Specific Questions

         Should I make an exploratory visit to Canada before submitting my application?

Ans:-     You are under no obligation to make an exploratory visit. However, we do recommend such visits as many applicants find them beneficial. As well as providing the opportunity to meet with provincial officials, they give you a chance to acquire first-hand knowledge about living and doing business in Canada, knowledge which can only assist you when the time comes to proceed with a specific business project. You may need a Canadian visitor visa to travel to Canada for an exploratory visit. Please contact our office for assistance.

         If I come to Canada as a student is it possible to become permanent after that?
 
Ans:-     Students will be given one year to apply their skill in Canada. During that year, some qualified applicants may wish to make an application for permanent residences. 

         If my spouse is not with me, can he/she take the exam in another country? 

Ans:-     Yes, medical examinations can be taken at the nearest DMP. 

         Can my spouse work also?  

Ans:-     Yes, your spouse is free to work anywhere and in any occupation. 

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         Can my children study?  

Ans:-     Yes. Education is compulsory for children under 16 years of age. Public taxes support the education of all children in Canada through the secondary level.   

         What are my options if I want to work in Canada? 

Ans:-     Your only option is to apply for a Canadian permanent residence and then once we get your Canadian permanent residence then you can work anywhere and for any employer in Canada.                                    

         What type of permanent Canadian immigration status do I get?
 
Ans:-     You will get what is called “landed immigrant status”. This is the same as a US green card but only for Canada.   

         Does the employer still have to go through all the advertising and rejecting formalities mentioned above before the employer hires me once I am a permanent resident of Canada?

Ans:-     No, since you will have the permanent resident status of Canada then you will be treated same as a Canadian citizen and the employer does not have to obtain any permission from any government body.                 

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         Do I have to pay tax? 

Ans:-     After becoming a permanent resident, an individual would be required to pay Canadian taxes as per Canadian laws. 

         I heard that the Right of Landing Fee has been eliminated, is this correct?

Ans:-     As of February 28, 2000 the Right of Landing Fee has been eliminated for refugees only.

         Should I apply as an entrepreneur or as an investor?

Ans:-     You should first carefully assess the definitions to determine if you meet both of them, and therefore have this choice available to you. If you do, the decision is up to you. The categories are accorded equal priority in terms of visa processing times. Each category has its own particular characteristics.  

         If all the money that I brought with me is finished and I still do not have a job, will the Canadian government provide a allowance for me to live on?

Ans:-     A person who is as ambitious and skilled as you are will not be living on the street. While it will be difficult to get started, once on track you will have no problems. If you should need temporary assistance once all your own resources are depleted, there are various government and community agencies which can.

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         Should be the case that I apply for a Canadian Citizenship, do I loose my original one?

Ans:-     No, you don't, as Canada recognizes the dual-citizenship.

         Can I extend the Record of Landing if it expires?

Ans:-     No. Once it has been expired, it cannot be extended, so if by any chance the person do not enter in Canada within this one year period, then he/she will have to reapply again.

         I have applied for permanent residence under the Independent category. Can I simultaneously apply for a temporary non-immigrant employment authorization ?

Ans:-     Applicants who wish to obtain a temporary authorization visa must start the process to obtain an employment authorization with the assistance of the prospective employer in Canada who in turn must file an application with the Canada Employment authorities inside Canada. It is only after the employment authorities have confirmed the hiring the application would be forwarded to the appropriate visa office outsided Canada for immigration assessment and processing. This is known as “arranged employment”. As the processing time and validation takes up to 4 months, it would not be beneficial in most cases, for the applicant to apply for a temporary authorization visa during the processing of an application for permanent residence. 

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         When can I apply for the Canadian Citizenship?

Ans:-     You can apply only after you have been physically living in Canada for a time of 3 years, so you should discount all the periods you have been going out.

         Once I have immigrant status how long does it last?

Ans:-     You must proceed to Canada within one  year of issues of visa. Once there you will remain a permanent resident until you become a Canadian citizen or if you have frequent and/or lengthy absence from Canada.

         Can I go out of Canada any time, after being landed?

Ans:-     Yes, you can. The only condition to keep your landing is that you should reside in Canada a minimum of 183 days in a year. These days are accumulative, meaning it doesn't have to be in a continuous way.

         Will the Canadian Immigration Department help me to find a job?

Ans:-     No. That is your responsibility. There are settlement services available, however and you can find out about these from Canada Immigration Centers, Canada Human Resources Development Centers and placement professionals.

         Can I make any kind of investment in Canada I want in order to qualify in the investor category?

Ans:-     No. You can only invest in a business or fund that: a) has qualified under the Business Immigration Program and b) has an investment proposal whose offering period has not yet expired and whose maximum subscription level has not yet been met. An investment offering qualifies under the program after it has passed a two-stage process. First, the province where the investment will be made reviews the proposal. If it is established that the project will make a positive contribution to the province economic development, the proposal passes on to a review by federal government officials, primarily to ensure the project set-up complies with Canada Immigration Act and Regulations. Offerings which pass this review process can be placed on the market and sold only for a defined time period. Once the marketing period has expired, the offering is no longer an eligible investment that is, they may neither market nor sell subscriptions. A list of all currently active investment offerings is available on request from visa offices.            

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         Once I get my permanent immigration can I work for any employer or am I restricted to one employer?

Ans:-     You can work for any employer and there are no restrictions at all.    

         Why would my immigration application be refused? What are the consequences of a refusal?

Ans:-     Among the most common reasons for refusal are failure to meet the following requirements of Canada immigration law: 
1)   You are unable to prove to the visa officer that you meet the immigration criteria;
2)   You and/or your dependents fail to meet the prescribed medical standards 
3)   You and/or your dependents do not pass criminal or security checks.

If your application is refused, a visa officer will advise you in writing by of the reasons for the refusal. You are free to apply again for immigration to Canada anytime. The fact that they have previously refused you will not affect your subsequent application. However, you must show that you have overcome the reasons why they refused your first application.

         Will Taurus Infotek pay for my initial accommodation upon my arrival in Canada?

Ans:-     No, you must pay for your own accommodation and other expenses involved in moving to Canada. 
     
         I have heard that the procedure is different if I want to go to Quebec?

Ans:-     That’s right , although it still follows the points system. You do not apply directly to the Canadian high commission, but to your nearest Quebec Immigration Services office.   

         Should I  hire an immigration consultant or attorney ? Will they help me to get my application approved?

Ans:-     That is entirely up to you. It is no guarantee of approval, but those who anticipate some difficulties might like to consider this option. 

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         If I choose to apply in one business immigration category and later decide to switch to the other, can I do so?

Ans:-     You may - it depends on the timing of your decision. If it is early enough in the processing of your application, you can generally switch from entrepreneur to investor or vice versa without any consequences. You must inform the responsible visa office in writing of your request.

Note: If you wish to switch from the investor to the entrepreneur category, and have already committed funds to an investment offering, before contacting the visa office, you should get in touch with the manager of the investment offering to find out if, and under what circumstances, your funds may be returned to you. Once you have been issued a visa, you cannot, under any circumstances, switch categories. If you are issued an entrepreneur visa, you must establish a business within two years. If you are issued an investor visa, your money will, by law, remain locked into your chosen investment for the five year holding period. 

         Do I have to pay fees? 

Ans:-     Yes, applications for permanent residence must include the appropriate non- refundable processing fees for applicants and their accompanying dependants. As well, a Right of Landing Fee of CAN $ 975 is levied to any person who is at least 19 years of age applying for permanent residence. 

         Where can I apply for a returning resident permit?

Ans:-     The permits can be applied for either in Canada or overseas. You can obtain a returning resident permit by applying at any Canadian Immigration Centre before you leave Canada. If you are already abroad, you can apply at the nearest Canadian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate, where you will have to satisfy the visa officer that you have not ceased to be a permanent resident of Canada. Permits are valid for the period of time stated on the form, usually no longer than 12 months. The period may in certain cases extend up to 24 months.

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         Must I have a Canadian offer of employment to qualify as a Skilled Worker? 

Ans:-     You are not required to obtain an offer of an employment to qualify as a Skilled Worker. 

         Can I have dual citizenship?

Ans:-   According to Canada's Citizenship Act, Canadian citizens are allowed to hold dual citizenship. This means that they will not lose their Canadian citizenship if they become a citizen of another country.

         Can I have my landing documents date extended? 

Ans:-     No. Visa has got a validity. failure to travel within the stipulated time could mean that the applicant must re-apply. 

         Can I apply if I do not yet have the required minimum work experience? 

Ans:-     Applicants without one year of work experience in an "open" occupation (6 months for applicants destined to Quebec or Manitoba) are required to demonstrate arranged employment. 

         How much money do I have bring to Canada when I migrate to Canada? 

Ans:-     You would have stated an amount on your application form depending on your family size. This is the amount that should be available. For your own purpose you may refer to cost of living factors contained in this package.

       Can I include parents in my application? 

Ans:-    Parents can be sponsored after the applicant becomes a Canadian landed permanent resident. In exceptional cases, an elderly parent can be included as an accompanying dependant.

         Can I get a work permit to work in Canada?  

Ans:-    Yes, but you have to be sponsored by an employer in Canada. 

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         Can I temporarily enter US ? 

Ans:-     Canadian permanent residents holding Indian citizenship (along with citizens of many others countries), are exempted from obtaining entry visas for temporary visits to the United States.                     

         What are my chances of a Canadian employer sponsoring me to come to Canada to work on a work permit in Canada? 
 
Ans:-     Slim to nil. Canadian employers are not excited about going offshore to recruit employees and going through various government formalities and bureaucracy to bring you to Canada.               

         What do you mean by formalities and bureaucracy that an employer must go through? 
 
Ans:-      It is very difficult for a Canadian employer to bring in a foreign employee to work in Canada. The employer has to show that he/she has released nation-wide advertisements to fill the position that the employer wants to hire you for. Once he gets the response for his/her advertisement then the employer has to interview all candidates. And if the employer wants to hire you only, then the employer must refuse each candidate and give valid reasons to the government as to why the employer is rejecting Canadian permanent residents for the job. Only if the reasons for refusing each candidate are valid will the government give the permission to bring in a foreign worker (i.e. you). (As you can see the government wants to protect the jobs for candidates who are permanent residents of Canada or Canadian citizens)                        

         What are the chances that an employer will offer a job to me while I am not in Canada?
  
Ans:-     Slim to nil, Canadian employers will not usually hire candidates without a personal interview. Canadian employers do not conduct telephone interviews. In the interview they are not only determining your technical skills but also your personal suitability and your ability to get along with other employees. Secondly, no employer will wait for your immigration clearance to get approved. It may take up to five months for the whole procedure to be done and my experience has shown that very rarely does a employer wait that long for an employee.

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         Will Taurus Infotek pay my airline fare from India?   

Ans:-     No, you must pay for your own airfare from India. But, with our upper level services we will pick you up from the airport.

         I have an aunt living in Canada. Will that help my application ?

Ans:-     Yes, in that it will increase the number of points you are awarded. Remember that your relative must be over 19 and a permanent resident or citizen of Canada.

         Once I obtain my Immigrant Visa, how long is it valid?

Ans:-     Your Immigrant Visa will state how long it will be valid for. Usually, it is valid for one year from the date of the medical examine or date of acceptance. Immigrant visas cannot be extended once issued. If applicants do not use the visas within their validity, they must reapply for immigration to Canada.

         What effect will be there, if previously I had applied to Canada or US ? 

Ans:-     This is another sensitive area should be addressed appropriately. 

         Will my application benefit if I have a close relative in Canada? 

Ans:-     Skilled Worker applicants will be awarded bonus points if the close relative is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and over the age of 19 years. The applicant is then referred to as an "assisted relative". To qualify as a close relative, the Canadian citizen or permanent resident must be the applicant's uncle, aunt, brother, sister, parent, nephew or niece. 

         Which are the fees to be paid for the immigration procedure?

Ans:-     A person who applies for a Permanent Residence of Canada should pay CAN$ 500.00 of processing fee for the head of family and the same amount for the spouse (if applicable), CAN$ 100.00 for each dependent child under the age of 19. If your case is refused, these fees are not refundable. The person should also pay the Right of Landing Fee (ROLF) CAN$ 975.00 applicable to the head of family, the spouse (if the case) 
and any dependent child over 19 years of age. The ROLF payment is refundable.

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         Can I accelerate the immigration procedure?

Ans:-     There is nothing that can be done to speed up this regular process, as 
there is no control over the operation of the Canadian Embassies
abroad.
 
         One of my children is remaining in the UK. Does she still need to be included in my  application?

Ans:-     Yes, if she is less than 19 years of age and unmarried at the time of your application.        

         What if I or my dependents are unable to travel to Canada before our visas expire?

Ans:-    The validity of a visa cannot be extended. If your visa expires before you present it at a Canadian port of entry, it is void. If you are still interested in immigrating to Canada, you must return your unused visas to the visa office and make a new application.  

         How can I know if I am eligible to immigrate to Canada under the Skilled Workers Program?

Ans:-     You should have at least one year of full time work experience in an occupation which is in demand in Canada, and under which you are qualified. This National Occupational List is based in the Canadian. Government surveys of labour markets. You should also have enough settlement funds to support yourself and your family: CAN$ 10000.00 for the head of family plus CAN$ 2000.00 for each dependent. You could complete our Free Assessment Form

         Once I get my permanent immigration and if I do not know anybody in Canada, will the firm of Taurus Infotek assist me in settling in Canada?

Ans:-     Yes, we provide settlement services and they are listed on our services and fees page.