PERMANENT RESIDENT APPLICATIONS (family included)

PROFESSIONAL / FEDERAL SKILLED WORKER VISA

Canada is looking for skilled professionals who can meet the current job demand in Canada to come forward with their families as permanent residents. On November 29, 2008, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration announced a “Job Demand List”. If you have one or more years of experience in any job that is in the list, and meet other selection criteria under this category, you can file an application for permanent residence under the Federal Skilled Worker category.

Applicants must have post-secondary educational credentials, one or more years of work experience in a demand job, proficiency in English or French. Having close family members in Canada as citizens or permanent residents, previous work or study experience in Canada, your husband/wife’s educational qualification or having arranged employment add points but are not a must to qualify. Fill up our "on-line questionnaire" to determine if you qualify. Alternatively, contact our Head Office or the Sri Lanka Agency Office for more information.

The new rules also demand that all new Federal Skilled Worker applications now be filed in Canada.

If your job is not in the “Demand List” you may still file an application provided you have a government validated offer of employment or currently living legally in Canada as a foreign worker/student.

CANADA EXPERIENCE CLASS

On September 17, 2008, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, Canada created a new Class under which foreign students and workers can apply for permanent residence.

Foreign Workers who have 2-years of recent legally authorized full-time work experience in Canada in a high skilled occupation can apply under this category. Must have secondary school and moderate English skills commensurate with your skill level.

Foreign Graduates who have one year of recent legally authorized full-time experience in Canada in a high skill occupation can apply under this category. Must have had 2 academic years of full-time education and obtained a diploma, degree or trade apprenticeship credential from a qualifying educational institute.

E-mail us at otisandkorman@bellnet.ca to know if you qualify.

PROVINCIAL NOMINEE CLASS

Canada's provinces and territories each offer unique lifestyles and opportunities for employment. While most newcomers choose to settle in one of Canada's major urban centers, other provinces and territories also have booming economies that are thirsty for skilled workers.

Canadian provinces present unique and attractive choices for skilled immigrants through the various Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). The PNP skilled programs are designed to attract and fast-track applications for skilled workers with high demand occupations identified for each province and territory. Currently, PNP skilled programs are offered in Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, the Yukon and Ontario.

E-mail us at otisandkorman@bellnet.ca to know if you qualify.

HUMANITARIAN AND COMPASSIONAL (H&C) APPLICATIONS

On an exceptional basis Canada’s immigration rules allow the foreign nationals to be granted permanent residence status exempting them from the applicable criteria or the obligations of the Immigration Act, if the department is of the opinion that it is justified by humanitarian and compassionate considerations relating to the applicant, taking into account the best interest of a child that is directly affected or public policy considerations.

BUSINESS CLASS

Canada provides a rich entrepreneurial environment and welcomes anyone who wants to come to the country to establish a business or invest in the economy. The objective of the Business Visa is to attract business persons with experience and assets to contribute to Canada's strong and prosperous economy.

In exchange for the foreign capital into its economy and Canada offers many advantages for families of foreign entrepreneurs seeking to establish a new home.

ENTREPRENUR CLASS

The Federal Business Program is seeking to attract experienced business owners to Canada who will support the development of a strong economy in the country. Foreign investment in existing businesses in Canada or the establishment and management of a new business helps to foster a climate of continual business development.

The Federal Entrepreneur Visa allows applicants meet the relevant business experience and required amount of legally acquired funds to file an application. You must also meet some additional requirements with regards to eligibility and admissibility. There are conditions imposed on an Entrepreneur category visa and the applicant must demonstrate that he has established a business at the end of a given period.

INVESOTR CLASS

The Federal Investor Program is designed to attract successful senior executives and business owners on the basis of their ability to become economically established in Canada as an investor. The interested applicants must have business experience, legally obtained funds and be willing to make pass of investment in Canada.

SELF-EMPLOYED CLASS

Canada wishes to attract newcomers with world-class skills in cultural or athletic activities who are able to employ themselves once they arrive in Canada.

The Federal Self-Employed Visa allows applicants with the above-mentioned skills to obtain permanent residence and continue to engage in their sports or cultural activities in Canada.

FAMILY SPONSORSHIPS

You can join your family in Canada! The Family Sponsorship program allows Canadian citizens or Permanent Resident living in Canada to sponsor family members living abroad. Family reunification is an important component of Canada's immigration agenda.

There are several types of Family Visas, each for different family relationships.

All Canadian sponsors must sign an Undertaking of Assistance when initiating a family sponsorship application.

SPOUSAL AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN

Qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents may sponsor their spouses and dependent children. This category has the highest priority and visa offices abroad attempt to finalize 80% of these applications within 6 months.

COMMON-LAW PARTNERS AND CONJUGAL PARTNERS

If you are not legally married but in a common-law or conjugal relationship, you may sponsor your partner for permanent residence in Canada. The same priority as in a spousal case is awarded to this category.

PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS

If you meet the income test (Low Income Cut-Off level – LICO) you may sponsor your parents for permanent residence. If your income is insufficient to meet the test, the joint income of your spouse / partner can be considered.

Although this category has a low priority in terms of processing times, Canada admitted 63,000 parents in the last year.

TEMPORARY VISA APPLICATIONS (family may or may not be included)

WORK PERMITS TO CANADA

A Temporary Work Visa allows applicants to work and live in Canada, and gain Canadian work experience. You must generally have some previous experience and meet additional basic visa requirements.

A large number of foreign workers arrive in Canada each year to fill job shortages in key areas of the economy. Currently there is a shortage of workers in sectors such as health care, hospitality, care-giving, and the construction industry.

A Work Visa (or Temporary Work Permit) is the best option for anyone who wishes to work in Canada, but does not want to apply immediately for permanent residence. However, you may be qualify for permanent residence after working for 2 years provided you are engaged in a high skilled job and pass a language test. In order to apply for a work visa, an applicant must have a job offer from a Canadian employer which is validated by the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development or Service Canada. The validation certificate is called the “LMO” (Labor Market Opinion).

In certain circumstances, the family members are allowed to join you.

OBTAINING A “LMO” OR HRSDC/WORK PERMIT VALIDATION

Every offer of employment from a Canadian employer to a foreign worker must be validated by the Human Resources and Skills Development (HRSDC) or Service Canada before the foreign worker can apply for a work permit at a visa office abroad. The approval is referred to as a positive Labor Market Opinion – “LMO”.

STUDY PERMITS

Canada is proud to welcome students from all over the world. Every year more than 130,000 foreign students arrive in Canada to join its world-class Universities and Colleges.

Foreign students are attracted to studying in Canada because of its high-quality education system, great employment opportunities and more importantly the prospect of obtaining permanent residence in

REFUGEE CASES

REFUGEE PROTECTION APPLICATIONS

Canada grants protection to refugees and persons in need of protection under a number of United Nations Conventions and Treaties. If you are out of your country and have a well founded fear of returning to your home country, you may be eligible for Canada’s refugee protection.

PRE-REMOVAL RISK ASSESSMENTS (PRAA CASES)

Canada awards failed refugee claimants’ one last opportunity to provide new evidence and submissions prior to removal. Contact our Head Office if you have received a PRRA application.

DETENTION REVIEWS

If you are a permanent resident or a foreign national who is detained by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and in need of legal representation contact our Head Office.

BAIL HEARINGS

Our experienced lawyers can assist you obtain bail if you are in detention.

IMMIGRATION APPEAL CASES

APPEAL CASES

There are two types of appeal cases.

1. Appeals of the Family Class Sponsorship refusals by visa officer

2. Judicial Review applications to the Federal Court of Canada of all other refusals and negative decisions

1. If you have sponsored your family member and his/her application for permanent residence to Canada is refused by a visa office, you are within your right to appeal the refusal at the Immigration Appeals Division of the Immigration Refugee Board. At this hearing, the visa officers decision may be upheld (in which case the refusal stands), over turned and ordered to issue a visa or file returned to the visa office on consent to reopen and process again.

2. A Judicial Review application may be filed if there is evidence that an immigration officer or member of the IRB reached a decision contrary to principles of natural justice and rules of fairness. A 2-tier process is in place at the Federal Court and leave must be obtained to proceed to full-hearing stage. A positive outcome at the full-hearing stage will quash the visa officers negative and order the file be re-determined by a new visa officer.

Immigration appeal cases are one of our strongest practice areas. Contact us if you need assistance with your appeal case.

OTHER IMMIGRIATION SERVICES

INTERNATION ADOPTIONS

If you are interested in adopting a child from abroad and going through the immigration process to bring the child to Canada, we can assist you with the information you need to begin the process in Canada and represent you in the immigration process

PARDON AND REHABILITATION APPLICATIONS

A past criminal record, however minor, may lead to the refusal of your immigration application. Under certain circumstances there exists the possibility of filing an application for pardon and rehabilitation in order to have the offence removed your history.

NOTARIZATIONS AND ATTESTATIONS

We help our clients with their notary and attestation work.

DOCUMENT TRANSLATIONS

We would be happy to assist you with all your translation needs. Service is available in 30+ different languages of the world in