Questions & Answers on Immigrating to Canada

We have broken the list of frequently asked questions down into six sections.

On this page you will find answers to general questions regarding immigration to Canada.  We highly recommend reading through these, if only briefly before moving on to a more specific FAQ page.

For answers to questions regarding specific programs, please choose from the following:

What are the current processing times for skilled worker applications?

Please visit our Processing Times page.

What is permanent residence?

When people apply for immigration to Canada, they are in fact applying for a permanent residence visa. Permanent residence is a status that allows an immigrant to legally reside and earn a living anywhere in Canada while abiding by the country’s constitutional laws.  In the U.S., such status is granted with what is known informally as Green Card. 

All individuals who are not eligible to apply directly for citizenship must first apply for permanent residence.  After meeting minimum residency requirements (i.e. 3 years), individuals can then apply for citizenship, which entitles them to a Canadian passport.  

Although not able to vote in elections, permanent residents enjoy many of the same privileges as Canadian citizens, including the right to education, health and social services, and protection under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

What are the different categories of immigrants?

The rules for the admission of immigrants deal with three basic categories. The family class, independent/Skilled Worker class, and the Business/Investor Category. 

Family class Category: immigrants sponsored by close family members already living in Canada.

Independent Category: immigrants who qualify for certain types of jobs or have other important assets to bring to Canada. They apply on their own or have more distant elatives living in Canada.

Business Category:  Canada welcomes business immigrants who have the ability and resources to invest in or establish businesses in Canada. During 1998, business immigrants invested more than $437 million in Canada. Business immigrants, who represent nearly 8% of total immigrants, include investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed immigrants. Selection criteria vary for each category.

Investor Category:   Investors must invest a minimum amount in approved projects in Canada.  All investors must provide a minimum investment of $400,000 and have a minimum net worth of $800,000. Provinces and territories secure the investment against loss.

You may finance your investment in the Immigrant Investor Program without having to deposit the whole amount of 400,000C$ but just 120,000C$ and borrow the rest thru us via a Bank or Financial Institution. Write to us for details.

Can I retain a representative outside of Canada to assist me with my application to CIC?

CIC can deal only with representatives who are either (1) Canadian citizens, or (2) permanent residents of Canada AND who are members in good standing of CSIC or lawyers.

Representatives who

A) Live outside Canada and are NOT Canadian citizens and are NOT permanent residents

OR

B) Are not members of CSIC

are not allowed to represent a client before CIC.

What is CSIC?

CSIC stands for the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants.

The Society grants memberships to only those individuals who have demonstrated their knowledge and ability to advise, consult and represent people who wish to seek Canadian immigration, have passed the Society's Knowledge and Ethics Test and have demonstrated their good character.

The Society's mandate is to protect the consumers of immigration consulting services and ensure the competent and professional conduct of its members.

Is Russell Monsurate a member of CSIC?

Not only is Russell Monsurate a member of CSIC, but he is also a Canadian citizen, living in Canada. He is authorized to act as your paid representative for immigration into Canada, under all applicable categories.  We also have two other fully licensed CSIC representatives working full time for Avatar Immigration.

Could you say a few words about Permanent Residents Visa vs. the Visitor class Visa?

Permanent residents

Persons who have been admitted to Canada as permanent residents have the right to come to the country and remain here, provided they have not surrendered or lost that status or it has not been established that they have engaged in activities, such as criminal acts, that would otherwise subject them to removal.

Permanent residents who are not Canadian citizens may lose their permanent resident status if they abandon Canada as their place of permanent residence. All permanent residents have the right to apply for a Returning Resident Permit and should exercise this right if they plan to make frequent or extended visits outside the country or to engage in activities that might create a false impression that they intend to make their home elsewhere.

On their return, this permit will assist in identifying them as persons who have travelled abroad but did not intend to abandon their home in Canada. Permits are available from Citizenship and Immigration centers in Canada or from Canadian visa offices abroad.

Those who lose their permanent resident status by abandoning Canada may reapply to immigrate in the normal way at a Canadian visa office abroad. Those who lose their status through deportation are permanently barred from re-entering Canada unless they have obtained ministerial consent to be readmitted and have paid the related fees 

 
Visitors

Entering Canada as a visitor is not a right but a privilege provided for under the Immigration Act. To be admitted, visitors may need a visa, which may be obtained at a visa office abroad, as well as a valid passport or travel document. Persons coming to Canada to work or study must have an authorization to do so. Once admitted, visitors are permitted to stay in the country for the period of time specified by immigration officers.

Visitors lose their status and privileges if they:

• do not comply with the terms and conditions of their visit;

• extend their stay without permission; or

• violate the conditions of their student or employment authorizations. Those who receive a departure order (which has no further effect if the person leaves Canada within the prescribed time) or a deportation order (which permanently bars a person from returning to Canada unless ministerial consent is obtained) lose the privilege of remaining in Canada.

I have often heard of the word "Ministers Permit" but do not understand what is meant by it?

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration may grant an inadmissible person the privilege of coming to or remaining in Canada by issuing a Minister's Permit. This permit may be cancelled at any time. If a person's permit is cancelled, he or she may be required to leave or be directed to attend an immigration inquiry.

What are removal orders?

Immigration inquiries may result in one of the following: a departure order (which has no further effect if the person leaves Canada within the required time); an exclusion order (which bars the person from returning within one year unless ministerial consent is obtained); a deportation order (which permanently bars the person from returning to Canada unless ministerial consent is obtained); or a decision to allow the person to come to or remain in Canada.

Persons who receive a departure order and who do not obtain a certificate of departure and do not leave Canada within the prescribed period will be deemed to have been ordered deported.

In all cases involving removal orders, the persons and their counsel are informed of the reasons for, and given a copy of, the orders.

Family members in Canada dependent on the person receiving a removal order may be included in the order. However, before being included, dependants have the right to be heard at the immigration inquiry. Family members who are Canadian citizens and family members who are permanent residents aged 19 or over cannot be included in a removal order.

Can you say a few words about the Elementary and Secondary School Education for Newcomers or would be immigrants?

 
Public Education for children

Public education is run by the provincial governments and is paid for through taxes. Public education is free and available to every child in Canada. By law, children must attend school until the age of 15 or 16.

In some provinces there are separate public school boards reflecting different religious and languages preferences.

Generally, the language of instruction is either English or French. If a student has difficulty with the language, he or she is usually given extra language training.

Boys and girls share classrooms and are taught together in almost all public schools. Teachers in all provinces must be qualified and licensed. All academic teachers have at least one university degree and special training in education.

Most children in Canada attend public schools. About five per cent of students go to private schools, which charge school fees.

 
Elementary and secondary school

In most provinces children start out in elementary school, which is usually kindergarten to grade 6 or 8. This is followed by secondary school also called high school. In some provinces this may be divided into junior high (grades 7 to 9) and senior high (grades 10-12). Students must complete certain academic courses in high school in order to be admitted to university.

 
How to enroll your children in school

Parents must register children at the local school or school board office. School boards are listed in the blue pages of the telephone book.

When you register your child, you must take with you:

• Permanent Resident Card, Record of Landing (IMM1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292)
• birth certificate
• vaccination certificate
• any previous school records

Your children’s language and mathematical skills might be tested. Then your child will be placed in the program the school thinks is best for them. If you think that your children may have been incorrectly placed, talk to their teacher, guidance Counsellor or school principal.

I would like to Visit Canada. Please tell me if I need a visitors Visa?

Citizens of the following countries and territories require a Visa to VISIT or TRANSIT Canada:

Who is exempt from entering Canada without a Visitor Visa?

VISITOR VISA EXEMPTIONS

 
Many people do not require a visa to visit Canada. These include:

• citizens of Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (National Passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Republic of Korea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, United States, and Western Samoa;
  
  

• persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence who are in possession of their alien registration card (Green card) or can provide other evidence of permanent residence.
  
  

• British citizens and British Overseas Citizens who are re-admissible to the United Kingdom;
  
  

• citizens of British dependent territories who derive their citizenship through birth, descent, registration or naturalization in one of the British dependent territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena or the Turks and Caicos Islands;
  
  

• persons holding a valid and subsisting Special Administrative Region passport issued by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China;
  
  

• persons holding passports or travel documents issued by the Holy See.

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