Canada: Immigration Advice

rjessome

I was directed to this site by one of my clients in Ireland. I started reading through and saw that some of you really need some correct information about immigration rules and procedures for Canada. I'm a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and thought I would start this thread to answer some questions. I read the forum rules and will abide by their rules about not selling services or advertising my company. However, that leaves me at a disadvantage because I cannot give you my name so that you can verify my credentials. It's a pickle. However, everything I will tell you will be backed up by the Canadian laws governing Immigration programs. Information is also available on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website located at www.cic.gc.ca so you can verify for yourself every piece of advice I give.

Really, I just want to volunteer to answer questions about the process of immigrating to Canada. The rules are tricky and the red tape is vast. I know most of you are interested in jobs. So let me start by giving you some good Canadian websites.

www.jobbank.gc.ca
www.monster.ca
www.hcareers.ca
www.workopolis.com
www.cooljobscanada.com


These are reputable job websites that are free to job seekers. Craig's List and Kijiji are also popular but because they are free posting sites for employers without any real oversight, there are PLENTY of scams on them. So BE CAREFUL. DO NOT send anyone money to find you a job! That is illegal in Canada.

So ask away. I'll try to come into this forum at least once a day to answer questions.

NoelAPM

Hey, If you get a chance can you advise on the post i made recently?

Found here; http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056568969

rjessome

NoelAPM wrote: »

Hey, If you get a chance can you advise on the post i made recently?

Found here; http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056568969

Hi,

You have two questions.

1. Do you send the fee payment with the application?
NO. When applying for the IEC program through the Canadian High Commission in London, there are 2 steps to the process. First, you must be accepted into the IEC program. If you receive an email of acceptance, THEN you pay the application fee. The email will contain the instructions.
The good news is that this fee will be refunded if your work permit application is not approved. The instruction guide you were reading was for the 2nd set of documents that you only submit AFTER you have been accepted into the program.

2. What proof should you provide to show you have legal status in Australia?
As I am unfamiliar with Australian immigration procedures I can only compare it to what would be appropriate for Canada. When you arrived in AUS, did you receive a work permit or a special visa or stamp in your passport that indicated your status under the Working Holiday Visa program? If yes, a copy of any document or stamp pertaining to this is what you should include to prove your legal status in AUS.

I hope that helps.

rjessome

NoelAPM

Thank you. Much appreciated!

Required Documents

Set 1 – to be reviewed by the IEC section
Set 2 – to be reviewed by the Visa Section
The Application Package that you send to The High Commission of Canada to the UK in London consists of two sets of documents that have to be submitted together.

It does say you submit them together tho..

rjessome

NoelAPM wrote: »

Thank you. Much appreciated!

Required Documents

Set 1 – to be reviewed by the IEC section
Set 2 – to be reviewed by the Visa Section
The Application Package that you send to The High Commission of Canada to the UK in London consists of two sets of documents that have to be submitted together.

It does say you submit them together tho..

Yes, you are right. So much for my first answer! I have to be honest, IEC is something I normally encourage applicants to do themselves, without hiring me. It's pretty straight forward and easy. 99% of my work is the more complicated stuff of permanent residency and dealing with inadmissibility issues.

But I was right about the fee. You only pay it after you receive the email that you've been accepted.

The IEC charges a Participation Fee of $150 CDN (about £90), but you will now pay this fee by electronic bank transfer to the Government of Canada only after you have been notified by email that your application has been accepted.

NoelAPM

Yea it is straight forward. But the website Definitely has conflicting info.

Thanks for your time. Hopefully ill be arranging Permanent residency with you in the near future.

rjessome

NoelAPM wrote: »

Yea it is straight forward. But the website Definitely has conflicting info.

Thanks for your time. Hopefully ill be arranging Permanent residency with you in the near future.

I know it's confusing sometimes. I spend a great deal of time at the beginning of every application just educating clients about what this stuff means. The language is ambiguous and their intentions are not always clear.

You're welcome. Good luck in Canada. I hope you like it here!

And just a final piece of advice. Pay attention to the skill level of any job you get here. The higher the skill level, the more options available to apply for permanent residency to Canada. There are also several different provincial programs available depending upon which province you settle in. And the best opportunities are available in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan at the moment.

123bar56

hi travelling to canada 1st of June however i may not have my working visa on time.Is flagpoling the best way to get around this ie enter canada on a holiday visa and once you receive working visa cross boarder into USA then come immediately back thus activating your working visa.Is this method accepted or can it cause you some trouble.thanks in advance

Niamh84

Hi really appreciate you giving the time to give advice so I dont want to ask too many questions. Myself and my boyfriend are currently in Toronto and applying for second year IEC. But we want to apply for permanent residency in the near future. Ive been looking at both the skilled worker visa and provincial nominee programme. We are both working in administrative jobs. Is it going to be mandatory to get sponsored by an employer for either programme? Are you then locked into that particular job? Im hoping if one of us can get sponsored the other can apply as common law partner. Thanks in advance. I know its probably a detailed question.

token101

What are the odds of getting an LMO in Canada once the IEC expires if you don't have a trade but a degree only? Is it a lot of hassle/expense for employers involved? From what I can gather, most of the 'professional' type jobs are based in Toronto, there seems to no jobs for marketing/business jobs in Calgary/Edmonton/Ottawa or even Saskatoon.

Thanks for answering the questions, no harm in a bit of free advertising if you're giving something for nothing either

rjessome

123bar56 wrote: »

hi travelling to canada 1st of June however i may not have my working visa on time.Is flagpoling the best way to get around this ie enter canada on a holiday visa and once you receive working visa cross boarder into USA then come immediately back thus activating your working visa.Is this method accepted or can it cause you some trouble.thanks in advance

Are you applying in the IEC program or for a regular work permit? In either case, yes, "flagpoling" should work for you. The only danger would be if you had an outstanding warrant in the US because they will look you up on their system. I'm assuming that's not going to be an issue. Just ensure you have the proper documents with you for your program when you flagpole.

The safest bet (and I like to be cautious) is to wait until you have the necessary approvals before entering Canada at all. When you enter as a visitor at the port of entry to Canada, the officer admitting you will ask about your intentions regarding your stay in Canada. If you advise them that you are waiting for approval of some type of work permit, they may limit your visitor permit giving you a time limit to get it done. You can't lie to them because they have access to the same system as the overseas missions and can see that you have an application in process. If you do lie to them they could determine that you have misrepresented yourself and then bar you from entering Canada for up to two years, putting you back on plane home. That's pretty extreme but it would be easier if you just had all of your documents with you at the time of your first entry.

Hope that helps.

rjessome

krudler

when going throught the IEC, do you have to have the 2500 dollars in your bank account at the time you apply or just once you're accepted?

conall.doherty

How long does it usually take from sending off your forms to getting your visa, assuming no problems along the way?

When you get to the stage of payment does that mean your application has been accepted and you will get the visa? My friend has a prior misdemeanour on his criminal record so we are delaying booking flights until we get at least provisionally accepted. Lastly, does a minor criminal record affect your chances much?

thanks very much for taking the time to answer questions

rjessome

Niamh84 wrote: »

Hi really appreciate you giving the time to give advice so I dont want to ask too many questions. Myself and my boyfriend are currently in Toronto and applying for second year IEC. But we want to apply for permanent residency in the near future. Ive been looking at both the skilled worker visa and provincial nominee programme. We are both working in administrative jobs. Is it going to be mandatory to get sponsored by an employer for either programme? Are you then locked into that particular job? Im hoping if one of us can get sponsored the other can apply as common law partner. Thanks in advance. I know its probably a detailed question.

Hi. Your situation does require a detailed response and full assessment. However, I will try to answer as best I can using the general rules. The provincial nominee program DOES require the support of the employer. However, I would be concerned about exactly what positions you are working in as you only describe them as administrative. To be eligible for a PNP (provincial nominee program) your job must be in a skill level 0, A or B as defined by Service Canada's skills Matrix. These generally mean jobs requiring technical/academic education (degree or trade) or training or must be in a supervisory/management role. You also must have a minimum of two years experience in the same position to be eligible to apply in the PNP. The purpose of the PNPs in various provinces is so that the regional government can have a say in the immigration mix, supporting the permanent residence of applicants who bring needed skills and experience. In the General or Strategic Occupation streams the application requires employer support. So YES, the person sponsored by the employer would be required to stay with that employer at least until they become a permanent resident of Canada.

Some provinces have programs that accept people working in lower skilled positions. BUT you would need to be working in those provinces for a minimum amount of time before being eligible to apply. Each program is different because it depends on the needs of that particular province. Google any provinces name along with "Provincial Nominee Program" and you can read about the requirements of each. The beauty of the PNPs is that you are able to extend your work permits to remain working in Canada until permanent residence is approved. That means you bypass Service Canada and the labour market opinion (LMO) process. It's also a direct path to permanent residence and the assessment factors at the federal level are different from that of a regular skilled worker. The downside is they are BIG applications that can be expensive depending upon whether a province charges an application fee and the work required to complete a solid application.

Other options may also be available under the Federal Skilled Worker program but it depends on your backgrounds and whether or not an employer is willing to offer a permanent position in a SKILLED position. A points assessment is involved with a minimum passmark. However, this program does NOT allow you to extend your work permits to remain in Canada until processing is complete. The employer would have to go through the LMO process with Service Canada. And that does tie you to one employer as well.

If permanent residence to Canada is the goal you must do some strategic planning. PNP is wonderful. Really, it is the BEST way to apply if it is available to you. Yes, you may have to commit to an employer for a couple of years BUT you have to look at the end goal. My advice would be to research various PNPs. You may even have to move to a province that has better programs. But keep the end goal in mind.

Hope that helps.

rjessome

rjessome

token101 wrote: »

What are the odds of getting an LMO in Canada once the IEC expires if you don't have a trade but a degree only? Is it a lot of hassle/expense for employers involved? From what I can gather, most of the 'professional' type jobs are based in Toronto, there seems to no jobs for marketing/business jobs in Calgary/Edmonton/Ottawa or even Saskatoon.

Thanks for answering the questions, no harm in a bit of free advertising if you're giving something for nothing either

Hi. This is a question I get asked all the time. But put the focus on yourself, your skills and abilities. The wonderful thing about IEC is it gives you a chance to PROVE your worth to employers. It's an open permit so you are free to find a job and employer that suits you. You are also free to be promoted and moved around within a company. Employers are often intimidated by the LMO process especially for untested workers. BUT what I see is that once they "fall in love" with an employee who has shown their worth, they will bend over backwards to keep them, including doing LMOs, PNPs, etc. So look at it like YOUR opportunity to show them how valuable you are to their business. No company wants to lose a key employee.

All the professional jobs are NOT in Toronto! While it is Canada's largest city it is by no means the only place to find professional employment! Cities all across Canada employ professionals and there are plenty of opportunities in ANY Canadian city. Think about it. All companies, no matter what their end product or service, require skilled administrative, financial and sales management. Sorry but I get really annoyed when I hear people say "all the jobs are in Toronto". Cities like Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, etc. ALSO need professionals.

Hope that helps.

rjessome

rjessome

krudler wrote: »

when going throught the IEC, do you have to have the 2500 dollars in your bank account at the time you apply or just once you're accepted?

Hi,

You must show the funds at the time of entry to Canada. From the IEC-UK instructions:

On your arrival in Canada, you must have a statement from your bank account that must have been issued no more than one (1) week before your departure for Canada. It must clearly demonstrate you have sufficient funds in your account to support yourself financially for the first three months of your stay in Canada (C$2,500).

rjessome

retalivity

token101 wrote: »

What are the odds of getting an LMO in Canada once the IEC expires if you don't have a trade but a degree only? Is it a lot of hassle/expense for employers involved? From what I can gather, most of the 'professional' type jobs are based in Toronto, there seems to no jobs for marketing/business jobs in Calgary/Edmonton/Ottawa or even Saskatoon.

In my experience, difficult if you are working for a large company. Its the whole 'prove there isnt a canadian who can do the same job as you' argument. Depending on your skill level & experience, you might be fine, but for most people working for large companies, there is no chance (myself included: I work for one of the big banks) - easier to get a canadian in than go through all the paperwork.
I think if you're working with a smaller employer, and are on more personal terms with the owner/managers, you'd have a far better chance. I know a coupld of people who are getting their boss to sort out the LMO for them in a roundabout way.

rjessome

conall.doherty wrote: »

How long does it usually take from sending off your forms to getting your visa, assuming no problems along the way?

When you get to the stage of payment does that mean your application has been accepted and you will get the visa? My friend has a prior misdemeanour on his criminal record so we are delaying booking flights until we get at least provisionally accepted. Lastly, does a minor criminal record affect your chances much?

thanks very much for taking the time to answer questions

Processing times for applications are one of the most difficult things to predict and vary depending upon the type of permit you are applying for. Your best source of information for this the embassy/visa office website. The High Commission website says the following:

International Experience Canada (working holiday)

• Two (2) weeks from the date it is received at the IEC Team at the High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom plus six (6) weeks from the date it is received at the Visa Section at the High Commission.

With respect to your question regarding the criminal offence, that is subject to a comparision with the Criminal Code of Canada. We do not have "misdemeanor" offences in Canada. All offences are classified as Summary, Hybrid or Indictable. Summary are less serious offences and Indictable are very serious offences. Hybrid means that they can be prosecuted by the courts either as Summary or Indictable. For the purposes of Immigration, all Hybrid offences are considered Indictable (serious).

Criminal inadmissibility to Canada is complicated and a number of factors must be considered. The first is as I already stated, what would be the comparable offence to the Criminal Code of Canada. The second would be when was the SENTENCE for the conviction completed. The third would be how much time has passed since the SENTENCE was completed.

In general, if the offence is considered Indictable when comparing it to the Criminal Code of Canada, the person is inadmissible and cannot enter Canada until a prescribed period has passed and the applicant has applied or been determined to be Rehabilitated under the Immigration and Reguee Protection Act and Regulations.

Unfortunately I cannot do an assessment of criminality on an internet forum. Too much personal detail is required. But I can tell you this. Drinking and Driving (DUI) or (DWI) is an Indictable offence in Canada and will make a person criminally inadmissible.

Hope that helps.

rjessome

rjessome

retalivity wrote: »

In my experience, difficult if you are working for a large company. Its the whole 'prove there isnt a canadian who can do the same job as you' argument. Depending on your skill level & experience, you might be fine, but for most people working for large companies, there is no chance (myself included: I work for one of the banks) - easier to get a canadian in than go through all the paperwork.
I think if you're working with a smaller employer, and are on more personal terms with the owner/managers, you'd have a far better chance. I know a coupld of people who are getting their boss to sort out the LMO for them in a roundabout way.

True! And to add to this, SMALLER cities/towns struggle more with attracting Canadians. You have to be strategic in your thinking and planning. Every town in Canada has a bank. But that doesn't mean that there are plenty of QUALIFIED Canadians in every town willing to work at them. Success in immigration is all about long term planning.

m.j.w

Hi rjessome, thanks for taking the time out to do this. Im in the last year of my apprenticeship as an industrial electrician. Im finished in December and im hoping to travel to canada in ealry 2013 (earlier the better). My question is could I apply for an IEC visa now and then travel in December or is there a certain time limit to when you must use the visa by. Also is this the best visa for me to apply for or should I go for the skilled worker visa. Cheers

rjessome

m.j.w wrote: »

Hi rjessome, thanks for taking the time out to do this. Im in the last year of my apprenticeship as an industrial electrician. Im finished in December and im hoping to travel to canada in ealry 2013 (earlier the better). My question is could I apply for an IEC visa now and then travel in December or is there a certain time limit to when you must use the visa by. Also is this the best visa for me to apply for or should I go for the skilled worker visa. Cheers

You can apply for the IEC now. They typically give you one year from the date of approval to travel. If you meet the requirements of the IEC, I might apply for that. Who knows if you will like it in Canada? You might not! Test the waters first if you can, find an employer willing to sponsor you through a PNP or with Arranged Employment Opinion (AEO). That will support any permanent residence application. And IEC permits are OPEN meaning you can work for whomever you want wherever you want. LMO based work permits (skilled or not) are CLOSED meaning you can only work for 1 employer at their location as approved.

Just want to clarify some terms. VISA is a travel document required to enter Canada. Citizens of Ireland (and the UK) are visa exempt, meaning that they do not require this travel document to board a plane and enter Canada. What you are issued when you arrive in Canada is a PERMIT (study, work, visit). So the VISA allows you to enter (if you need one) and the PERMIT says what you can do when you get here. Citizens of Ireland and the UK are applying for PERMITS.

Dub-girl88

At the moment I'm in Australia on a one year working holiday visa. It says when applying for a working holiday visa to Canada that you must have lived in Ireland for the past 3 years. Does this mean I wont get the visa?

rjessome

Dub-girl88 wrote: »

At the moment I'm in Australia on a one year working holiday visa. It says when applying for a working holiday visa to Canada that you must have lived in Ireland for the past 3 years. Does this mean I wont get the visa?

No. Read the frequently asked questions regarding the IEC program.

Residency Requirements
What does “3 years habitual residency requirement” mean?
This means that that a candidate’s habitual residence (i.e. physically residing/living) must be in the UK for a period of at least three years full-time directly prior to applying to the IEC. An exception can be made if the candidate has temporarily resided in a foreign country for studies or short-term work, but the time spent outside the UK must not exceed 18 months cumulative over the three previous years.

rjessome

Dub-girl88

Ok thanks for your help

Niamh84

Thanks for the advice. Appreciate it. Will definately have to look at the programmes in more detail.

Johnboat

A question is asked when applying for W H V have you ever been refused entry of had visa canceled for any other countries
I have been refused entry and had a holiday visa canceled on grounds of suspicion of working while on a tourist visa in Australia. If i answer truthfully will this ruin my chances of obtaining a WHV for canada or further down the line if i try to extend my stay there?

very grateful for help on this
thanks

GamesDontSuck

Hi guys,
Didnt want to start a new thread as my question is advice about getting a job in Canada. So why not ask here

I am late 20's and just a regular joe. No college. No trade. No skills. Just the "other guy" I guess. Whats my chances of getting a job in Canada?

TheMilkyPirate

Hey rjessome, Great service and thanks for answering our questions. Hopefully mine is pretty straightforward.

Me and my girlfriend and our 2 year old son are planning on going to canada maybe early next year. I'm just wondering will we have a problem applying for our IEC visa with our son? Will he require a separate visa? Or will he go under ours?

Also can you apply for a second year IEC visa when your first year is up? We are planning on doing this and then hopefully trying to gain PR through the PNP at some stage during our second year.

Thanks.

NoelAPM

baraca wrote: »

Hey rjessome, Great service and thanks for answering our questions. Hopefully mine is pretty straightforward.

Me and my girlfriend and our 2 year old son are planning on going to canada maybe early next year. I'm just wondering will we have a problem applying for our IEC visa with our son? Will he require a separate visa? Or will he go under ours?

Also can you apply for a second year IEC visa when your first year is up? We are planning on doing this and then hopefully trying to gain PR through the PNP at some stage during our second year.

Thanks.

the International Experience Canada Program is not a visa application, its an application for a 1 year working permit. So, and I stand to be corrected, your son will not be required to have a 'Visa', you will have to say your son is accompanying you in your IEC application tho, and I'm not sure how that will affect you.

You can apply for a second year as long as you have not been out of Ireland for more than 18 months in the last 3 years prior to your 2nd application.

rjessome

Johnboat wrote: »

A question is asked when applying for W H V have you ever been refused entry of had visa canceled for any other countries
I have been refused entry and had a holiday visa canceled on grounds of suspicion of working while on a tourist visa in Australia. If i answer truthfully will this ruin my chances of obtaining a WHV for canada or further down the line if i try to extend my stay there?

very grateful for help on this
thanks

You must answer all of the questions honestly. Let me say that first because if you don't you will be guilty of misrepresentation and that will bar you from entering Canada for two years.

Whether or not it will result in a refusal of the IEC permit depends on the circumstances. DID you actually work without the proper permit in Australia? With immigration it is all about maintaining the integrity of the system. Credibility is a factor that is considered. Being honest and upfront about any past difficulties you have had can work in your favour because it shows Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) that you are an honest person and that counts! I cannot say for sure whether it will negatively impact your ability to get an IEC permit as I won't be the person assessing your application. But I would provide an explanation of what happened and if you did do something wrong, apologize for it and state you will never do it again. If you lie to them and they find out on their own, any hope you have of ever permanently immigrating to Canada will be lost. Canada shares certain information pertaining to immigration with Australia, NZ, UK, USA, and a few other countries. So don't think that they can never find out if they check.

Honesty is the best policy. Hope that helps.

rjessome

rjessome

GamesDontSuck wrote: »

Hi guys,
Didnt want to start a new thread as my question is advice about getting a job in Canada. So why not ask here

I am late 20's and just a regular joe. No college. No trade. No skills. Just the "other guy" I guess. Whats my chances of getting a job in Canada?

You state that you have no skills. Does that mean you have never worked at anything? Come on. Employers here are no different than employers in Ireland. They look for at least some experience and a positive attitude. If you don't have that, then your chances are almost nil of getting a job in Canada.

rjessome

rjessome

baraca wrote: »

Hey rjessome, Great service and thanks for answering our questions. Hopefully mine is pretty straightforward.

Me and my girlfriend and our 2 year old son are planning on going to canada maybe early next year. I'm just wondering will we have a problem applying for our IEC visa with our son? Will he require a separate visa? Or will he go under ours?

Also can you apply for a second year IEC visa when your first year is up? We are planning on doing this and then hopefully trying to gain PR through the PNP at some stage during our second year.

Thanks.

Hi,

You do understand that you and your girlfriend will EACH have to apply for your own IEC permits? Your son will be able to enter Canada as a visitor. He will not be granted any status based on either of your IEC permits. There shouldn't be a problem with him entering but the maximum length of time he will be allocated to stay will be 6 months when you enter at the port of entry to Canada. However, you can apply to extend his visitor status when it comes close to the end of the 6 months. Just make sure that you maintain his legal status while in Canada.

Hope that helps.

rjessome

ppink

Hi
do you have any idea how long after positive LMO is the temp work permit issued. It is intended to get it at point of entry- is that immediate or is there a time line?

rjessome

ppink wrote: »

Hi
do you have any idea how long after positive LMO is the temp work permit issued. It is intended to get it at point of entry- is that immediate or is there a time line?

LMOs have a 6 month expiry which means that the selected worker must apply for the work permit within 6 months from the issuance of the LMO. If an applicant who is visa exempt applies upon entry armed with their contract and LMO, the work permit is issued right away assuming they meet all of the admissibility conditions that any person entering Canada meets. The only catch would be that working in certain occupations (some areas of health care, with children, etc.) require ALL workers to have an immigration medical exam done before applying for the work permit. However, MOST jobs do not have this requirement.

So in answer to your question, if you meet the above conditions the work permit is issued immediately after you are examined and approved by the immigration officer at the port of entry to Canada.

rjessome

token101

rjessome wrote: »

Hi. This is a question I get asked all the time. But put the focus on yourself, your skills and abilities. The wonderful thing about IEC is it gives you a chance to PROVE your worth to employers. It's an open permit so you are free to find a job and employer that suits you. You are also free to be promoted and moved around within a company. Employers are often intimidated by the LMO process especially for untested workers. BUT what I see is that once they "fall in love" with an employee who has shown their worth, they will bend over backwards to keep them, including doing LMOs, PNPs, etc. So look at it like YOUR opportunity to show them how valuable you are to their business. No company wants to lose a key employee.

All the professional jobs are NOT in Toronto! While it is Canada's largest city it is by no means the only place to find professional employment! Cities all across Canada employ professionals and there are plenty of opportunities in ANY Canadian city. Think about it. All companies, no matter what their end product or service, require skilled administrative, financial and sales management. Sorry but I get really annoyed when I hear people say "all the jobs are in Toronto". Cities like Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, etc. ALSO need professionals.

Hope that helps.

rjessome

Hi,

The advice is really appreciated, I suppose what I was really thinking is that Toronto is a lot bigger, and I'd have the best chance there as opposed to somewhere smaller. But I really appreciate the answer.

Regards,
token101

token101

I do have one other question actually if you don't mind answering if you know. There's a programme called Career Bridge that's for recent immigrants to Canada looking for Canadian experience:

https://www.careerbridge.ca/en/home

It's mostly internships as far as I know, but would you know if it is open to IEC applicants? I've sent emails and even asked on Twitter but got no response, which makes me think the answer is no! I know there are other placement type programmes that are only open to Federal Skilled Workers, but it doesn't say anywhere on this that IEC applicants are excluded. And even in the little questionnaire IEC applicants would seem to tick the boxes.

If you have any info I'd be grateful, thanks

rjessome

token101 wrote: »

I do have one other question actually if you don't mind answering if you know. There's a programme called Career Bridge that's for recent immigrants to Canada looking for Canadian experience:

https://www.careerbridge.ca/en/home

It's mostly internships as far as I know, but would you know if it is open to IEC applicants? I've sent emails and even asked on Twitter but got no response, which makes me think the answer is no! I know there are other placement type programmes that are only open to Federal Skilled Workers, but it doesn't say anywhere on this that IEC applicants are excluded. And even in the little questionnaire IEC applicants would seem to tick the boxes.

If you have any info I'd be grateful, thanks

Hi,

I looked at this website and I think I found your answer in their FAQs.

Who is eligible for Career Edge Organization’s paid internship programs?

• recent graduates from accredited Canadian colleges and universities who do not have significant work experience in their chosen field, and are looking for a paid internship within a non-regulated business function including Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Business, Information Technology, Engineering, Operations and Sales.
• graduates with self-declared disabilities from accredited Canadian colleges and universities who do not have significant work experience in their chosen field, and are looking for a paid internship within a non-regulated business function including Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Business, Information Technology, Engineering, Operations and Sales.
• internationally qualified professionals who have been in Canada for less than three years, are legally able to work in Canada, have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree with Canadian equivalency assessment and do not have Canadian work experience in their chosen professional field.

So it seems to me that a person arriving with an IEC permit might be eligible but there is no guaranteed placement AND you MUST have your credentials professionally assessed through one of the approved assessment organizations. But the key is that you must be IN Canada to apply.

Hope that helps.

Roxanne

token101

rjessome wrote: »

Hi,

I looked at this website and I think I found your answer in their FAQs.

Who is eligible for Career Edge Organization’s paid internship programs?

• recent graduates from accredited Canadian colleges and universities who do not have significant work experience in their chosen field, and are looking for a paid internship within a non-regulated business function including Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Business, Information Technology, Engineering, Operations and Sales.
• graduates with self-declared disabilities from accredited Canadian colleges and universities who do not have significant work experience in their chosen field, and are looking for a paid internship within a non-regulated business function including Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Business, Information Technology, Engineering, Operations and Sales.
• internationally qualified professionals who have been in Canada for less than three years, are legally able to work in Canada, have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree with Canadian equivalency assessment and do not have Canadian work experience in their chosen professional field.

So it seems to me that a person arriving with an IEC permit might be eligible but there is no guaranteed placement AND you MUST have your credentials professionally assessed through one of the approved assessment organizations. But the key is that you must be IN Canada to apply.

Hope that helps.

Roxanne

Yeah I knew you had to be in Canada, but I'd feel I'd have more chance with an organisation like this than going it alone. As long as the assessment doesn't cost a fortune I'd be ok with that. I'm glad you came to the same conclusion as me anyway! Hopefully it's right! Cheers anyway

nimar

Hi rjessome,

Thanks in advance for volunteering your knowledge on this forum! I have 2 questions if that's OK.

1) My husband and I are currently in Toronto on the IEC work permits. We've applied for the permanent resident visa (with my husband as the main applicant) under the skilled worker with "arranged employment" category (as my husband is currently in a permanent job here with his employer who want him to remain in that role permanently). This application has recently been refused, and the reason that was given is that my husband is not currently on a valid work permit to apply under this category! We cannot find anywhere on the site where it says that you can't apply for a permanent visa while currently here on the IEC open work permit. Do you know of any rules around this, or could this be a mistake on the part of CIC?

2) Because our current IEC permits expire at the end of this year, we are now looking to go down the LMO route with our employers. However, in September I will have 2 years of Canadian work experience under my belt as a Project Manager (with a total of 13 years of experience in this field). Because of the recent permanent application rejection, and the need for LMO's, I was thinking of applying for the permanent visa under the Canadian Experience Class category. Having looked into this further, it seems that your job and experience must be in the NOC category 0, A or B in order to be eligible. The only project management roles that are listed in these categories are for construction or interior design! There is nothing for general project managers within the IT, web or graphic design industries! Does that mean that I will not be able to apply for the Canadian Experience Class visa?

Thanks in advance!

rjessome

nimar wrote: »

Hi rjessome,

Thanks in advance for volunteering your knowledge on this forum! I have 2 questions if that's OK.

1) My husband and I are currently in Toronto on the IEC work permits. We've applied for the permanent resident visa (with my husband as the main applicant) under the skilled worker with "arranged employment" category (as my husband is currently in a permanent job here with his employer who want him to remain in that role permanently). This application has recently been refused, and the reason that was given is that my husband is not currently on a valid work permit to apply under this category! We cannot find anywhere on the site where it says that you can't apply for a permanent visa while currently here on the IEC open work permit. Do you know of any rules around this, or could this be a mistake on the part of CIC?

2) Because our current IEC permits expire at the end of this year, we are now looking to go down the LMO route with our employers. However, in September I will have 2 years of Canadian work experience under my belt as a Project Manager (with a total of 13 years of experience in this field). Because of the recent permanent application rejection, and the need for LMO's, I was thinking of applying for the permanent visa under the Canadian Experience Class category. Having looked into this further, it seems that your job and experience must be in the NOC category 0, A or B in order to be eligible. The only project management roles that are listed in these categories are for construction or interior design! There is nothing for general project managers within the IT, web or graphic design industries! Does that mean that I will not be able to apply for the Canadian Experience Class visa?

Thanks in advance!

Hi,

1. Unfortunately, CIC's decision to refuse is correct. AE (Arranged Employment) in the FSW (Federal Skilled Worker) category requires that the work permit either be issued through an LMO, intra-company transfer, CIC approved LMO exempt program specific to certain occupations, or through international trade agreements like NAFTA, GATS, etc. IEC and WHV permits are considered reciprocal exchange programs and are NOT included under Section 204 and 205 of the Regulations which define the type of work permit required for AE. If the job offer had been confirmed by HRSDC and resulted in an AEO (Arranged Employment Opinion), then it would have worked.

2. Your work experience would qualify for CEC assuming you have the correct number of months (24) AND hours (3900) and the job is in the correct skill level (0, A or . You are going to have to find the NOC Code or codes that best describe your daily work. Look at 0213 or 2171 to start. Sometimes it can be the combination of two codes that work best. I've done that before where an applicant couldn't find just one code that fit their job. It was accepted by CIC. You will also have to take the IELTS GENERAL test to prove you meet the minimum language requirements for your job level as indicated in the Regulations.

You understand that you will still require LMOs to be able to continue working in Canada. A CEC or FSW application in process will not maintain your status as a worker. However, if both of you are in skill level 0, A or B positions then only one of you needs to get a positive LMO. The other will be able to get another open work permit as the dependent spouse of the skilled worker. Advise the employer to apply for the LMO early, at least 4 months and preferrably 6 months in advance of the current expiry of your permits. It is taking a really LONG time to get LMOs these days.

Good luck.

Roxanne

nimar

Hi rjessome,

Thanks so much for your quick and concise response. This is super helpful!

Nimar

fonzy72

Hi rjessome ,

I hope you have a trick up your sleeve for this one and thanks for all the great advice thus far.
My partner and I are heading to Calgary in a few months. I have the IEC visa she has no visa as she is over 35 and does not qualify for the federal skilled worker visa. I know she can come with me and not work, which we can financially afford but my fear is that she'll go crazy with nothing to do everyday.

So the questions I have are many, if you wouldn't mind answering any of them I'd really appreciate it.

Do we need to apply for the temporary resident visa from this side for her.?

If she applies for the open work permit from this side, what are her chances of getting it on grounds of stir crazy ness?!

She used to work for a multinational here for many years, is it a good idea to apply with them from this side? If she is not successful, is she gonna get stopped crossing the border and sent home?

She would also qualify for the PNP as do I but you need to work in that trade first, is there anyway around that for her or should I switch my visa as soon as I have worked the appropriate number of months.

We are registered as common law partners, if that's of any help. I just want to be as transparent as possible as we do want to stay long term but I don't want either of us to get stopped from the initial experience.

Sorry for all the questions, as I said any help is better than no help.

Thanks

rjessome

fonzy72 wrote: »

Hi rjessome ,

I hope you have a trick up your sleeve for this one and thanks for all the great advice thus far.
My partner and I are heading to Calgary in a few months. I have the IEC visa she has no visa as she is over 35 and does not qualify for the federal skilled worker visa. I know she can come with me and not work, which we can financially afford but my fear is that she'll go crazy with nothing to do everyday.

So the questions I have are many, if you wouldn't mind answering any of them I'd really appreciate it.

Do we need to apply for the temporary resident visa from this side for her.?

If she applies for the open work permit from this side, what are her chances of getting it on grounds of stir crazy ness?!

She used to work for a multinational here for many years, is it a good idea to apply with them from this side? If she is not successful, is she gonna get stopped crossing the border and sent home?

She would also qualify for the PNP as do I but you need to work in that trade first, is there anyway around that for her or should I switch my visa as soon as I have worked the appropriate number of months.

We are registered as common law partners, if that's of any help. I just want to be as transparent as possible as we do want to stay long term but I don't want either of us to get stopped from the initial experience.

Sorry for all the questions, as I said any help is better than no help.

Thanks

Hi,

I will do my best to answer.

First of all, as I've explained in a previous post, people from the UK and Ireland are visa exempt for Canada. A visa is a travel document confirming that you will be allowed entry into a country. It is used mainly to board airplanes. If you are no visa exempt to Canada, no airline will let you board a flight to Canada because they will have to return you to your point of origin at THEIR cost.

1. As soon as your partner tries to enter Canada as a visitor, that act itself is an "application" to become a temporary resident. Assuming she is an Irish or UK citizen, she does not require a visa to travel to Canada.

2. No chance whatsoever for her to be able to get an open work permit if you are on an IEC permit.

3. If the company in Ireland has an office in Calgary that requires someone with her skill set AND they are not able to find a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who can fit the requirements for the job, they could apply for an LMO (Labour Market Opinion) to hire her. If she is still working for this company in a management position and they want to transfer her to the office in Calgary, she "may" be eligible to come and work as an intra-company transferee. That would require further study that I cannot provide on an internet forum for general information.

4. Part of qualifying for the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) is that she must have an employer in Alberta willing to support her application by offering her a full-time, permanent job in a skill level 0, A or B position. Unless she has that (and you too) she does NOT qualify for AINP. There is no way around that. However, if you are supported by an employer for AINP and approved, then you can change your work permit to a closed permit (only work for one employer) and she would be eligible to apply for an open work permit as your dependent common-law partner.

5. Being registered as common-law partners does not help. But it doesn't hurt either. The requirement to be considered common-law in Canada is residing together in a conjugal (marriage like) relationship for 12 consecutive months with the intent to remain together in this relationship.

Overall, in order for your partner to be eligible to work in Canada, she requires an employer with an LMO who is willing to hire her or you would need to switch your permit to one that is LMO based or AINP based. She can volunteer BUT there are specific requirements for that. She can ONLY volunteer at a company or organization where the work is done mainly by unpaid volunteers. An example would be a food bank or homeless shelter. She cannot volunteer to do work that would normally be paid. So she could not volunteer as an accountant for a company that doesn't normally have volunteers doing that work. I hope you understand what I mean.

Best of luck.

Roxanne

fonzy72

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.

cmrm

hi Roxanne,

Thanks for doing this thread, reading all your replies has been very helpful but I would like some advice if you can find the time?


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056578617

I posted this thread earlier and I think I know the answer to the first question after reading one of your replies.
My wife & kids would go as visitors to Canada with me and have to renew before the 6 months were up?
so would we need to show we had a certain amount of money to sustain ourselves over there?
Is it easy to renew the visitor permit every 6 months? We wanted to at least stay for 2 years if we could.

thanks again
D

number11

Hi rjessome, thank you for all your advice so far. i really hope you may be able to help me out. basically i don't have any serious qualifications, just a diploma in psychology which probably isn't worth the paper it's wrote on! i have five years of work experience as a clerical officer in the Irish government. i am currently on the IEC programme in nova scotia and am applying for my second IEC participation as my current one expires in june.
i really want to stay here on a permanent basis because of a certain girl and all that!
do i have any options? do you think i could get a low skilled LMO and then apply for a temporary work permit which would lead to permanent resdincy?? or should i resign myself to the thought of having to leave this beautiful country at the end of my second year? any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated! thanks

retalivity

number11 wrote: »

i really want to stay here on a permanent basis because of a certain girl and all that!

Shotgun wedding

rjessome

cmrm wrote: »

hi Roxanne,

Thanks for doing this thread, reading all your replies has been very helpful but I would like some advice if you can find the time?


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056578617

I posted this thread earlier and I think I know the answer to the first question after reading one of your replies.
My wife & kids would go as visitors to Canada with me and have to renew before the 6 months were up?
so would we need to show we had a certain amount of money to sustain ourselves over there?
Is it easy to renew the visitor permit every 6 months? We wanted to at least stay for 2 years if we could.

thanks again
D

Hi,

I am cutting and pasting your questions from the other thread to give consistency:

1. Im the only one going to be working (electrician) so my wife & kids can come on my IEC but have to fill out a Application & Declaration form for each family member, is this right? Or do I just fill it out and I put them in the Family Information Form? or is there some other form I havent seen yet?

2. Do we just pay the one fee of 110euro for all of us (since im the only one working)?

3. I know we will need evidence of having $2500 available to us to cover the first few months, do we each need that amount -so about $10000 altogether?

1. You just fill out the family information form. Your wife would require her own IEC application if she is eligible. You don't say how old your kids are? If they are school age, they will require study permits. Those are separate applications with separate fees. If not, your wife and kids can only enter as visitors. The maximum amount of time they would be given to stay is 6 months. They would need to renew their status before it expires to be able to stay.

2. One fee if the children don't need study permits.

3. You need AT LEAST $2500 plus health insurance. But if you have a family of 4, I would be prepared to show the officer at the port of entry significantly more money to show you can support yourselves if you are all arriving together. There is no actual number I can give you but more is better. And I would ensure that your family has health insurance for at least 6 months as well.

There could be a problem if your wife and kids don't have return tickets as well. If the officer at the port of entry thinks they intend to overstay as visitors, they can be refused entry.

Have you considered coming on your own first? Electricians are in demand and you may be able to quickly switch your permit to either an LMO based permit or through a provincial nominee program if you have a willing employer. I would also say that your best bet to find that kind of employer would be in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. If you were able to do that, then your wife and children would be eligible for permits giving them status as your dependents and would not have to go through the hassle of renewing visitor permits. Just a thought.

Roxanne

ppink

Roxanne can I just ask you what percentage of LMO's get turned down? I was offered a job by a company who have applied for an LMO for me. The lawyers gave me a timeline of May/June but I am wondering what are the chances of it being negative?

rjessome

number11 wrote: »

Hi rjessome, thank you for all your advice so far. i really hope you may be able to help me out. basically i don't have any serious qualifications, just a diploma in psychology which probably isn't worth the paper it's wrote on! i have five years of work experience as a clerical officer in the Irish government. i am currently on the IEC programme in nova scotia and am applying for my second IEC participation as my current one expires in june.
i really want to stay here on a permanent basis because of a certain girl and all that!
do i have any options? do you think i could get a low skilled LMO and then apply for a temporary work permit which would lead to permanent resdincy?? or should i resign myself to the thought of having to leave this beautiful country at the end of my second year? any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated! thanks

Hi,

Well, you do have a few options to consider. The Nova Scotia Nominee Program will allow employers to support applications for low and semi-skilled workers IF they can show a demand in the labour market as well as having made genuine attempts to recruit Canadian citizen and permanent resident workers but have been unable to do so. It's not easy to provide adequate proof of this and you MUST have a willing employer. You also have to worked for the sponsoring employer in Nova Scotia for at least 6 months. You can read more about this program here:
http://novascotiaimmigration.ca/immigrants/immigrating-to-ns/skilled-worker

The other option would be dependent upon how serious the relationship between you and this girl is. Shotgun wedding aside, if you get married OR live together in a marriage like relationship for 12 consecutive months, and the girl is willing, she may apply to sponsor you as her spouse or common-law partner in the Family Class. There are pros and cons to this as well as many changes are taking place regarding the immigration laws of this program. However, it is an option BUT only one you should consider if you are in a SERIOUS relationship. The relationship MUST come first and immigration second.

I do a lot of provincial nominee applications as well as sponsorships. I sponsored my own husband to Canada. You can send me a private message if you need a little more information.

Roxanne

rjessome

ppink wrote: »

Roxanne can I just ask you what percentage of LMO's get turned down? I was offered a job by a company who have applied for an LMO for me. The lawyers gave me a timeline of May/June but I am wondering what are the chances of it being negative?

Hi,

I'm sure there are statistsics somewhere about that but I don't have them. But the easy answer is 100% approval if there is a genuine need for the worker and the employer meets or exceeds the criteria. And 100% refusal if there is not a genuine need or the employer doesn't meet the criteria.

I don't mean to be cheeky (well maybe a little) but each application is considered on it's own merits. So statistics of approval/refusal rates are a lot of junk because they can't factor this into the numbers.

If the application is well prepared AND there is a genuine need AND the employer meets the criteria, the application should be approved. If any of these fall short, then it will be refused.

Good luck.

Roxanne