Tag: permanent residence

Prioritizing Applications of Eligible Immediate Family Members joining Afghans currently in Canada

Author: Cassandra Fultz, RCIC Date: 2021/11/10

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.

Follow the steps to sponsor

your spouse, partner or dependent child (including adopted children)
orphaned relatives under the age of 18

Applying for permanent residence in Canada

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
you’re applying for temporary residence in Canada as a temporary worker, student or visitor

Eligible family members in this situation include:

spouses and partners
dependent children (including adopted children)
orphaned relatives under the age of 18

After you apply under any of the above, visit the IRCC’s priority application processing page. To know more about how to provide additional information on this page, please visit our recent post on special measures for Afghan nationals and family members.

Additional benefits

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

You must:

be an Afghan national and
be an eligible immediate family member of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and
be travelling to Canada with a family member who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and
currently be in Afghanistan or another country on your way to Canada

If you meet the above requirements, the government will waive:

your temporary resident permit application and biometrics fees and
the requirement to have a valid passport or travel document

Afghan nationals abroad who are approved for permanent residence in Canada

Your biometrics fees will be waived, and the requirement to have a valid passport or travel document, if

you’re an Afghan national
you have a valid confirmation of permanent residence to come to Canada
you don’t have (and can’t get) a valid passport or travel document
you’re outside of Canada when we approve your permanent resident visa

Afghan nationals in Canada as temporary workers, students or visitors

Your application fees will be waived if you’re an Afghan national who is

currently in Canada as a temporary resident (even if your temporary resident status has expired) and
applying to do any of the following:
- extend your temporary resident status (as a temporary worker, student or visitor)
- renew your work or study permit (if applicable)
- restore your temporary resident status, if you lost it (you also won’t be required to restore your status within 90 days of it expiring)
- get a new temporary resident permit because your current one is expiring

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.

To speak with us about pathways that may be best suited for you, reach out to us today.

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Tags: Afghanistan, citizenship, family class, permanent residence, refugees, study permit, Visitor Status, Work Permit

Pathway to Permanent Residency for Healthcare Workers and French-Speakers – Temporary Public Policy

Author: Cassandra Fultz, RCIC Date: 2021/10/25

The IRCC has announced that it is currently accepting Permanent Resident applications for temporary residents currently working in Canada, and for their families, till November 4, 2021.

Which category of people does this pathway apply to?

The pathway is open to the following categories of temporary residents:

English speaking healthcare workers
French speaking healthcare workers
French speaking essential non-healthcare workers
French speaking international students recently graduated from a Canadian institution

How do I determine my eligibility?

To be eligible for this pathway, as an applicant you must:

Currently be in Canada
have a valid status in Canada
plan to live outside of Quebec
meet or exceed the language requirements
be currently employed
have eligible work experience
not be a refugee claimant in Canada

What are the language proficiency requirements?

You must be able to prove your proficiency in the English or French language. The minimum CLB or NCLC score required is Level 4 in each of the areas:

reading,
writing,
speaking, and
listening.

Do I need to employed?

Yes, you must:

be employed in Canada when you submit your application,
be employed in anyjob that exists in the National Occupational Classification website
be employed by someone else, meaning you cannot be self-employed, except if you’re working as a medical doctor in a fee-for-service arrangement with a health authority
be paid by your employer, meaning you cannot be a volunteer
be working with authorization, meaning you are already on a work permit.

How much work experience do I need to have?

You need 1 year of work experience (at least 1,560 hours) in the past 3 years. Unlike your current employment, which can be in any job, your experience needs to be in one or more of the eligible occupations.

The work experience must include

most of the main duties and all the essential duties listed in your National Occupational Classification (NOC)
the activities listed in the lead statement of the NOC

To calculate hours of work experience

count the hours worked in part-time and full-time jobs
- The hours must be in one or more eligible occupations.
- The hours must be over a period of at least 12 months.
don’t count unpaid hours (volunteering and unpaid internships don’t count)
don’t count self-employment hours, except when you worked as a medical doctor in a fee-for-service arrangement with a health authority.

How do I apply?

Reach out to our office to discuss your prospects under this pathway.
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Tags: francophone, healthcare worker, permanent residence, temporary resident

IEC Working Holiday Visas

Author: Cassandra Fultz, RCIC Date: 2021/01/05

IEC Working Holiday Visa

What is an IEC work holiday visa?
Who can apply for an IEC work holiday visa?
When will the IEC program re-open in 2021?

What is an IEC working holiday visa?

IEC – International Experience Canada is a program that is reciprocated by 30 other countries. It gives people between the ages of 18 – 35 the opportunity to gain valuable work experience without having a job offer.

If you are a young person and want to experience the world but also ‘earn while you learn’ then the IEC program is for you.

You may not have a fully formed plan for yourself and have yet to learn what your strengths are and where your future lies. By participating in the IEC program you get to dip your toe into a much larger pool and gain experience that may otherwise not be available to you.

Thanks to the agreements under the IEC program, work permits are generally easier to get while also being less expensive and tend to be processed fairly quickly unlike other types of work permits.

Once you submit your free online IEC profile you are placed into a pool. If you are a successful candidate then you will be invited to apply for your work permit

Who can apply for an IEC working holiday visa?

The applicant must be between the ages of 18 – 35 but the maximum age is dependent on your country of nationality. The IEC program is available to citizens of countries that have an agreement with Canada that allows you to apply for an IEC work permit.

Some countries allow you to apply twice so it’s important to check the eligibility requirement for your country of citizenship. If you carry dual nationality you may be able to apply using your second passport once your first permit expires.

It’s important to remember that, along with age, there may be other requirements dependent on your country of nationality.

There are 3 categories that you can apply through;

Working Holiday

This option is for applicants who don’t have a job offer and are looking to work with different employers in multiple locations. Possibly traveling between jobs.

You would receive an Open Work Permit.

Young Professionals

This is for applicants with a job offer and who fully expect to work with the same employer for the duration of their time in Canada as a paid employee that is not self-employed.

You would receive an employer-specific work permit.

International Co-op (Internship)

If you are an international student registered at a post-secondary institution and are required to partake in an internship or you have a work placement already in place that is integral to the completion of your studies.

You would receive an employer-specific work permit.

When will the IEC program re-open in 2021?

This is a very good question and there is currently no specific date set.

There have been vague talks of April 2021 but this is yet to be confirmed. We will be updating our website and social media when this happens so the best advice we can give you right now is to be prepared!
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Tags: IEC, permanent residence, Work Permit