| 1.1
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.
1.2 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.
1.3 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.
1.4 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.
1.5 How do I retain Royal Panam Immigration
Associates Inc 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.
2.1 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.
2.2 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.
2.3 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.
2.4 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.
3.1
Does the Canadian government
charge a fee for submitting a permanent resident application?
|
Category
of applicant
|
Currency
|
|
Federal
|
CAD$
|
|
|
|
|
Skilled
Worker/Family Class Principal applicant
|
550
|
|
Entrepreneur,
Self-Employed and Investor Principal applicant
|
1050
|
|
Each
accompanying dependent 19 and over, Accompanying
Spouse
|
550
|
|
Each
accompanying dependent under 19 years old
|
150
|
|
|
|
|
* 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
|
3850
|
|
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.
|
3.2 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.
3.3. 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.
3.4 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.
3.5 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.
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