Monday, September 21, 2009

Top 8 Questions Most Frequently Asked By Immigrants To Canada On How The Immigration Process Works.

By Alex Teo

Is it mandatory for an immigrant to participate in an interview with the visa office? Not necessarily. It is up to the appropriate Canadian immigration authority to decide whether they would like to interview you or not. The nature of the file and the credentials of the applicant will play a big role in the decision of the Canadian visa office abroad. For example, an immigrant showing a diploma from a very reputable school and work experience from a major firm will most likely be exempted from the interview. Entrepreneurs and Investors will have to do the interview every time because the Canadian visa officer will want to assess their ability to manage a business and see if they meet the requirements. Why should I engage an immigration lawyer to represent me?

Why should I engage an immigration lawyer to represent me? Although individuals can file their own immigration applications, it is not advisable to do so. The majority of immigrants use the services of Canadian immigration lawyers who are specialized in immigration matters to represent them, due to the complexity of the process and the obstacles that can be met. Canadian immigration lawyers are used to deal with the specific issues that may arise and maintain a high level of qualification and expertise. You must be wary of those who say "money back guarantee", "no visa-no fee" or make other promises concerning the outcome of an application. Also nobody can really promise to get the visa in a shorter time. Only Canadian Visa officers can make the decision on your visa application.

Who makes decisions concerning my application for immigration to Canada? All the decisions regarding a candidates immigration file are made by visa Officers in Canadian Consulates, Embassies and High Commissions abroad. Each application is evaluated in accordance with its category. For skilled Workers, a point system is used. This system considers a variety of factors; Entrepreneurs, Investors are assessed in light of their business experience and net worth; self-employed applicants must demonstrate a potential contribution to the artistic, cultural, or scientific life of Canada; and family class applicants receive priority over other applicants in the processing of their applications.

Where do I need to send my immigration file for processing? You need to identify the Canadian foreign office that is in charge of processing file for your part of the world. It can be a Canadian Embassy or Consulate or even a High Commission. In those foreign services there will be a Visa officer that will be in charge of processing the files. The candidate must apply either from his country of origin or from the country in which he has a permanent residency status that is valid.

How soon can I have my immigration file processed? There is no easy way to say for sure how long before you can get processed with your immigration file. We know from experience that in some parts of the world the process for skilled workers can take up to 2 years while normal processing times for Entrepreneurs and Investors will take up to 9 months. It depends on the current pipeline of the different Canadian foreign offices where the files will be processed. Make sure your file is completely in order when you apply in order to avoid having to redo the whole process.

Is it possible to immigrate to Canada if you have a medical condition? No, you can not immigrate to Canada if you have any form of chronic, contagious diseases that would require that an unfair burden be put on the Canadian health care system. This is why you need to pass a medical exam if you wish to be accepted to land into Canada as a permanent resident. In order to avoid spending your money on unnecessary fees, make sure you do not suffer from any of those unwanted conditions before you apply.

Can I still immigrate to Canada if I have a criminal record? It will seriously jeopardize your application to immigrate to Canada but you must look at all the details. For example, the nature of the offense, the sentence carried out and also the time at which the conviction was issued will all play a role in the decision of the visa officer. You will need to display all your police certificates and documents in order to prove that you have no serious criminal charges pending against you before you can land into Canada.

What if I do not wish to go to Canada right away? It is possible to delay your move to Canada after you have received all your residency papers. Keep in mind that because of the long delays for the visa, it is wise to apply for the residency before you finish with your past obligations (work, studies) . Visas issued by the Consulates are normally valid for up to one year since the date the medical exams were performed, and you may come to Canada at any time prior to the expiry of your visa. You can also do your landing in Canada to make sure that your residency does not expire and go back to your activities overseas. Just be careful not to spend too much time outside of Canada otherwise your permanent residency will expire. You need to stay in Canada at least 2 years out of 3 if you want to preserve your stratus as a permanent resident.

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