Showing posts with label Canada Border Services Agency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada Border Services Agency. Show all posts

Bill C-35

Minister of the Economic Development Agency of...Image via WikipediaSome applicants may choose to use such a representative to act on their behalf with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), the Immigration and Refugee Board or the Canada Border Services Agency.  There are two types of immigration representatives: paid and unpaid.  Paid immigration representatives  Only the following people may charge a fee or receive any other type of consideration, to represent or advise you in connection with a Canadian immigration proceeding or application:  lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society Notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec, and Immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council The Government of Canada will not deal with non-authorized immigration representatives who charge for their services.  NEW: Other people who offer paid immigration advice  With the coming into force of Bill C-35, anyone who provides paid advice prior to the filing of an application or the commencement of a proceeding will need to be an authorized representative. This means that some third parties who were not formerly required to be recognized to provide paid advice will now have to refer people to an authorized representative or become authorized themselves. Some examples of paid advice or representation that will now be captured through the implementation of Bill C-35 include:  representing the applicant during an immigration proceeding by speaking on their behalf. providing guidance to a client on how to select the best immigration stream and complete the appropriate forms. Unpaid immigration third parties  Unpaid third parties, such as family members, friends, non-governmental or religious organizations will still be allowed to act on your behalf.  To protect your privacy, CIC will not share any of your personal information with your consultant, lawyer, and other representative unless you provide your written consent using the Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) form.  Other people who offer immigration advice or assistance  People who provide immigration-related advice or assistance for a fee before the application is filed are not obliged to be authorized consultants. However, be aware that non-authorized consultants, lawyers, and other representatives or advisors are not regulated. This means that they may not have adequate knowledge or training. It also means that you cannot seek help from the professional bodies (that is, the law societies, ICCRC, etc.) if that person provides you with the wrong advice or behaves in an unprofessional way.

Typical Living Expenses in Canada

Main entrance of Building "A", Canad...Image via WikipediaSource: Muchmore magazine
Your life in Canada will be different than in your home country. You may have to take a job with lower pay while you upgrade your skills or get experience working here. That means your financial status could change. Even if you earn a higher salary in Canada than you were earning in your home country, the cost of living here may be higher than you are used to. Below are typical cost of living figures in Canada for your information.
Existing newcomers, please feel free to add your typical costs for essential services or other items via comments as this is really useful information for everyone.

Prepare financially before you leave

Determine how much it costs to live where you are planning to settle in Canada. The cost of living will vary depending on where you decide to settle but some costs will be typical for items and services across Canada.
Check with your banker, lawyer, or financial adviser to find out if your home country has a limit on how much money can be removed. Find out more about bringing money with you to Canada and items you can import duty free and tax free on the Canada Border Services Agency website.
If you will be immigrating to Canada as a skilled worker, investor, entrepreneur or as a self-employed person you will have to provide proof that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family after you arrive in Canada. You will need to provide proof of your funds to the Canadian visa office in your home country when you submit your application for immigration.

Here are some typical costs for items and services in Canada.

Typical Canadian living costs

Household expenses - Your everyday costs

Up to half your take-home pay in Canada can be taken up by household expenses. These expenses include the cost of your home, heating and other utilities, food, clothing, health insurance and transportation.

Your home will cost the most

Most Canadians spend 35 to 50 percent of their income on housing and utilities. This includes the cost of renting your home or paying your mortgage (a mortgage is a long-term loan.) It also includes the often-high cost of heating your home and paying for electricity, telephone service and water.

If you rent

Many newcomers choose to rent an apartment on a monthly basis. Rental costs vary across cities and across Canada; they usually cost less outside large cities.
You will likely pay at least $350 a month to rent a room and at least $2,000 a month to rent a larger apartment or a large house. An immigrant-serving organization where you plan to settle can help you find a home that you can afford.

If you buy

If you want to buy a house, you will probably need to get a mortgage. Banks and other lending institutions give mortgage loans. They decide whether you have enough income, enough assets (things you own) and a good credit rating. Most banks will ask you to pay at least 10 percent of the cost of the house from your own money.
In addition to your mortgage payments, you will have to pay for property tax and household insurance. If you plan to purchase a condominium (condo), you will have to pay other fees.
You can compare the costs of housing in communities across Canada in the city profiles section of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) website.

Health insurance

Some provincial and territorial health programs may not cover some newcomers for the first three months they are in Canada.
You should check with the ministry of health in your province or territory as soon as you arrive in Canada to see if you will need to buy extra health insurance.

Basic expenses

Food will be a basic expense and costs will depend on the size of your family. This cost can double if you often eat in restaurants or choose to buy specialty items.
Clothing expenses may be less than 10 percent of your take-home pay, but you may spend a lot more if you buy your clothing at designer stores. Second-hand shops sell used clothing and furniture at very low cost.

Alcohol and cigarettes

Some people include alcohol and cigarettes as part of their budget. Alcohol and cigarettes are expensive in Canada because they are heavily taxed.

Transportation

Many Canadian families have one or more cars. Canadians either buy their cars new or used or they lease them, which is a form of rental.
Make sure you think of all the costs before you decide to buy or lease a car. For example, when you own a car you will have to pay to keep it working well, for gas, monthly loan payments, registration and insurance. When you lease a car you will sign a contract to have the car for a set period of time. You will pay the same costs as you do when you own a car.
Many Canadians also choose to use public transportation, walk or bike.

Car insurance

It is the law that all cars must be insured and registered with your provincial or territorial government. Car insurance can be expensive, but it protects you and other drivers in case of an accident. In most provinces, you can find more information by contacting the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

Be ready for occasional expenses

Living in Canada, you will find that every now and then you have to make payments for occasional expenses. Some examples: buying prescription medicine (not covered by health insurance), school supplies and long-distance calls to friends and family in your home country.
Learn more about the costs for living in major cities across Canada at Statistics Canada’s website.
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Working temporarily in Canada: Special categories—Information technology workers

Le château Frontenac –Vieux-Québec / Old Quebe...Image via Wikipedia
IMPORTANT
The simplified entry process for information technology (IT) specialists will come to an end on September 30, 2010.
Effective October 1, 2010, employers who wish to hire foreign workers previously eligible for IT facilitated processing will be required to apply for a Labour Market Opinion.
Note: for employers wanting to hire foreign workers for positions in Quebec, the facilitated process will remain in place for a limited time after September 30, 2010.


To fill critical shortages in Canada’s software industry, Canada has a simplified entry process for workers whose skills are in high demand in that industry.
Under this process, no confirmation letter from Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) is necessary for specific jobs when hiring a foreign worker, since it will not have a negative impact on Canadian or permanent-resident job seekers and workers.
This means that if you are coming to Canada to work in one of the jobs listed below, you do not need a letter from HRSDC, and your work permit application may be processed more quickly.

Note: It is up to your employer to make sure the job you are being offered falls under one of these descriptions.
  1. Senior Animation Effects Editor (NOC 9990.1)
  2. Embedded Systems Software Designer (NOC 9990.2)
  3. MIS Software Designer (NOC 9990.3)
  4. Multimedia Software Developer (NOC 9990.4)
  5. Software Developer—Services (NOC 9990.5)
  6. Software Products Developer (NOC 9990.6)
  7. Telecommunications Software Designer (NOC 9990.7)
 Temporary foreign workers wishing to take a position in Quebec must obtain a certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) in order to participate in this facilitated processing. Information for employers is available on the website of the Ministère de l’immigration et des Communautés culturelles (MICC).


Effective October 1, 2010, employers who wish to hire Temporary Foreign Workers previously eligible for IT facilitated processing will be required to apply for a labour market opinion and demonstrate that:
  • the wage rate meets (or exceeds) the prevailing wage rate for the occupation and region;
  • the working conditions are consistent with Canadian standards;
  • efforts to hire Canadians or permanent residents have been made and the TFWP advertising guidelines have been followed;
  • the employment of the foreign worker will directly create new job opportunities or help retain jobs for Canadians;
  • the foreign worker will transfer new skills and knowledge to Canadians;
  • the hiring of the foreign worker will not affect a labour dispute or the employment of any Canadian worker involved in such a dispute.
Please note that employers are required to conduct advertising and recruitment efforts as per TFWP guidelines before submitting a labour market opinion application and should plan sufficient time to conduct these activities.  Upon receipt of a complete labour market opinion application, the processing time, on average, takes two to three weeks.
Effective October 1, 2010, work permit applications received by Citizenship and Immigration Canada or by the Canada Border Services Agency at a port of entry, will require a copy of the labour market opinion for the seven specific IT occupations that were previously under the facilitated process.

 Source:  http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/special-tech.asp
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Canada legislates against rogue immigration consultants

The Centre Block on Parliament Hill, containin...Image via Wikipedia

People seeking help to emigrate to Canada are set to be better protected after the Canadian government announced new legislation to deal with fraudulent immigration consultants. 

By Lucy Hyslop

Britons are among thousands exploited by the so-called crooked consultants, who are paid “extortionate amounts of money” by potential immigrants duped into believing they can guarantee them visas, for example, reduce the wait time for applications or claim to have connections in the Canadian immigration department who will expedite the process.
The national police force, the RCMP, and the Canada Border Services Agency are reportedly dealing with hundreds of current investigations into allegations against unscrupulous consultants across Canada. Around a quarter of a million people worldwide emigrate there yearly, while the number of immigrants settling from the UK has doubled in the past decade from approximately 4,500 in 1999 to 9,500 last year.
A member of the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC), Skerrett has heard from clients who have been given misleading or fraudulent advice from other companies, or told they are eligible for an immigration route when, in fact, they are not. “It leaves their dreams of moving abroad shattered,” she added. “Ghost agents give the industry a bad name and are a thorn in the side of bona-fide consultants trying to offer a quality service. It affects our professional image and the ability to do our work.”
The Canadian government’s Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act aims to close a loophole in the current legislation, which does not regulate any consultants’ involvement in the pre-application period. If passed, it would require all paid-for advice or representation be provided by an authorised immigration consultant, lawyer or notary only. It would also give the government power over the body governing immigration consultants “in order to ensure the integrity of the process”.
Jason Kenney, Canada’s minister of citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism, said at an earlier conference that, while most immigration consultants working in Canada were professional and ethical, “the unfortunate reality is that many consultants are acting dishonestly or even illegally to profit from people’s dream of coming here.” He cited one case of an exorbitant fee of $90,000 (around £60,000) paid to a crooked consultant by an immigrating family. “These prospective immigrants often find out too late that they’ve been deceived,” Kenney added
While the legislation of course covers Canada only, the minister will be also encouraging foreign governments to tackle the problem of crooked consultants dealing with immigrants to Canada. Jason Kenney is in London next week to talk about these and other immigration issues with Home Secretary Theresa May and Immigration Minister Damian Green as part of the Five Country Conference, comprising the UK, Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand.
With the act increasing the risk of penalties, fines and possible imprisonment, Skerrett hoped that “the fear would be a major deterrent for these ghost agents”. She added, “Brits and immigrants will be better protected through proper representation, and provided with an assurance of quality and competence.”
If anyone is defrauded by an immigration consultant in the UK, they are advised to file a complaint with the local police and inform the Canadian Embassy, said Kelli Fraser, media relations adviser for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
She pointed out that immigration fraud happens, of course, around the world not just in Canada, but added that it threatens the integrity of Canada’s immigration system. “It also raises security concerns, wastes tax dollars, adds to the processing time for legitimate applications, and it is unfair to those who do follow the rules,” she said.

 

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