you are accepted, you have two options: you can move to Canada immediately or visit the country to receive your PR and then permanently move in a few months. After you’ve lived in the country for a few years, you can then apply for Canadian citizenship.

You can also apply for a visitor visa if you apply for sponsorship after arriving in the country with your spouse. Your spouse must apply to sponsor your PR in Canada once you arrive. However, if you choose this option, you must apply for a work permit while your application is pending. That way, you have access to career opportunities and public health care while waiting for the result of your PR application.

Spousal Visa Requirements

Immigration experts recommend familiarizing yourself with the requirements of a spousal visa before arriving in the country. That way, the process is smoother and more seamless. If you are your spouse’s common-law partner, then they are eligible to live with you and work in the country. To qualify as a common-law partner, you must be a singular person who has been living with you in a conjugal relationship for at least a year. 

Applying for a spousal visa will require you and your partner to demonstrate that you have lived together, which means a shared rent contract, bank account, and other factors. You must both fulfill the minimum funds required to support yourselves, and the applicant must have a valid passport and be admissible to Canada. Once you satisfy these requirements, you can apply for a spousal visa or travel permit, valid for six months. 

Bringing Your Children to Canada

If you have children with you that you’d like to bring to Canada, you must add them as a “dependent” on your application. Applying through separate applications will incur double the costs while allowing the chance for one application to be approved while the other is rejected. If you apply as a couple, you also have more opportunities to make your application more attractive by pooling your resources and assets. 

Conclusion

Canada is one of the most welcoming countries globally, making it an incredibly popular destination for ex-pats. There are many options for you to establish a new life in the country, whether you’re married to a Canadian citizen or the foreign-born child of Canadian permanent residents. Be sure to consult Toronto immigration services to find the best path for your situation.

If you’re looking for professional help from a trusted firm, please contact us at info@brightimmigration.com or call 1-888-404-8472.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada are eligible to sponsor loved ones to join them as immigrants living in Canada. However, most of these sponsorship requests are for immediate family members or partners. 

If you’re planning to sponsor an extended family member, this article is for you. There are different requirements and certain circumstances you need to pass before applying or sponsorship. You might even want to consider consulting with a Canada immigration lawyer to help you along the way.

The Sponsorship through the “Lonely Canadian Program”

Any Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor one adult child, sibling, or other extended family members under the “Lonely Canadian Program,” which is sometimes called “Other Relative Program.” In addition to the primary sponsored individual, the sponsored can also include their immediate family to the sponsorship program. However, immediate families need to be related to the sponsor as direct relatives to qualify.

Moreover, the strict regulations centred around the “Lonely Canadian Program” requires residents to have no immediate family or partner to be eligible as a sponsor. Otherwise, other sponsorship programs are your next options. 

The same rules apply to any sponsorship, with the sponsor held responsible for providing the necessities of the sponsored and their immediate family members if any. The typical time frame for the said sponsorship is up to ten years or until your sponsored family member is already financially capable. 

Parental or Grandparental Concerns with the Program

The main problem encountered in this sponsorship type is whether the Canadian citizen or permanent resident has living parents or grandparents who are unqualified for sponsorship. In this scenario, the proceedings in the Federal Court, particularly in Bousaleh vs. Canada, made a definite stand to the problem. 

If the Canadian citizen or permanent resident is unqualified for sponsoring their parents or grandparents, they are eligible to sponsor extended loved ones instead. Regardless of the issue, the statements still hold true. However, the case is different if the reason for disqualification is the parents or grandparents. When this is the case, the Canadian citizen or permanent resident cannot apply for sponsorship for extended family members. 

Luckily, this unsatisfactory proceeding was a massive concern of the government for its unlawful result. The Federal Court of Appeals changed the regulation on July 26, 2018. The new law allows Candian citizens or permanent residents to recognize extended family sponsorships if their parents or grandparents are unqualified for not meeting the requirements. 

The change garnered praises throughout the country because it opened the door for lonely Canadians to feel more at home in the county if their relatives are with them. With this set-up, the government hopes to make the country a better place for both immigrants and natural-born Canadians. 

Conclusion

The fastest way to immigrate to Canada does not exist. There are guidelines and procedures in place that prevent unauthorized individuals from getting into the country. Because of that, it is crucial to ensure that you can prove your family member’s clean records to authorities to increase their chances of a successful application. 

We are a Canadian immigration service in Toronto that can help you with your sponsorship. Please contact us at info@brightimmigration.com or call 1-888-404-8472.