Effective today (November 30, 2021), fully vaccinated individuals who have the right to enter Canada and depart and re-enter the country within 72 hours will not be required to present a COVID-19 PCR test before re-entering.
Who is this exemption for?
The exemption applies to Canadian citizens, permanent residents or individuals registered under the Indian Act who:
Depart by land or air, and
Re-enter within 72 hours either by land or air.
They must have evidence to confirm that their departure and re-entry has been within a 72-hour period.
The exemption also applies to accompanying children under the age of 12, and individuals with medical contraindications to vaccination.
Which vaccines are considered for this exemption?
Effective today, Canada has also extended the vaccines acceptable to be considered fully vaccinated for the purposes of traveling to Canada. These include:
Sinopharm,
Sinovac, and
COVAXIN.
Please remember that traveling individuals must have had their last vaccine dose at least 14 days prior to their travel date.
Will PCR tests continue to be accepted instead of vaccination?
Starting today, vaccination will be required for travel within and out of Canada. A valid COVID-19 molecular test will no longer be accepted as an alternative to vaccination unless travellers are eligible for one of the limited exemptions, such as a medical inability to be vaccinated. Travellers should contact their airline or railway company to obtain the necessary form and submit it in accordance with their carrier’s approval process as of today (November 30).
Most international students studying in Canada are eligible to work in Canada under the post graduate work permit program (PGWP). However, not all institutions or programs are eligible for the PGWP.
Which institutions are eligible?
To become eligible for the post graduate work permit, a student must be able to exhibit that they have studied at one of the following designated learning institutions in Canada:
A public post-secondary institution. These include:
A college,
A trade or technical school,
A university, or
CEPEG (Quebec).
a private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as public institutions in Quebec
a private or public secondary or post-secondary institution in Quebec offering qualifying programs of 900 hours or longer leading to
a diploma of vocational studies (DVS)
an attestation of vocational specialization (AVS)
a Canadian, private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees, such as an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, but only if the student is enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree, as authorized by the province, which may not include all programs of study offered by the private institution.
There are a number or programs operated by DLIs and other institutions, but not all are eligible for PGWP. Here are those that aren’t eligible:
an English as a second language or French as a second language course or program of study,
general interest or self-improvement courses, or
a course or program of study at a private career college.
What if my DLI loses its eligibility?
If the DLI has lost its eligibility for the PGWP program, you may choose to transfer to another institute that is eligible or continue to study at the current institute to complete your study program. You may continue to meet the eligibility requirements of PGWP despite the loss of the status by the institute if you continue to meet the remaining requirements of the program and meet the conditions of the study permit.
A Letter of Employment to prove your work experience is a required document for all 3 streams for permanent residence in Canada under Express Entry, including:
There are many applications that require an applicant to provide a letter of employment – from economic and family class, to work permits, study permits, visitor visa applications and beyond. However, keep in mind that the requirements for letters of employment are not the same for every type of immigration application.
Because each immigration pathway has its own requirements for letters of employment, it is important the applicant always checks the application guide/checklist for the requirements of the letter of employment they need.
Letter of Employment for Express Entry
The letter of employment requirements for Express Entry are very specific. It is extremely important that an applicant obtains a proper letter of employment to avoid an application being refused because the officer does not believe the applicant had the required employment experience for their immigration program.
When submitting a letter of employment for any type of PR application through Express Entry, it is imperative all letters include the following information:
Applicant name
Applicant occupation/job title
Applicant’s Duration of employment
Total weekly hours the applicant worked
The pay [any format is acceptable for hourly/monthly/annual/bonuses/commission] and (if applicable) additional benefits
A minimum of 5-8 of the primary job duties the applicant performed in this role
The letter must also be on company letterhead with complete contact details and must be signed by the employer, stating their designation/position.
Below is a template demonstrating how a letter of employment should look and read:
Letter of Employment Unavailable or Incomplete
In most cases, IRCC is adamant on their requirements for a letter of employment. Sometimes, companies are unwilling or unable to provide employees with a letter of employment to IRCC standards. If an applicant is unable to obtain a letter of employment to IRCC standards, then the applicant is required to prove to IRCC two things.
The applicant has done everything they can to obtain a proper letter of employment.
To prove this, the applicant should first send an email to their employer asking for a letter of employment including all of the IRCC’s required information listed above. If the employer sends a letter of employment missing information needed, the applicant then sends a return email in the same email thread letting the employer know the letter of employment they have provided is not to IRCC standard. It is important to outline to the employer what information is missing. The goal is for the employer to state that it is not possible or against their policy to provide the needed information in the letter.
Even when the company states they cannot provide the letter, it is best for the applicant to continue to press the issue to the company that the letter needs all of the above details. If the employer continues to state they cannot provide the letter. The applicant will then use all of this correspondence in their application to prove to IRCC it was not possible to obtain the letter of employment to IRCC standard.
Provide sufficient supplementary evidence to prove whatever information is missing from the letter of employment.
To prove the same information which was not provided in the letter of employment, the applicant needs to first determine what mandatory information is missing and then provide other documentation of this information. Documents that can be used to help prove employment history include:
Pay stubs/ payslips
Signed employment contract
T4 (Canadian)
Notice of Assessments (Canadian)
Other tax records (foreign)
Job posting from the time you were hired
Information listed on the company website
If using alternative documentation to supplement missing information on a letter of employment, it is best to use as many supplementary pieces of evidence as possible. The applicant should highlight on the documents where the officer can see the missing information, making it as clear as possible for IRCC.
It is also important the applicant understand the decision to accept the letter or employment with missing information with added supplementary documents is ultimately up to the discretion of the officer reviewing their application. The officer holds the ability to accept or deny any application that includes a letter with missing mandatory information.
If IRCC is not satisfied that your documentation proves that you meet the work experience requirement for the PR stream you have been invited to apply under, the application will be refused.
Contact us if you have questions about your Express Entry application.
The IRCC has issued an update pertaining to Parents & Grandparents Program (PGP) for 2020 and 2021. The impact of COVID-19 has caused delays in the launch of the 2020 program, which has also resulted in just one round of invitation taking place for the 2020 program.
I applied for the 2020 program, what do I need to do?
Earlier this year in September, the IRCC announced potential sponsors who submitted interest to sponsor forms in the fall of 2020 were encouraged to check their emails, as invitations to apply would have been sent to them. They announced that for the 2020 program, the IRCC will be accepting a record 30,000 applications for PGP.
What happens with my 2020 application?
The IRCC intends to ensure that all applicants have a fair chance to apply under the PGP and will automatically include 2020 submissions in the randomized selection along with 2021 submissions. 2020 applicants will not be required to submit a new submission of interest for 2021.
The annual cap for invitations will also be increased, allowing more candidates to complete and submit their sponsorship applications for the combined 2020 and 2021 round period. It must be noted that as per Ministerial Instructions, the IRCC will conduct a randomized intake (draw) based on completed submissions of interests.
What is the response time frame?
The PGP program requires interested sponsors to submit an interest to sponsor form. Qualifying submissions are added to a pool for randomized selection. Invitations are sent out to interested sponsors based on the random selection. Previously a 3-week window was allocated to complete and submit sponsorship applications, which may then be processed by the IRCC.
How many applications are being accepted?
The IRCC aims to accept up to 40,000 completed sponsorship application packages. Those who have been invited based on randomized selection will now have 60 days to submit their sponsorship application and permanent residence application package. It is important to note that the invitation to apply is not transferrable to other potential sponsors or applicants.
How much income is required to sponsor?
For the 2020 tax year, the income requirement will be the minimum necessary income, instead of the minimum necessary income plus 30%, and will allow regular Employment Insurance benefits and temporary COVID-19 benefits, such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, to be included towards the sponsor’s income. This measure will ensure that applicants are not penalized for losing income during the pandemic.
I have some changes to report, how do I do that?
Any changes occurring in the life of either the sponsor or the applicant between the submission of interest to sponsor and the actual application package, explanatory documents or information must be submitted along with the application. If there is insufficient information, the IRCC will allow the prospective sponsor to explain the partial mismatch within 30 days.
If the application does not match or appear similar to any interest to sponsor form submission from 2020, the application is considered to have failed validation and is not accepted for processing. The decision is recorded (as above) and the application is returned to the client with an explanatory letter.
I need some help with my application, how do I reach you?
We’d be happy to help you out. Please click on the link below to speak with us.
Due to the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, the government of Canada is actively prioritizing permanent resident applications for Afghans in Canada and abroad.
What does this mean for me?
This means that Canada is prioritizing certain types of applications for Afghan nationals, as a special measure under this initiative and will review and process applications as quickly as possible.
What are the requirements for priority processing?
Your application must be one of the following, and meet specific requirements be prioritized.
Sponsoring a family member (family reunification)
Priority will be given to your application if
you’re a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Indian Act
the family member you’re sponsoring is
an Afghan national outside Canada and
one of the following family members:
your spouse or partner
your dependent children (including adopted children)
orphaned relatives under the age of 18
You can apply to sponsor other Afghan family members, but your application won’t be prioritized.
Permanent residence as a protected person in Canada
To have your application prioritized, you must meet all the following requirements:
you’re an Afghan national
you’re submitting a protected persons application for permanent residence in Canada and
your application includes dependent Afghan family members overseas
Dependent family members in this situation include
your spouse or partner
your dependent children
Permanent residence for dependants of resettled Afghan refugees
To have your application prioritized, the following requirements must be met:
you’re the spouse, partner or dependent child of an Afghan refugee who has already been resettled in Canada (this person is the principal applicant on the original application to resettle in Canada)
the principal applicant declared you as a dependant on their resettlement application
you’re currently outside Canada and
you’re applying for permanent residence within a year of the principal applicant arriving in Canada
Temporary residence in Canada
New applications for temporary residence will be prioritized as long as they meet the following requirements:
you’re an Afghan national
you’re outside Canada
you’re an eligible family member of a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Indian Act and
In addition to prioritizing applications, the government is also waiving fees and a few other requirements on certain types of applications.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents
If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and currently in Afghanistan or another country on your way to Canada, the government of Canada will waive fees for:
1-year passports
urgent travel documents
permanent resident travel documents
proof of Canadian citizenship
Afghan nationals who are immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents
As part of the special measures for Afghan refugees, the Government of Canada has announced a special humanitarian program to resettle vulnerable Afghan nationals outside of Afghanistan.
Am I eligible for this program?
To be eligible for this program you must meet all these requirements:
you’re an Afghan national
you’re outside of Afghanistan
you don’t have a durable solution in a third country and
The Government of Canada is working with international and Canadian partners to implement this new humanitarian program. You cannot apply to this program directly.
These special measures enable Afghan refugees to be settled on two ways.
Government assisted refugees
Under the government-assisted refugees program, the government will resettle Afghan nationals to Canada and provide support for up to one year after arrival.
To meet this requirement, you must be referred by one of the following referral partners:
Canada has recently introduced new special measure programs for Afghan nationals, which will support the objective increasing the eligible refugees to 40,000.
We will be talking about the special measure for Afghan nationals and their families, who have assisted the Government of Canada, in Afghanistan.
The other measures are discussed in the links below:
The special immigration program for Afghan nationals, and their families, who assisted the Government of Canada does not require applicants to be in Canada, or in Afghanistan, nor requires them to go back to Afghanistan to be eligible to have their applications processed.
Am I eligible for this program?
To be eligible for this special program you must meet all the requirements below:
you’re an Afghan national and your employment involved a significant and/or enduring relationship with the Government of Canada. This could be, but is not limited to
interpreters who worked with the Canadian Armed Forces
local staff who currently or used to work at the Embassy of Canada to Afghanistan
you or your eligible family members were in Afghanistan on or after July 22, 2021 (the date this special program started)
Remember, you don’t need to be in Afghanistan to apply for this program. You can still apply if you or your family has left Afghanistan on or after July 22, 2021, and you and/or your family don’t need to return to Afghanistan to complete your application, or to provide biometrics or to get a medical exam done as part of your application.
Who are eligible as my family members?
For this special program, only the following are considered as family members:
a spouse or common-law partner
a dependent child who is
under 22 years of age and
not married or in a common-law relationship
a dependent child of a dependent child (a grandchild) who is
under 22 years of age and
not married or in a common-law relationship
De facto dependants will also be eligible under this special program. A de facto dependant is someone who
depends on a specific family for emotional or financial reasons (or both)
may live with the family as a member of their household
I meet the eligibility, what do I do next?
If you and your family members meet the eligibility for this special program, visit the IRCC’s dedicated page and follow the steps below.
Step 1
From the first drop-down menu, choose “Situation in Afghanistan.”
From the second drop-down menu, choose “Ask about the special immigration measures for Afghans who helped the Government of Canada.”
Click “Continue” to move forward.
Step 2
Depending on your situation, you should respond to these two questions.
Which of the following applies to you?
I’m an Afghan national who worked with the Canadian Armed Forces.
I’m an Afghan national whose employment involved a significant or enduring relationship with the Government of Canada.
I’m an Afghan interpreter who worked with the Canadian Armed Forces and was resettled to Canada under either the special immigration program (in 2009 or 2012) AND I want to support a member of my extended family in Afghanistan, or in a precarious situation elsewhere.
If you are:
the principal applicant
an authorized representative of the applicant
writing on behalf of the principal applicant
If you are an authorized representative or completing this form on behalf of the principal applicant, you will need to provide additional information about yourself and fill out additional forms to confirm your authorization to act on behalf of the principal applicant.
In this example, we’re choosing the option in bold and italics above.
Click “Continue” to move forward.
Step 3
We’ll assume you currently live in the United Arab Emirates.
Step 4
Fill out this section with your personal information as the principal applicant.
Step 5
If you have previously submitted any application, please provide the following information:
If you have not submitted any previous application, you can move forward to the next step of providing supporting information and documentation for your application.
Step 6
This section asks about supporting documents or information about any family members of the principal applicant and their current situation.
In addition, you are required to provide supporting information regarding your engagement with the Canadian government, your or your family’s current situation in Afghanistan. Only upload copies of your passports and documents that show you worked with the Government of Canada (if you have them). You don’t need to send any other documents or photos until you are asked to provide them.
Click on “Review Your Account” once you are ready to submit.
What’s next?
The IRCC will review your request to make sure you’re eligible and contact you if they need anything else.
To know more about the special programs and measures put in place by the government of Canada for Afghan nationals and refugees, visit our blog.
Need to discuss or have us work on your application? We’re here for you. Book Appointment
