Canada Visa
Canada, the world’s second largest country, is a land of immense opportunities. Canada needs young, dynamic and well-educated skilled workers. It is a knowledge-based economy, Seeking Skilled Workers / Professional immigrants, Students who can meet the demands of the rapidly changing technological economy.
Canada is a country, consisting of ten provinces and three territories, in the northern part of the continent of North America. It extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometers (3.85 million square miles) in total, making it the world’s second-largest country by total area and the fourth-largest country by land area. Canada’s common border with the United States forms the world’s longest land border. Canada is sparsely populated overall, the majority of its land territory being dominated by forest and tundra as well as the mountain range of the Rocky Mountains; about four-fifths of the population live near to the southern border. The majority of Canada has a cold or severely cold winter climate, but southerly areas are warm in summer.
Canada is a federation composed of ten provinces and three territories. In turn, these may be grouped into four main regions: Western Canada, Central Canada, Atlantic Canada, and Northern Canada (Eastern Canada refers to Central Canada and Atlantic Canada together). Provinces have more autonomy than territories, having responsibility for social programs such as health care, education, and welfare. Together, the provinces collect more revenue than the federal government, an almost unique structure among federations in the world. Using its spending powers, the federal government can initiate national policies in provincial areas, such as the Canada Health Act; the provinces can opt out of these, but rarely do so in practice. Equalization payments are made by the federal government to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services and taxation are kept between the richer and poorer province.
Canada is the world’s eleventh-largest economy as of 2015, with a nominal GDP of approximately US$1.79 trillion It is a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Group of Eight (G8), and is one of the world’s top ten trading nations, with a highly globalized economy. Canada is a mixed economy, ranking above the US and most western European nations on the Heritage Foundation’s index of economic freedom and experiencing a relatively low level of disparity. The country’s average household disposable income per capita is over US$23,900, higher than the OECD average. Furthermore, the Toronto Stock Exchange is the seventh largest stock exchange in the world by market capitalization, listing over 1,500 companies with a combined market capitalization of over US$2 trillion as of 2015.
Social Security
Canada provides a most enviable social security system ………….. A system second to none in the world.
• Health Care System: -This is fully funded by the government and every citizen and Immigrant has access to free medical assistance in Canada.
• Unemployment Allowance: -Every citizen and immigrant is entitled to an unemployment allowance if he is rendered unemployed in Canada. This can be upto 60% of the last drawn salary.
• Education & Training: -Education is fully funded by the government and therefore upto high school is free. University education is world class and highly Subsidized.
• Old Age Benefits: – All citizens and immigrants who attain an age of 65 are entitled to a pension and other benefits like subsidized public transport and senior citizens benefits.if you are unable to get a job in Canada the welfare department of the Government gives a special welfare allowance for your support.Governments at the federal, provincial and municipal level help people who are unable to provide for themselves and their families. Special programs help people in different circumstances, such as:
• raising children (Child Tax Benefits),
• retirement (Canada Pension/Quebec Pension, Old Age Security and guaranteed Income Supplement),
• job-related injuries (Workers’ Compensation),
• the loss of a job (Employment Insurance),
• longer-term unemployment (Social Assistance)
Education
Education in Canada is under the complete jurisdiction of the provinces and territories and as such, there is no federal education system in Canada. In keeping with the national commitment to education, public education in Canada is free up to and including secondary school in all the provinces. However, each provincial system, while similar to the others, reflects its specific regional concerns, and historical and cultural heritage. At the post-secondary level, institutions are divided into community colleges and universities.
There are significant differences between the education systems of the different provinces of Canada. Secondary schooling in Canada could go up to Grade 11, 12 or 13, depending on the province unlike in India, where Grade 12 is standard all over the country. Post secondary education is offered by four types of educational institutions: Universities, Universities Colleges, Community Colleges and Technical Institutes, Technical / Career Colleges.
The academic year usually starts in September and ends in May, and is normally divided into two semesters. Some institutes operate on a semester or trimester system and admit students in January and/or May as well as September. Many institutes offer a limited number of courses and special programmes during the summer session.
Rights as a Canadian
All Canadians enjoy certain rights based on Canada’s tradition of democracy and respect for human dignity and freedom. These rights are found in Canada’s human rights codes and in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canadians enjoy the following rights:
• Equality rights
• Democratic rights
• Legal rights
• Mobility rights
• Language rights
• Minority language education rights.
Responsibilities as a Canadian
With rights there are responsibilities and every person in Canada has certain responsibilities like:
• understand and obey Canadian laws
• participate in Canada’s democratic political system
• vote in elections
• allow other Canadians to enjoy their rights and freedoms
• appreciate and help to preserve Canada’s multicultural heritage.
Express Entry
This is a new and exciting approach to immigration, and it is based on a Human Capital model. Your age, education, language skills, professional work experience, and many other factors will be examined, and each criteria will be given a ranking score i.e. Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
It is really important to remember that this is not a new way of qualifying to immigrate. You still need to qualify in one of the main categories: most often the Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class. It is however a new process for stepping forward, and being seen by CIC. It is more critical now than ever to have professional guidance in putting your best foot forward, and knowing all of the criteria from the beginning.
Here are some highlights of the new program:
• You must first qualify in one of the main immigration categories such as the Federal Skilled Worker or the Canadian Experience Class.
• You must have completed an English or French language proficiency test and have your scores available
• You must have your Education Credentials Assessment (ECA) completed and report in hand
• No occupations list for the first time in over 6 years!
• Once the Express Entry application is successfully submitted, CIC will select candidates using the Comprehensive Ranking System, and if chosen you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
• Candidates will have only 60 days to apply for Permanent Residence after receiving an ITA. You must be ready to go when called on!.
• Candidates can improve their scores by registering on the Job Bank with Service Canada, and having a job offer with a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA – LMO).
• Employers will be able to search your profile via the Job Bank, and if they offer you work through Job Matching, and get an LMIA for you, you will receive an Invitation to Apply.
• Misrepresentation – even accidentally misstating your qualifications or other error, will result in an applicant being banned for five years from applying again.
If you would like to know how you rank in the new Express Entry program, we invite you to first complete an assessment form for either the Federal Skilled Worker FSW or the Canadian Experience Class CEC. Then you are invited to complete the CES Assessment form.
Criteria scores will be allocated up to the following maximums as follows, for a total overall of 1200 points maximum:
• age 110,
• education 150,
• language skills 160,
• Canadian work experience 80,
• partner’s education, language and Canadian work 40,
• Skills transferability (cross-matching factors) 100,
• and having a Provincial Nomination or Arranged Employment 600.
Provisional Nominee Program :
Government of Canada has agreement with most provinces that allows them to play a more direct role in selecting immigrants who wish to settle in that province. If you wish to immigrate to one of Canada’s provinces as a Provincial Nominee, you must first apply to the province where you wish to settle. The province will consider your application based on their immigration needs and your genuine intention to settle there.
Before applying to immigrate to Canada, Provincial Nominees must complete the provincial nomination process. Below mentioned are the provinces that have their own Provincial Nominee Programs.
| Alberta | British Columbia | ||
| Manitoba | New Brunswick | ||
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Nova Scotia | ||
| Prince Edward Island | Saskatchewan | ||
| Yukon | . | . |
After your nomination by a province, you have to make a separate application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for permanent residence. A CIC officer will assess your application based on Canadian immigration regulations.
Under the Provincial Nominee Programs, the participating provinces seek to attract immigrants under a different set of criteria then the Federal or Quebec Skilled Worker Program. To be accepted under this program, applicants must fulfill the criteria for the respective province of destination, prove that they have the funds required for initial settlement and earn sufficient points in the selection factors to meet the pass mark. The selection factors include will vary from province to province.
In order to study in Canada as an international student you may need a study permit. Canadian study permits are only issued after you have been accepted at a Canadian college, university or other accredited educational institution designated to receive international students.
All the universities and colleges require certified copies of documents and academic records. Students have to take the test of English ability IELTS or TOEFL and must obtain an average score of 550 on the TOEFL paper based test or 250 on the computer based test. IELTS is also widely acceptable with an average band of ‘6.5’. These scores may vary for different colleges and universities.
International students are required to obtain a Study Permit before going to Canada. The student can apply for Study permit under the Student Partners Program (SPP) of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges and the Canadian Immigration Programs in New Delhi. To qualify for Study Permit Application under SPP the student should hold an unconditional offer letter from one of the universities / colleges that are included under this scheme. SPP is currently open to Indian nationals only. Allow atleast two months for your Visa to be processed.
As Proof of funds You MUST demonstrate the purchase of a special (GIC) from a participating Canadian financial institution, in the amount of $10,000 CAD to cover living expenses for your first year in Canada. Please consult website for information on how to obtain a GIC. Official GIC document is mandatory.
The immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires all visitors, except those exempt by regulation, to obtain a visitor visa before coming to Canada. Applicants must demonstrate to visa officials that they have significant family, social, economic and cultural ties to their country of origin and that they have sufficient means to support themselves during their visit to Canada. Applicants must also satisfy visa officials that there is no risk that they will overextend their visit to Canada.
A work permit is a written authorization issued by an officer that allows a person who is neither a citizen nor a permanent resident to work in Canada. It is required whether or not the employer is in Canada. Usually, it is valid only for a specific employer, job and length of time, and is issued based on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Service Canada.
A LMIA is the report provided by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to the CIC or CBSA officer which enables the officer to determine whether the employment of the foreign worker is likely to have a positive or negative impact on the labour market in Canada. A LMIA may be required in order for a work permit to be issued.
The LMIA process begins by the prospective employer contacting ESDC to get an LMIA application form. Once the form is completed and submitted, ESDC considers several factors, including the availability of Canadians and the offered wages as well as the economic benefit the foreign worker would bring to Canada. ESDC then provides the opinion to the officer.
The LMIA is typically given for a specific period of time, and the work permit issued will coincide with that period. Renewal of a work permit beyond the specified period will likely require a new LMIA.
Basic Requirements to Get a work permit for Canada.
The Canadian High Commission must be presented with the fulfilling requirements of the Immigration and Refugee protection act and Regulations. The candidate must also:
• Satisfy that the he would leave Canada upon completion of his employment in Canada.
• Be a law abiding and with no criminal track record. A submission of Police Clearance certificate would be necessary.
• Not be a risk to the security of Canada.
• Be in good health after submitting complete medical examination report.
• Produce any additional documents as required by the CHC.