Frequently Asked Questions: General Inquiries

What is a Canadian Immigrant Visa?
An Immigrant Visa is a document which allows a person to live and work anywhere in Canada, and confers upon that person permanent resident status. It comes with certain responsibilities and can be revoked if the holder is out of the country for too long, or is guilty of some criminal activity. A person who is a Canadian permanent resident may apply for Canadian Citizenship after 3 years.
How is an Employment Authorization different from an Immigrant Visa?
An Employment Authorization permits an eligible visitor to reside and work in Canada for a limited period of time, and restrictions are usually placed on the type of employment which can be pursued. It will not, by itself, lead to Canadian permanent resident status. By contrast, a Canadian Immigrant Visa entitles its holder to live and work anywhere in Canada, enjoy many of the privileges of Canadian Citizenship, apply for Canadian Citizenship after 3 years and sponsor family members for Canadian permanent resident status.
Can I apply for permanent resident status and temporary status at the same time?
You can apply for permanent resident status and temporary status at the same time (dual intent). Doing so will not harm your application for permanent resident status. However, your application for temporary status may be affected because an impression will have been created that you do not intend to leave Canada upon the expiration of your temporary status. Therefore it is better to apply for temporary status before you apply for your permanent resident status.
Is my legal status in the country from which I am applying relevant?
Canadian policy has been to ignore an applicant's foreign immigration status. However, there have been some refusals on the grounds of criminal inadmissibility where the applicant admitted to having knowingly violated the immigration laws of a foreign jurisdiction.
I have heard that Canadian Immigration Regulations will be changing. When will that be?
How will I be affected? Imm SRC="fs_img/spacer.giigration laws, regulations, and policies are subject to change. Ongoing discussions are taking place with the aim of making the selection criteria more compatible with the changing requirements of Canada's economy. The effect of these changes will vary considerably from one applicant to another, depending on the particular circumstances. While one candidate may benefit from these changes, another may suffer a loss of points, or even automatic inadmissibility.
Is there a benefit to using an attorney for immigration to Canada?
Statistically, your chances of succeeding are increased if you are represented by a qualified attorney. But expert representation is not demanded by the Canadian immigration authorities.
1.7 How do I retain International Consultants to represent me?
As a first step, we ask that you complete an assessment form so that we may determine your eligibility. You may do so as a skilled worker applicant, a business class applicant or a family class applicant.
Who qualifies for an Immigrant Visa?
Immigrant Visas are given to qualified skilled workers, business persons and to close family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Who can I include in my application for an Immigrant Visa?
Your spouse and any dependent children may be included in the application. Children must be under the age of 19 years. If they are 19 and older, they must not have had an interruption of more than 12 months in their schooling. Your accompanying dependents will be subject to medical and security clearance requirements. Other family members, such as your parents, generally cannot be included in the application but you may be able to sponsor them as part of the family class after you land in Canada.
Common-law spouses and same-sex partners are not considered spouses for immigration purposes. They will be assessed independently. Where the common-law spouse or same-sex partner does not qualify as an independent immigrant, an Immigrant Visa may still be issued on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
Are there any special procedures for different provinces in Canada?
Certain provinces have been given the authority to select or nominate candidates for immigration destined to their respective provinces.
Quebec has exclusive authority to select candidates who intend to reside in that province. These applicants are subject to Quebec's selection criteria, in addition to Federal medical and security clearance requirements. They must also pay an additional fee for processing by a Quebec Delegation. Applicants who qualify under the Federal selection requirements may not necessarily satisfy Quebec's selection requirements, and vice versa.
To a lesser degree certain provinces presently each have the authority to nominate immigration candidates for selection by Federal immigration authorities. Even without such nomination you may reside in those provinces by meeting Federal selection criteria.
Is it harder to qualify for immigration in provinces with distinct criteria?
The purpose of distinct selection and nomination systems is to satisfy the specific immigration requirements of the particular regions of Canada. With that in mind, if the province is looking for an immigrant with certain skills and you have those skills, it might be easier for you to immigrate to that province. Otherwise, these provisions may be neutral or detrimental to your eligibility.
How do I find out if I qualify for immigration to Canada?
We recommend that you complete and submit an on-line assessment of your eligibility for immigration which we will evaluate at no charge. You may do so as a skilled worker applicant, a business applicant, or a family class applicant.
For further details on the selection requirements for each of the above categories, please consult the following pages: skilled workers, business immigrant program, or family class sponsorship.
Does the Canadian government charge a fee for submitting a permanent resident application?
Fees are payable to the Canadian government as follows:
Category of applicant Currency
Federal CAD$

Skilled Worker/Family Class Principal applicant 500
Entrepreneur, Self-Employed and Investor Principal applicant 1000
Each accompanying dependent 19 and over, Accompanying Spouse 500
Each accompanying dependent under 19 years old 100

* Right of Landing Fee 975

Fees are payable to the Quebec government as follows:

Category of applicant Currency
Quebec (in addition to Federal Fees) CAD$

Skilled Worker Principal applicant 300
Family Class Principal applicant 250
Entrepreneur and Self-Employed Principal Applicant 700
Investor Principal Applicant 850
Each accompanying dependent 19 and over, Accompanying Spouse 100
Each accompanying dependent under 19 years old 100

* The Right of Landing Fee is payable at any time prior to issuance of landing documents.
When do I pay government fees?
All government processing fees must be submitted concurrently with the submission of the application for permanent residence. By contrast, the Right of Landing fee may be submitted at any time prior to the issuance of landing documents and is refundable if, for any reason, the applicant does not land in Canada.
In what currency must I pay these government fees?
Canadian visa offices will accept the payment of fees in Canadian dollars or in the equivalent local currency. It is recommended to pay fees in Canadian dollars, if it is feasible, because of currency fluctuations. Canadian visa offices set and change exchange rates from time to time and if you have not submitted the exact foreign currency your application will be returned to you causing a delay. At the very least you should consult with an expert in these matters, or seek instructions from the particular Canadian visa office as to the specific amount payable, the name of the payee and the bank upon which the payment may be drawn.
What is the Right of Landing Fee?
All adults immigrating to Canada must pay this fee and can do so any time before landing documents are issued. The Right of Landing fee is fully refundable if for any reason the applicant or accompanying dependents do not land in Canada as permanent residents.
If I am already in Canada, do I still have to pay the Right of Landing Fee?
Yes, all adult immigrants must pay the Right of Landing Fee.
3.6 Are there any other fees or costs?
The application process may include other costs such as those related to medical examinations and police clearances; translating documents into French or English; and business and real estate valuations in certain cases.
Where do I submit my application for a Canadian Immigrant Visa?                                                                                                    You submit your application for a Canadian Immigrant Visa to a Canadian visa office. Every geographic region in the world has a Canadian visa office to which your application forms and supporting documents, along with all applicable fees, can be submitted. Each visa office specializes in the examination of documents from its region. Even if there is no Canadian visa office located in your country of residence, nonetheless your area is the responsibility of a particular Canadian visa office. For example, the Canadian visa office in London, England, is not only responsible for applications from the United Kingdom, but is also responsible for applications from other countries such as Finland and Saudi Arabia. Applicants under the Business Immigration Program must submit their applications to one of nine designated Visa Offices, which specialize in the evaluation of these files. If your destination is the Province of Quebec, you must submit an application for a Canadian Immigrant Visa and an application for a Quebec Certificate of Selection to a Quebec Delegation in your region. This procedure is required because Quebec has exclusive jurisdiction to select immigrants who intend to reside in that Province.
Can I apply to a Canadian visa office which is not responsible for the area in which I reside?                                                                       You may submit your application to the Canadian visa office of your choice. However, applications from outside the visa office's area of responsibility may take longer to process than applications from within its territory. These delays are often a result of the visa office's lack of familiarity with documents or issues which are particular to a country outside the visa office's territory.
What documents should be submitted in support of my application for permanent residence?                                   Supporting documents usually include evidence of employment, education, assets, civil status, and an absence of criminal convictions. Each visa office has specific requirements regarding the submission of supporting documentation. It is advisable to seek expert guidance or instructions from your visa office regarding the submission of supporting documentation.
When must I submit the supporting documentation?                  Each visa office has specific timing requirements, but usually, supporting documents are submitted at the same time as your completed application forms and processing fees. Some Visa Offices insist that the entire file be submitted at once, and may even return incomplete files without acknowledging receipt.
In what language must my supporting documentation be submitted?                                                                                                 All supporting documentation in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by an English or French translation, as translated by a certified translator.
Can I transfer my application to a different visa office after it has been submitte?                                                                                                                                                    You can transfer your application to a different visa office after it has been submitted. The transfer of an application to a different visa office takes 6-8 weeks to occur. Processing of the file will start again from the beginning at the new visa office. The fee for transferring an application is presently CAD$100.
How long does the immigration process take?                               The average processing time of all world-wide visa offices is approximately 18 months for applications where a selection interview is required. Depending on the circumstances of the case, and the office at which the application is submitted, processing time may be as short as 6 months or as long as 42 months.
What is a lock in date?                                                                             A lock-in date is the date on which a visa office receives a completed application form, with full payment of the processing fees. The Canadian Courts have deemed the lock-in date to be the date on which factors such as age must be assessed. Thus, no points will be lost if the applicant's age changes during the processing of the application.
Will I be interviewed by an immigration officer?
Most Skilled Worker applicants for permanent resident status are required to attend a selection interview with an immigration officer. Such interviews are held to ensure the information in the application is accurate, to verify documentation, to test language ability, and to help applicants relocate to Canada.
Visa offices may grant certain Skilled Worker candidates an interview waiver, depending on the qualifications of the applicant, the quality of the supporting documentation, and the overall credibility of the applicant. The likelihood of an interview waiver varies from one visa office to another.
Almost all applicants under the Business Immigration Program will be required to attend a selection interview.
What is a security interview?
In a small percentage of applications, an interview is held to evaluate security issues such as espionage, subversion or terrorism. These interviews are usually held after a selection interview, and may also be held in cases where a selection interview is waived.
When is the selection interview held?
Depending on how many applications are before yours at the visa office and which visa office has your file, it might take as little as four months to get an interview, or it might take as long as 30 months. Usually, though, the selection interview takes place about two-thirds of the way into the application process.
Is there anything I can do to obtain an interview waiver?
Applications which are complete in every detail increase the chances of an interview waiver. However, interview waivers are granted at the discretion of the immigration officials. It is not possible to apply specifically for a waiver. Even if an interview is waived, you may still be called to an interview, generally for quality assurance purposes.

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