Moving to Canada and getting your PR may be the single greatest life-changing event you ever make. It’ll not only affect you, but your children and your children’s children as well.
At M&G, we’ve helped thousands of clients come to Canada. We’re with you every step of the way, even if it takes years. We keep an eye on every federal program, every PNP (even Quebec), and we work with you to make sure your points are as high as possible in every category so that you get your PR card quickly and easily and with a minimum of stress.
Our firm also provides the full range of Canadian immigration appeal and litigation services, such as judicial review before the Federal Court of Canada, citizenship appeals, and immigration appeals to the Immigration and Refugee Board.
Temporary Visa
A temporary visit allows foreign nationals to legally remain in Canada for temporary purposes. You must meet the requirements set out in the immigration manual adherent to your purpose of visit to Canada whether that is as a visitor, student or worker.
Study
In order to study in Canada foreign nationals require a “study permit” or “student visa”.
Foreign nationals may not study at any institute of their choice; they must study at a designated learning institution (DLI) in order to be eligible for a permit.
In order to study in Canada there a number of requirements students must meet, including but not limited to:
- Proving you have enough funds
- Not have any criminal records
- Have good health proven via a medical exam
- Prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your study permit expires
After graduation, we can help you can obtain a work permit in Canada and you can gain valuable work experience.
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Work
A work permit allows foreign nationals to work in Canada legally. Most foreign nationals require a work permit to work in Canada.
There are two types of work permits:
- Open work permits allow you to work for any employer in Canada.
- Employer-specific work permits allow you to work for specific employers only.
You can apply for a work permit if:
- You already have a valid study or work permit
- Your spouse, common-law partner or parents have a valid study or work permit
- You have recently graduated from a school in Canada
- You are waiting on a decision for a permanent residence application inside Canada
- You have been recognized as a convention refugee or protected person
- You wish to conduct business or a professional under NAFTA
The length of your work permit validity will vary depending upon the stream under which you apply.
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Visit
Foreign nationals are required to be approved for entry into Canada. This process is called a “visitor visa”. The visa is an official document which is stuck in your passport demonstrating that you meet the requirements for entry into Canada.
Most travelers through Canada require a visa.
The basic requirements to get a visitor visa require you to be:
- In good health
- Have no criminal convictions.
- Have enough money for your stay
- Have a valid reason to visit Canada.
There are separate streams for individuals who wish to come to Canada for business purposes or for familial visits.
A. Business Visitor Visa:
This stream is for individuals who wish to come to Canada for investment purposes or professionals who are coming here as intra-company transfers etc.
Individuals working for a firm that has sister branches in Canada may travel to Canada for short periods of times for installation, repair or training purposes.
B. Parent and Grand Parent Super Visa:
Under this stream parents and grandparents may visit their children or grandchildren in Canada for up to two years at a time. This is a multiple-entry visa that permits multiple entries for a period of up to 10 years.
*other requirements apply for all visitor streams.
PERMANENT VISA
If you are looking to migrate and settle in Canada permanently, there are various streams under which you can accomplish your dream
Please read through a description of each type of stream to understand which the right one for you is. You can contact us for further information and assistance.
Express Entry
This process is targeted towards skilled immigrants desiring to settle in Canada permanently.
How it works:
The first step in the express entry process is for us to enter you into a pool of candidates. A number of documents are required to enter the pool. Once in the pool, the portal will rank you against other candidates using a points system.
Provincial Nominee Program: Often a province may nominate you for PR depending on your skills, education and work experience and how in demand it is within that specific province.
There are two streams under which you can apply in express entry:
- Foreign Skilled Worker: These are skilled foreign nationals who immigration and citizenship services Canada deem beneficial to our economy based on their experience and education from their country of origin.
- Canadian Experience Class: Foreign Nationals with 1+ years of work experience inside Canada, in a O, A, B NOC (professional experience) may qualify under this category.
* other conditions apply.
There is a biweekly draw in which the highest scoring individuals receive invitations to apply for permanent residence in Canada. Individuals have 60 days from the date the invitation is received to apply for PR.
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PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAMS (PNP)
Often a province may nominate you for PR depending on your skills, education and work experience.
Many Provinces also have separate streams for occupations with high demand and need within that specific province. Similarly, there are streams for students who may have graduate from a college/university in that specific province.
The PNP is a two-step process. Once you file your PNP and the province nominates you, you must then apply for permanent residence.
You must meet the eligibility requirements of the individual province and PNP stream you are applying under as well as the federal Canadian PR requirements.
Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program (RNIP)
A new economic program has been open to help certain rural and northern areas across Canada including but not limited to Thunder Bay (Ontario), Sudbury (Ontario, Brandon (Manitoba), Vernon (BC), Claresholm (Alberta) and Moose Jaw (SK) boost their economic and human capital potential. Smaller communities are able to reap the benefits of economic immigration under this stream.
Individuals with job offer from one of the designated communities, and either one year work experience OR have recently graduated from a College/University in the community can apply for PR under this stream.
The exceptional benefit is that the IELTS requirement is considerably lower in comparison to other PR programs.
If you have recently graduated from a school in the community no work experience is required before applying.
*other conditions apply.
Click here to find out more.
Sponsorship
Canadian permanent residents and citizens over the age of 18 can sponsor their loved ones to come to Canada as permanent.
In order to be eligible for sponsoring a loved one, a Canadian citizen or PR must:
- Be financially stable enough to support them according to the LICO (low-income cut off) set by the government depending on one’s income and family size
- Not be in receipt of any financial assistance from the government
- Prove that you and your loved one wish to permanently reside in Canada and no other place
Loved ones eligible to be sponsored include:
- Your spouse or common-law partner (inside or outside Canada):
- Your dependent children
- Parents or Grandparents
- A relative if you have no other living relative who you may sponsor
Entrepreneurs
Canada has a “Start-Up” visa program targeted specifically to entrepreneurs with the skills and potentials required to build businesses in Canada which are innovative, can create jobs in the Canadian market for Canadians and can compete on the global scale.
**conditions apply
Caregivers
Caregivers have the option to come to Canada permanently or temporarily to work. This program allows you to only work in Canada as a caregiver, and gets you the experience you need to be eligible for permanent residence. This option is LMIA exempt.
**conditions apply
Refugees
We would request all individuals to respect the sanctity of this project and the severity of what it represents. Kindly do not tarnish the integrity of the asylum project for those individuals who are desperately fleeing persecution and require asylum. Of course the Canadian government is very diligent in this process and asylum is only granted where it is necessary.
As Canadians we are all obligated towards our brothers and sisters suffering in various parts of the world that genuinely need help and protection. This program specifically accepts and provides refugee status to individuals who fear persecution and who would be in danger if they left Canada. These dangers include but are not limited to: torture, risk to life, risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. Such individuals may be able to seek protection in Canada as a refugee or protected person.
PR CARD RENEWAL:
To keep your permanent resident status, you must have been in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years. These 730 days don’t need to be continuous. Some of your time abroad may count towards the 730 days. You will need your PR card to travel back to Canada therefore you should ensure well in advance that your PR card is not expiring anytime soon.
LABOUR MARKET IMPACT ASSESSMENT (LMIA)
Employers may be required to get a LMIA before hiring a foreign worker.
An LMIA allows foreign workers to receive a work permit and/or receive support for their permanent residence application.
A positive LMIA deems that there is a genuine need for a foreign worker to fill the position in the employers company AND that no Canadian worker is available to do the job.
If a foreign worker wishes to apply for PR under express entry but is a few points short from the cut-off this program is beneficial in gaining 50 extra points. If your Canadian employer decides to support your PR application you will receive 50 extra points in your express entry profile which is usually sufficient enough to guarantee an invitation. This option has no fee.
The option for hiring a foreign worker to fill an empty position costs the employer $1000 CAD.
Once an employer gets the LMIA, the foreign worker can apply for a work permit. To apply for a work permit, a worker needs:
- A job offer letter,
- A contract,
- And the LMIA number.
Canadian Citizenship:
To be eligible to become a Canadian citizen, you must:
- Be a permanent resident
- Have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years (1095 days – not necessarily consecutively)
- Have filed your taxes
- Show how well you know Canada
- Prove your language skills
Eligibility requirements are different for minors (under age 18).
Regardless of your age, if you’re applying for citizenship, you must have permanent resident (PR) status in Canada. This means you must not:
- Be under review for immigration or fraud reasons
- Be asked by Canadian officials to leave Canada (removal order)
- Have unfulfilled conditions related to your PR status, for example: medical screening before applying for citizenship
** time spent in Canada on a temporary visa (as a student or worker) may contribute towards your physical presence requirement for Canadian Citizenship.
Legal Help
Additionally we are able to assist you with hurdles such as:
- File Refusals for any reason(s).
- Inadmissibility
- Deportation/Removal Order
- Misrepresentation
- Procedural Fairness: If the file is refused on grounds you feel are unfair and you meet the requirements of the program under which you applied.
Each situation here will be different and therefore one solution does not fit all. These cases require you to contact us at your earliest convenience as without proper review of the file and circumstances pertaining to it we will be unable to give you our expert advice or review.