Category: ویزا کانادا

Top 5 tips for international students looking to study in Canada's Universities and Colleges

26/7/2018

Are you in the process of deciding which country you want to study in? Are you considering studying in Canada? Below are 5 tips that can help you as you make your decision to pursue higher education in Canada.

Remember if you are studying in Canada for a period of less than 6 months you do not need a study permit. However, you will need a valid visa to enter Canada or if you are from a visa-exempt country you will have to have an eTA. For those who want to study in programs that are longer than 6 months you must have a valid study permit to be enrolled.

1. Decide on your course of study: university or college?
Canada is home to dozens of high caliber universities and colleges that offer a wide range of courses and programs of study from one year diplomas to four year bachelor degrees, and highly specialized masters and doctorate programs. Depending on your interests and goals you will undoubtedly be able to find a program that will be suitable for you.

Historically colleges in Canada offered more vocational programs and universities had a more academic focus. While some colleges still retain specialized vocational programming, many colleges have grown and even offer bachelor programs. In addition, universities today have tried to incorporate more hand-on training in many of their programs and you will be able to find opportunities to participate in co-op programs that will allow you to put the skills you learn in the classroom into practice.

Whether you choose a college or university you want to be mindfull of one thing: if you wish to obtain a study permit the institution you are enrolling in must be a Designated Learning Institute (DLI). Also, if you plan on working in Canada after you finish your studies you should ensure that the program and institution you are enrolling in will qualify you for a post-graduate work permit.

2. Figure out the costs and explore scholarship opportunities
As an international student you will be paying international student tuition fees. These fees can range from $15000 to $45000 per year. There are also additional expenses for books, insurance and of course living expenses. These costs will vary depending on the institution that you choose and the local living expenses. However, you should figure out a budget for your studies and ensure that you have the necessary resources to cover all the expenses. This is particularly important when you are applying for your study permit because you must demonstrate to the visa officer that you have the necessary funds to cover the expenses related to your studies.

You should also note that as an international student you are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week. This income may be a helpful source of additional funds and more importantly a good way to gain experience in Canada. But given the cost of international tuition you cannot rely on this income to pay for your tuition fees.

For gifted international students there are opportunities to receive scholarships and obtain funding, particularly in masters and doctorate programs involving research. You should start your search early to give you enough time to explore these opportunities and prepare your scholarship and funding applications.

3. Look beyond the big cities
While the big universities in Toronto and Vancouver have an international reputation, there are great universities and colleges spread across Canada. From Halifax to Victoria you will find institutions offering outstanding programs and opportunities for international students. If you are planning on working after you graduate and applying for permanent residence there are also special programs in each province aimed at keeping local graduates that may help you in achieving your goal of settling in Canada permanently.

4. Language skills
In Canada you will be studying in one either English or French and entry to any college or university program will require that you demonstrate that you have sufficient language ability. You can do this by providing your language exams up front to show that you meet the language requirements of the institution and receiving an “unconditional acceptance” into the program. In some circumstances it is possible to study English or French at the institution and pass their own language exam to qualify for admission. However, this may impact your ability to obtain a study permit as this is considered a “conditional acceptance”.

There are also language colleges in Canada that offer programs in English and French. While they are popular, unfortunately the policy for granting study permits for these programs is not consistent globally and you are much less likely to get a study permit if there has been a gap of a few years since you last studied.

5. Stay on top of deadlines and paperwork
Studying in Canada can be a very rewarding experience: in addition to the academic experience upon graduation you will likely have an option to work and eventually settle in Canada. However the process of applying for study permits and maintaining your status as a student are very important and at times very complicated. You must make sure that you stay on top of your paperwork and submit your applications before the deadlines to ensure you can legally study in Canada.

When you are first accepted you must apply for a study permit in advance of the start of your study period and as you remain in Canada you must ensure that you apply for any required extensions or change of status applications before your status expires. This will ensure you always remain “in-status” meaning that you are legally in Canada. You should also be mindful of the deadlines for applying for a post-graduate work permit – if the deadline passes and you have not applied you will not be granted a post-graduate work and may be required to leave Canada before gaining any Canadian work experience that could qualify you to apply for immigration.

As you prepare to embark on this exciting path to study in Canada you can consult with an experienced immigration lawyer to better understand these important visa and immigration requirements and deadlines to ensure that the process proceeds as smoothly as possible.

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Celebrating Canada Day With Canadian Citizenship

28/6/2018

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This Canada day will be extra-special for hundreds of people as they participate in special Canada Day citizenship ceremonies scheduled across the country where they will finally be able to become Canadian citizens.

Through out the 151 years since the enactment of Canada's Constitution Act of 1867 that united the colonies of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia into a single dominion known as “Canada”, the country has had different rules and regulations for allowing immigrants to enter Canada and how they qualified to become citizens of Canada.

As a dominion under British rule, Canadians were initially classified as “British Subjects”. Over the years a new and separate status of “Canadian national” was created by the Canadian National Act of 1921. Canada continued to gradually gain its independence from Britain which culminated in the Constitution Act of 1982 and Britain ceased to have any legislative authority over Canada.

The current Citizenship Act was amended significantly in 2017 based on the election promises of the Liberal Party and made important changes to the requirements to qualify to become a citizen and equally importantly the right to retain citizenship. Under Canada's current laws there are four ways you can acquire Canadian citizenship:

by birth on Canadian soil
by descent (being born to a Canadian citizen parent) – there are some limited exceptions that I have written about before
by grant or naturalization where you apply to become a Canadian citizen upon meeting the eligibility criteria
by adoption

While the process of citizenship by birth and descent is automatic, for become a naturalized citizen you will need to follow a process set out by the Citizenship Act. Once you apply, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) will first check to ensure that you meet the eligibility critiera: for example have you been physically present in Canada for the requisite number of days or do you have proof of your language ability?

If you pass this initial assessment, you will be invited to write the citizenship exam if you are between 18 and 54 or attend an interview if outside of this age range. Also as part of the assessment IRCC will run background checks to confirm that you do not have any criminal charges or convictions in the past 4 years before your citizenship application that would make you criminally inadmissible for Canadian citizenship.

Once your eligibility has been confirmed you will be invited to attend a citizenship ceremony and take the oath of citizenship. While children under 14 and certain other individuals are exempted, to become a citizen by naturalization you must take the oath of citizenship. The oath of citizenship is a statement that is recited and signed in the citizenship ceremony where you promise or declare your fealty to the Canadian monarch and promise to abide by Canada's laws and uphold the duties of Canadian citizenship. Upon signing the oath of citizenship you will be presented with a citizenship certificate that will be your proof of Canadian citizenship and will make your new status as a Canadian citizen.

If you are interested in attending a citizenship ceremony on Canada Day you can find the times and addresses of local ceremonies here: https://bit.ly/2yPD80Y

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Work Visas Under NAFTA What is at risk in NAFTA negotiations

21/6/2018

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The North America Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, has been constantly in the news for the past year. Canada, the US and Mexico have been renegotiating the trade agreement that came into force in January 1994. While there have been changes and updates to NAFTA over the past three decades, from the sound of things the current negotiations will likely lead to major changes.

As a trade agreement, NAFTA contains provisions related to trade between these three countries, but it also includes provisions that allow citizens of the countries to work in any of the other three countries. The goal of these provisions was to make the flow of workers easier and thereby facilitate trade between the three countries. For example, based on the latest figures available, in 2016 Canada granted work permits to 17,602 Americans and 691 Mexicans under NAFTA professional provisions. In the same year, the US issued 14,768 NAFTA professional visas to Canadians and Mexicans.

NAFTA has a number of provisions that allow for the movement of people including Intracompany Transfers, Treaty Traders or Investors as well as educated professionals. For example under the professionals category, educated Canadians, Americans and Mexicans in 63 occupations can obtain work permits for up to three years to work as engineers, accountants, lawyers and so on. Under NAFTA, citizens may apply to work in any of the three countries, as long as they have a qualifying temporary employment offer. This process is much easier and faster than the process that a citizen of another country would face to secure work authorization and enter the North American workforce.

Professionals under NAFTA must fall under one of 63 occupations listed in the current NAFTA provisions. This list was created before the rise of the digital era and therefore does not include many high demand occupations. Therefore, the NAFTA negotiations are an opportunity to update this occupation list. However, the current NAFTA negotiations and the general anti-immigrant political climate in the US will not only make it difficult to update this list but there is talk that the professional provisions may be removed entirely, putting the status of tens of thousands of Canadians, Americans and Mexicans in jeapordy.

Unfortunately it is not clear what will happen to professionals if NAFTA negotiations breakdown and the US withraws from NAFTA. The good news for Canadian businesses that hire American and Mexican workers is that they may be able to apply for authorization and work permits for their employees under other programs such as the global talent stream. However, the fate of Canadians and Mexicans in the US is less clear, particularly with the strong competition for existing professional work permits and we may see thousands of Canadians returning home to Canada, reversing the general trend over the past few decades of Canadian talent leaving for the US. While the negotiations and talk of trade wars continue it is impossible to predict what will happen but we can hope that cool heads prevail and the provisions are saved and updated to allow for many more decades of prosperous trade and free movement of work between the three countries.

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Hiring a foreign employee: the case of foreign caregivers

14/6/2018

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Over the last two weeks I have written about the possibility for Canadian businesses to hire foreign workers in Canada when they face a labour shortage. This week I am writing about the case of a special category of employers: families that want to hire a foreign caregiver to work in their home to look after children or a family member with high medical needs.

As with all other visa and immigration categories, the caregiver category has changed greatly in recent years. A few months ago I wrote about changes that would impact the ability of caregivers already in Canada to be able to obtain permanent residence. But what can you do if you want to hire a foreign caregiver? Here are answers to your top three questions as you consider whether and how to hire a foreign caregiver:

1- Can I hire a “live-in” caregiver or nanny?
You cannot require that the caregiver must live with you or the family member that they are looking after. However, it is possible for the caregiver to agree to live with you or the family member that they are caring for. If you come to an agreement with your caregiver for her or him to live in your home, you must:

provide accommodation in the form of a private bedroom that is furnished
the bedroom door must have a lock and safety bolt on the inside
the bedroom must meets the municipal building requirements and the provincial / territorial health standards
you cannot charge the caregiver for room and board for the accommodations

2- What is the process for hiring a foreign caregiver?
In order to hire a foreign caregiver, you must be meet the following requirements:

Demonstrate that you want to hire someone to provide care on a full-time basis (minimum 30 hours per week).
Demonstrate that you want to hire someone to work in the private household where the care is being provided.
Prove that you have eligible individuals requiring care (either that your children are under 18 or that your family member has high medical needs).
Prove that you have the financial ability to pay the caregivers' wages. You will be required to provide your Notice of Assessment as part of the application process.
Prove that have conducted recruitment and advertisement in Canada to try to find a caregiver in Canada before looking for a foreign caregiver.

If you meet these requirements you can submit an application to Employment and Social Development Canada and if your application is approved you will be able to apply for a work permit for your foreign caregiver.

You should also note that once your caregiver is in Canada you must comply with all the requirements of the Ontario Employment Standards Act that sets out the rights that employees have including minimum wage, overtime pay, public holidays, severence pay, and various kinds of leave such as pregnancy leave, medical leave, and so on.

3- What costs are associated with hiring a caregiver?
The process of hiring a caregiver can be complex as described above. It also requires payment of at least the following costs:

Employer Compliance fee: $230
Labour Market Impact Assessment application fee: $1000 (this is waived if your total family income is below $150,000)
Advertising costs: there may be some costs associated with advertising for 4 weeks before we can submit the application (this is one of the trickiest parts of the application)
Work permit application fees: $155
If biometrics are required: $85
Transportation costs for the caregiver to travel to Canada for your caregiver
Private health insurance for the first three months before your caregiver becomes eligible for health insurance in Ontario (this will differ in other provinces)
Work place safety insurance for your nanny as a monthly premium

You should also note that you are required to provide compensation for your caregiver at the prevailing wage in the area you live. For example, the median wage in Toronto is $14 per hour and you will have to offer the same to a caregiver you wish to employ in Toronto.

Given the complexity of the process and costs involved you should speak with a specialized immigration lawyer to evaluate your chances and create the best path for bringing a caregiver for your family to Canada.

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Working In Canada as a Foreign National: What You Need To Know To Legally Work in Canada Types of Canadian Work Permits

31/5/2018

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According to Statistics Canada, the current unemployment rate sits at 5.8% as of April 2018. This is the lowest rate in over 40 years since the unemployment rate when it was last below 6% in 1976. In some parts of the country we are seeing even lower unemployment rates and there are labour shortages in numerous occupations. Therefore given the current labour market situation in Canada, it is extremely important for employers to be able to reach beyond Canada's borders to hire the employees that they need to meet the needs of their business.

Canada's current Temporary Foreign Worker program is expansive and complicated. There is a need to balance this need to meet the shortages in the labour market while protecting the jobs prospects of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Therefore, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada share the responsibility for assessing the eligibility of employers to hire foreign workers and processing their work permit and visa applications.

For most foreign nationals that want to work in Canada they must have a work permit to legally work and receive compensation in Canada. Those who have received an immigration visa and are permanent residents of Canada have no restrictions on their ability to live and work anywhere in Canada. However, by contrast, those who obtain a work permit are restricted in terms of the type of employment they may undertake and are granted a work permit for a limited period of time.

There are a number of different ways to qualify for a work permit and this week I will be writing about the major categories that currently exist under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and related Regulations. In the coming weeks I will be writing about the regulation of the Foreign Worker Program and how employers and employees must navigate this system carefully to ensure they comply with all the requirements of IRPA.

Most Common Types of Work Permits in Canada
1) Employer-Specific Work Permits
An employer-specific work permit allows you to work according to the conditions of your work permit, including a specific, named employer, how long you may work and where you may work. If you obtain an employer-specific work permit you may only work for that employer and if you wish to change employers you will have to go through the process to obtain a new work permit for the new employer.

Depending on type of work and who the employer is there are different types of employer specific work permits that you may qualify for. Most employer specific work permits require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (“LMIA”). An LMIA is issued by Employment and Social Development Canada that allows an employer to hire a foreign worker through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program upon showing that the employer was unable to recruit a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and meets the other requirements of the Program.

In addition, in an effort to increase the competitiveness of Canadian businesses, Canada introduced the Global Skills Strategy last year. Under this program employers that want to recruit foreign workers that are facing extreme shortages identified in Canada's Global Talent Stream (occupations such as computer programmers, web developers and software engineers) face a more streamlined LMIA process that is fast-tracked allowing for temporary foreign workers to join the company as quickly as possible.

There are also a number of employer-specific work permits that are exempt from the LMIA requirement. For example there is no need to obtain an LMIA if an employer wants to transfer one of its employee from outside of Canada to its Canadian operations as long as it meets certain conditions.

There are numerous other provisions of IRPA that allow for granting employer-specific work permits such as for those who are setting up and managing a business that will create significant benefits and create jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents

2) Open Work Permits
An open work permit allows a person to work for any employer in Canada (with a few specific restrictions). The most well known type of open work permit is the Post-graduate Work Permit that is granted to those who have completed an eligible period of study in Canada and allows them to work legally in Canada for a period of 1 to 3 years.

Another type of open work permit is a Bridging Work Permit that allows those who are already working in Canada and have applied under an eligible immigration program to be able to remain and work in Canada until their immigration application is processed.

Others who may be eligible to obtain an open work permit include spouses of some foreign workers and international students as well as refugee claimants or protected persons and their family members.

This is not an exhaustive list of work permit options but includes some of the most common types of work permits available in Canada. In fact since there are numerous exemptions and provisions that allow for other workers to qualify for temporary work in Canada you should speak with an experienced immigration lawyer to seek advice in any particular situation.

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The Wait Continues: Latest Developments in Delays for Canadian Immigration Applications of Iranian Students and Recent Graduates

19/4/2018

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Canada has been working hard to recruit international students and promises those who chose to study in Canada a pathway to permanent residence once they complete their studies and work in Canada for a period of time. But for one group of applicants the reality has become very different. There are currently more than 300 recent graduates or postdoctoral Iranian students in Canada that are facing longer processing times as they are told that their applications are undergoing “security screening”. The problem is so widespread that over the past month CBC, The Globe and Mail and Vice News have all published articles about the plight of more these recent graduates and postdoctoral students that are facing much longer processing times than their counterparts from other countries.

Given the track record of Iranian students for outstanding academic achievement, it comes as no surprise that there are hundreds of masters and doctorate and even postdoctoral students from Iran at universities across Canada. After spending years studying in Canada, many have become socially settled and want to remain in Canada based on the welcome that Canada extends to international students.

These students qualify for immigration under a number of different categories depending on their circumstances, and most often are eligible to apply based on their Canadian studies and work experience in the Express Entry system. According to the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) website, the current average processing time for 80% of applicants as Federal Skilled Workers or applicants under the Canadian Experience Class is 6 months. However, many Iranian applicants have waited much longer, many in excess of a year and some many years.

This is all the more frustrating for those who have been living in Canada as students for several years before submitting their immigration applications. The impact of these delays is causing great distress for these applicants and many find that their lives are on hold as they wait for the final decision from IRCC. In a recent statement, the Iranian Canadian Congress (“ICC”) found that these graduate students “are unable to make long-term plans for their lives, must pay far higher tuition fees than permanent residents, face difficulties in finding employment since their status in Canada is uncertain, and cannot commit to further studies or academic positions because these institutions require assurances that they can stay in the country”.

So what is causing these delays? The answer is “security screening” according to the Minister of Immigration, Ahmed Hussen, and the Minister of Public Safety, Ralph Goodale. Security screening and background checks are an essential part of the immigration process: before a person is granted permanent residence Canada wants to ensure that they do not have any criminal history and do not present a security threat to Canada. However, the question that remains is why screening for applicants of Iranian background is taking much longer than applicants from other countries.

This is the question that has been asked by ICC in their meeting with representatives of the the Minister of Public Safety in Ottawa last week, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and a number of federal MPs. The only response they have received so far is that the processing times of security screening is affected by how long it takes to receive information, the volume of applications, how easily the information can be verified. Given that there are more than a thousand Iranian immigration applicants in Canada Border Services Agency's current security-check inventory, it is hard to predict how much longer these applicants will have to wait to receive their permanent residence visas and realize their dream of settling in Canada.

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NEWS

Top 5 tips for international students looking to study in Canada's Universities and Colleges

Top Five Questions from Visitors to Canada

Celebrating Canada Day With Canadian Citizenship

Work Visas Under NAFTA What is at risk in NAFTA negotiations

Hiring a foreign employee: the case of foreign caregivers

Working In Canada as a Foreign National: What You Need To Know To Legally Work in Canada Types of Canadian Work Permits

The Wait Continues: Latest Developments in Delays for Canadian Immigration Applications of Iranian Students and Recent Graduates

Top 5 Questions from Visitors to Canada

Authors:
Zeynab Ziaie
Zahra Ziaie

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Authors: Zeynab Ziaie Zahra Ziaie

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Authors:
Zeynab Ziaie
Zahra Ziaie