• Express Entry

• Refugee Claims in Canada

• Family Sponsorship

Express Entry

• Q: Can I request to only be considered for a specific program under Express Entry such as Federal Skilled or Canadian Experience Class?
• A: No. Under Express Entry, the system will find which programs you qualify for based on the answers you give in your profile.
• Q: Do I need to include upfront medical exam and police certificate with online application under Express Entry?
• A: Yes, you must include all medical exam confirmation letters and police certificates for your application for permanent residence to be complete. The online system will not let you submit an application before you upload these documents.
• Q: Do I need to include proof of funds for express entry application?
• A: If you are invited to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program, you will need to show that you meet the settlement funds requirement unless you are currently authorized to work in Canada, and have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada. If you are invited to apply under CEC class, you do not need to provide proof of funds.
• Q: Do I need to get Educational Credential Assessment to apply under Express Entry?
• Not necessarily. But, to get points for your education under the Comprehensive Ranking System, you must either have been educated in Canada, or have a valid Education Credential Assessment for your completed foreign education.
• Q: Do I still need English Language Test if I am a native English or French Speaker or if I educated from English or French speaking country?
• Even someone from an English-speaking or French-speaking country, who speaks English or French as a first language, needs to take a test such as IELTS, CELPIP or TEF. 
• Q: Do I need a permanent job offer for Express Entry?
• No. You can apply for express entry without having a permanent job offer from Canada.
• Q: How long my Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) and my language testing results are valid for?
• ECA reports for five years from the date they are issued while language testing results are valid for two years from the date they are issued.

Refugee Claims in Canada

• Q: How I can I make a refugee claim in Canada?
• A: You have to fill up all the application forms including your Basis of Claim (BOC) form and to appear at the nearest local office of Citizenship and Immigration Canada along with your original passport or identity and two photographs.
• Q: How long I have to wait for my refugee hearing?
• A: The hearing of your refugee claim will normally take place within 60 days from the date you have filled your refugee claim at the refugee intake office unless it is postponed by Refugee Board.
• Q: Can my refugee claim be rejected based on what I write in the Basis of Claim form?
• A: No. This form will be used to gather information from you about your claim so the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada can prepare and conduct the hearing properly.
• Q: What is the deadline to submit any evidence I wish to use at my hearing?
• A: You must submit any evidence you wish to use at your refugee hearing at least 10 days before your hearing day
• Q: Is legal assistance available to asylum claimant?
• A: If you are eligible to make a claim for refugee status, you may be able to get a lawyer to help you.  Each province and territory has a legal aid contact. Please contact them for more information.
• Q: I am a refugee and I need to travel outside Canada. What documents I need to apply for?
• A: You need to get a Refugee Travel Document from Passport Canada.
• Q: What can I use to prove my status in Canada as a refugee or protected person?
• A: If your claim for refugee protection is accepted by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), you will get a formal letter or document that you can use to prove your status.

Family Sponsorship

• Q: When does the parent and grandparent program re-open to new applications?
• A: This program opens first working day of January each year and closes down on the last day of January each year.
• Q: How many new applications for parent and grandparent sponsorship are being accepted?
• A: Between January 3, 2018, to February 02, 2018, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will accept a maximum of 10,000 Expression of Interest for sponsorship of parents and grandparents.
• Q: How can I show proof of income in my application to sponsor a parent or grandparent?
• A: Sponsor’s total income will be calculated on the basis of notices of assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency for each of the three consecutive taxation years before the application was submitted.
• Q: What happened to the proposal to change the age of dependent children from "less than 19" to "less than 22"?
• A: It has been approved and now the age of dependent child is set to "less than 22".
• Q: Do I need to be employed in order to sponsor my spouse or common-law partner?
• A: No. You only need to prove that you can financially support your spouse or common-law partner once they arrive in Canada and they would not seek social assistance.
• Q: What does the Government of Canada consider to be a common-law relationship?
• A: You may apply to sponsor a common-law partner, of the opposite sex or the same sex. If so, you have to prove you have been living with your partner for at least 12 consecutive months in a relationship like a marriage.
• Q: What is the main reason of rejection of a spousal sponsorship application?
• A: Most application is spousal sponsorship class are being rejected due to allegation of “Bad Faith Relationship”. This means visa officer is not satisfied that you and your spouse or common-law partner entered into this relationship for genuine purpose of living together.