Start-up Visa Program

The Start-up Visa Program was created to grow entrepreneurialism & economic growth across Canada in a variety of industries. 

Over 16 applicants has already been approved for permanent residency and 60 other applications are currently being processed. 

One can only apply for permanent residency after they have a commitment from a designated Institution - which include Angel Investor groups, business incubators and about 50 other Canadian venture capital funds.

Express Entry Selection System

Getting close to an year since it's beginning the Express Entry Selection System for Canadian Immigration continues to change. The backlog from 2014 is being dealt with and the minimum points requirement is also changing.

Currently having a job offer in Canada gives you an extra 600 points which has been putting many people on a longer wait list and not making it into the annual quotas.

More information can be found here:

http://www.cicnews.com/2015/11/important-updates-express-entry-selection-system-canadian-immigration-116607.html

Quebec looks to Immigrant Workers

Political parties agree that immigrants are needed to their workforce, the Liberals want to increase the annual target to 60,000 immigrants a year from the present 46,000, but the Action démocratique du Québec points out that Quebec isn’t reaching its present target and isn’t doing enough to keep people who come to Quebec from moving on to another province.

The province needs to welcome more immigrants and help them better integrate into Quebec society, integration means employment.

Quebec has the the highest rate of unemployed immigrants in Canada. About 18 per cent of immigrants in Quebec are unemployed, when the overall rate of unemployment is 7 per cent. In the rest of Canada, unemployment among immigrants is 12 per cent.

immigration+work+canada, immigration+Quebec

New EU members and the need for a visa

Canada does not require a visa for the European Union countries, but the newest members of it DO need a visa to come to Canada.

What's the reasoning? Canada had too many refugee claims from countries like Czech Republic and Hungary when the visa was not required.

Now Canada is considering reviewing the visa requirement for Hungary, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Poland according to nine criteria: Canada will consider each country's recent history in terms of visa refusal rate, immigration violation rates, and number of refugee claims. The countries will need to share information with Canada and must demonstrate that their passport systems are up to international standards.

Money for babies in NF

If the Conservative government is reelected Newfoundland families would get a onetime payment $1,000 for every baby born or adopted in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The measure, with a pricetag of $4.5 million, is aimed at reversing the decline in the province's population, fed by out-migration and a declining birthrate.

The province of Quebec, which is wrestling with increasing its population through immigration, ended a similar program some years ago, said Claude Morin, a communications officer with the province's Employment and Social Solidarity Department.

But Mr. Poschmann warned a baby bonus scheme by itself is not going to address all that province's issues. "The bigger issue is why is Newfoundland losing workers? You're not going to address that with a baby bonus," he said.

Not to mention that a ONE time bonus would not fix the problems of a population that is lacking financial resources, but it is definitely a start.

Canada Immigration Office outside Canada

Visa offices outside Canada

CIC staff work at offices around the world. Visa officers in Canadian embassies, high commissions and consulates abroad:

* process applications for immigration, refugee resettlement, temporary resident visas, study and temporary work permits;
* give clients information to help complete their applications; and
* work to ensure immigration applications are processed lawfully.

Click here to find the closest Canadian visa office (listed by region)

Click here to find out where to send your application (listed by country)
Find which Canadian visa office you should apply to for a permanent resident visa, temporary resident visa, study permit, work permit or travel document.

4 Peruvians deported

Four Peruvians have been deported for attempting to use the Philippines to enter Canada illegally.

They had previously been placed on the immigration blacklist to prevent their reentry into the country.

The four were refused entry into Taiwan and were sent back to Manila after they were caught using fake Mexican and Spanish passports.

Immigration officers say that there was no doubt these passengers were involved in an elaborate human trafficking operation that used Manila as their transit point.

The Peruvians admitted their real nationalities to immigration agents at the airport. They said they had bought their spurious passports for $3,000 from a man they identified only as Roberto in Malaysia.

Full Article

Student Visa vs Work

Can I work if I have a Student Visa?

I have been getting many emails about students, coming to study in Canada every year. In fact, over 130,000 people come to Canada every year to study.

The rule is that you must come to Canada with enough money to live and pay your bills while you are studying, without needing to work.

Each Province has its own regulations so verify with the Province where you are planning on going to (your school advisor should also be able to give you information).

If you are on a program of English as a second language you are NOT allowed to work in Canada.

Do NOT work without being authorized to do so. If you do, you may be asked to leave Canada.

Following is information on the situations when you may be able to work while you are studying, from the CIC web site. Working will help you earn extra money and gain Canadian work experience.

Technorati tags: work, jobs, Canada Immigration, studend visa, work visa.

Working and Studying - comments

If you read the article you might be asking yourself "if I am taking my English as a Second Language course at one of those institutions will I qualify"?

Unfortunatelly the answer is NO, English as a Second Language does not satisfy the prerequisits of the Canadian law and does not give you the right to apply for a work visa in Canada.

Another thing to keep in mind is that even if you do qualify for a work permit you are NOT guaranteed any job, you MUST find a place to work yourself and whenever you're no longer a full-time student or don’t maintain satisfactory academic results, you must return your work permit.

Studying & Working II - Working off Campus

The Off-Campus Work Permit Program allows foreign students to work off campus while completing their studies if they are attending a publicly funded post-secondary educational institution that has signed an off-campus work agreement with their provincial or territorial government.

Publicly funded post-secondary educational institutions are:

* public post-secondary institutions, such as a college, university or CEGEP (in Quebec); or

* private post-secondary institutions that operate under the same rules and regulations as public institutions, and receive at least 50 percent of their financing for their overall operations from government grants (currently only private college-level educational institutions in Quebec qualify).

To work off campus, you must apply for a work permit. Do not begin to work off campus until you have received your work permit. The work permit authorizes you to work up to 20 hours per week during regular academic sessions, and full time during scheduled breaks (for example, winter and summer holidays, and spring break).

A work permit does not guarantee that you will find a job. It is your responsibility to look for work. Even if you work off campus, your studies must be the main reason that you are in Canada. If you are no longer a full-time student or don’t maintain satisfactory academic results, you must return your work permit to a local Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) office.

For more information about the program and the application process, contact the international student advisor at your educational institution.

Studying & Working I - Working on Campus

This is one of the situations in which a student may work in Canada.


You may work on campus at the institution where you study without a work permit if:

* you are a full-time student at:

** a public post-secondary institution, such as a college, university or CEGEP (in Quebec),

** a private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as a public institution, and receives at least 50 percent of its financing for its overall operations from government grants (currently only private college-level educational institutions in Quebec qualify), or

** a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees; and

* you have a valid study permit.

Being a Permanent Resident in Canada

As a permanent resident, you receive certain rights and privileges, even though you remain a citizen of your home country.

As a permanent resident, you and your dependants have the right:

* To receive most social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, including health care coverage
* To live, work or study anywhere in Canada
* To apply for Canadian citizenship, after residing in Canada for three years and passing a test
* To protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

You must pay taxes, and respect all Canadian laws at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.

As a permanent resident, you and your dependants cannot:

* Vote or run for political office
* Hold certain jobs that have a high-level security clearance requirement
* Remain in Canada if you are convicted of a serious criminal offence and have been told to leave the country.

Keeping your permanent resident status

Your permanent resident status allows you to live in Canada, but there is also a time limit on how long you can live outside the country. To keep your status as a permanent resident, you must live in Canada for at least two years within a five-year period.

Losing your permanent resident status

There are several ways you could lose your permanent resident status:

* A permanent resident who does not meet their residency obligations could lose permanent resident status.
* If convicted of a serious crime, a permanent resident may be deported from Canada.

When you become a Canadian citizen, you are no longer a permanent resident.

The Permanent Resident Card

If you intend to travel, the Permanent Resident Card is the official proof of your status as a permanent resident in Canada.

This wallet-sized plastic card is required for all permanent residents of Canada seeking to re-enter Canada on a commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train or bus).

If you leave the country, you will need this card to return to Canada. If you do not plan to leave the country, you do not need the card.

source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Where to look for work

The main online sources are Monster and workopolis they offer a wide range of career fields and I would encourage you to post your resume with them as you can start getting head hunted by companies that are looking for people with your skills.

Every HRDC Office (Human Resources and Development Canada) offers free job search using Job Bank.

If you have a specific company that you'd like to work for you should check their website.

Good luck for you all!

IT Jobs

If you are looking for a Computer – IT work, but you don’t know where to start, we have good news! We found a site that connects internet businesses with freelancers to outsource their work, for more information click here.

Visiting Canada

Every year, more than 35 million people visit Canada to enjoy the many opportunities the country has to offer.

Depending on where you live, and the reason for your visit, you will need to meet certain entry requirements. In some cases, if you are planning to stay in Canada for a certain period of time, you will need a Temporary Resident Visa.

If you plan to visit Canada, you must:

* Have a valid travel document, such as a passport;
* Be in good health;
* Have enough money for your stay. The amount of money you will need can vary with the circumstances of the visit, how long you will stay and whether you will stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives. For more information, ask the Canadian visa office in your country or region.
* Convince an immigration officer that you have ties, such as a job, home and family, that will take you back to your country of origin;
* Convince an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit.

You may also need:

* A Temporary Resident Visa, depending on your citizenship;
* A medical examination; and
* A letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.

Inadmissibility

Some people are inadmissible—they are not allowed to come to Canada. Several things can make you inadmissible, including your involvement in criminal activity, in human rights violations or in organized crime. You can also be inadmissible for security, health or financial reasons.

Criminal inadmissibility

If you have committed or been convicted of a criminal offence, you may not be allowed to enter Canada.

Criminal offences include both minor and serious offences such as theft, assault, manslaughter, dangerous driving or driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. For a complete list of criminal offences in Canada, see the Canadian Criminal Code.

If you were convicted of a crime when you were under the age of 18, you can probably still enter Canada.

Do you need a visa to come to Canada?

Countries and territories whose citizens require visas in order to enter Canada as visitors

Citizens of the following countries and territories require a Visa to VISIT or TRANSIT Canada:

A
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Argentina
Armenia
Azerbaijan

B
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi

C
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Rep.
Chad
Chile
China, People’s Rep. of
Colombia
Comoros
Congo, Democratic Rep. of the
Congo, Rep. of the
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Czech Rep.

D
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Rep.

E
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia

F
Fiji

G
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana

H
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary

I
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel (only Israeli citizens holding valid Israeli “Travel Document in lieu of National Passport”)
Ivory Coast

J
Jamaica
Jordan

K
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea, North
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan

L
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Lithuania


M
Macao S.A.R.
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives Islands
Mali
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Micronesia, Fed. States
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)

N
Nauru
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria

O
Oman

P
Pakistan
Palau
Palestinian Authority
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland

Q
Qatar

R
Romania
Russia
Rwanda

S
Sao Tomé e Principe
Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Slovak Rep.
Somalia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Surinam
Syria

T
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu

U
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay
Uzbekistan

V
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam

Y
Yemen

Z
Zambia
Zimbabwe

All Rights Reserved 2005-2006. Canada Immigration

How long should a resume be

Your resume should be as long as it needs to be, displaying and marketing your skills for your target positions, no longer than that. In Canada 1 to 3 pages is standard, with some industry exceptions.

If you are just entering the workforce it will be probably be fine with 1-2 pages. If you have many years of experience, but have held few jobs during that time, your resume could also have 1-2 pages.

Your job’s nature will help determine how many words to use. In the finance world 1-2 pages. In the academic world: around 5 pages to showcase your papers and research. In the business world, at the mid-career level 2-3 pages will normally be what you should be aiming for.

A resume is no more than you selling yourself to your prospect, sell yourself well.

Technorati tags: resume, jobs

Work permits for students

How do I find out if I can work while studying in Canada?

Foreign students can work in Canada during their studies, and after they graduate. In most cases, you will need to apply for one of the student-related work permits, which are required if you want to work in a co-op/internship placement, off campus, or after graduating from your studies (Post-Graduation Work Permit Program). Find out if you qualify by reviewing the information on work permits for students in here

Technorati tags: work, jobs, Canada Immigration.

Resume Tips

First of all a good resume MUST have a good presentation, it MUST look nice, be clean and objective.

Start by stating your name, address, phone, email (the "how can you be reached kind of information").

Then, if you wish, put the "what are you looking for", or what is called: job or career objective, as "a career as a sales manager" for example. This is not necessary.

Another must on your resume is a part where you state all your abilities and skills (ok, not ALL of them, but all that are work related). Examples are: good communication skills, good computer skills, etc.

The third and maybe the MOST important part is the one where you put your previous work experience. Start with the most recent one and then go on...

VERY IMPORTANT: employers here do not like to employ those that have had as many jobs as shirts during their life times, so if needed... shrink it!

Put the most important ones, remember not to leave any gaps, unless you have a GOOD excuse for it.

Last, but not least, your hobbies, specially the ones that could possibly help you get a job like volunteering in a company, etc.

Remember to keep it concise, one or two pages is enough!


Technorati tags: resume, resume writing, resume tips

Social Insurance Number

You will need a Social Insurance Number to work in Canada.

You can obtain information on the conditions and eligibility criteria for students who want to work in Canada and who are in the following situations or programs:

* Working on campus
* Working off campus
* Co-op and internship programs
* Post-graduation work permits
* Work permits for students at private institutions
* Work permit for your spouse or common-law partner

For more information about the program and the application process, contact your institution’s international student advisor.

Remember, a work permit authorizing you to work off campus does not guarantee that you will find a job. It is your responsibility to find a job. Even if you work off campus, your studies must remain your primary purpose for being in Canada.

www.canimmigrate.blogspot.com

Getting the First Job

I still find myself amazed by the number of immigrants coming to Canada. Being an immigrant myself I really DID experience what it is like to be a newcomer to Canada and I can tell you that is NOT easy to get your first Job here.

Every where I applied they expected previous experience, not that I didn’t have any, they were expecting Canadian work experience. To get the chance of getting that took me a w-h-i-l-e. When I say a w-h-i-l-e I really mean it, it took me over two years to get a full-time job!

I guess I was one of "the lucky ones", as I was reading on the papers last week and most immigrants get a job within the first 6 months.

It is funny how they expect you when you apply to have all these qualifications, but once you’re here many times you’re just OVERQUALIFIED. Does that make sense to anyone around? ‘Cause I am still trying to make sense of it, and if anyone would like to explain it to me just let me know.

If I were a manager, I’d be amazed to have someone overqualified working for me for a lot less than that person is worth. Imagine how great it’d be. Even my other employees could learn from that experience, but that does not seem to be the way the Canadian managers feel.

Oh well…Looking back I know that it was worth to keep trying until someone did give me that chance. Right after I got my first job I kept applying for other jobs and just because I had that previous "Canadian experience" it was pretty easy to get another one.

It is really tough to get started here, but once you are it is WORTH IT! To all the newcomers I have only one thing to say: Good Luck!

job

Multiculturalism

Canada Immigration

When I first arrived at the airport I felt quite confused, had I taken the wrong flight and ended up at a different country?

If you have never been here, you probably have no idea of what I mean, let me explain myself. I'm from Brazil and my idea of Canada was a country full of tall, super white people, but for my surprise it is very different.

Whenever you're in Vancouver you'll see many Asian people, if you're in Surrey you'll see many East Indians. It's a big mixture, many different people in one place.

If you use the Skytrain, see picture above, (a transportation system, the same idea of a subway, but that is actually located above the roads, instead of under, reason why it is called Skytrain) you'll be surprised to hear people speaking many different languages.

There are Italians, Chinese, East Indians, Germans, the "latinos", Croatians, Yugoslavians, etc, etc, etc and you may even find some Brazilians (watch for those super discrete yellow and green soccer shirts).