IMMIGRATING TO CANADA
Immigration is a changing field of law at present in Canada. The Information on this website is therefore subject to change. As in all legal matters recourse should be had to a professional legal representative to look after your case.
There are several ways to come to Canada. You can come as a visitor for a specified period. Visitors from some countries require a visa which must be obtained prior to arrival in Canada.
You can come to Canada to work provided that you obtain an Employment Authorization prior to arrival in Canada. In certain cases approval is almost automatic under the North American Free Trade Agreement.
You can apply to come to Canada as a member of the family class. This means that your relative in Canada will sponsor you for permanent residence. The family class is limited in its application. Your sponsor will be required to meet certain income requirements and will be required to sign a sponsorship agreement wherein they will be responsible to your needs for up to ten years. Family class includes spouses, same-sex spouses, common law partners and conjugal partners.
You can come to Canada as a refugee. A Convention refugee is someone who is outside of his or her country and is afraid to return to that country because they have a well founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion and membership in a particular social group. Membership in a particular social group includes gender and sexual orientation.
You can come to Canada as a skilled worker applicant. These applications are made online Skilled Worker applicants are assessed under a points system based upon a number of factors. These factors include education, abilities in English and French, occupation and work experience. An interview is often required.
You can apply to come to Canada as an Entrepreneur or a Business Investor. These are very specialized programs that differ from province to province and require detailed financial information. These applications are made through Canadian Visa Offices abroad.
For an Initial Consultation to discuss immigrating to Canada or
any other legal issues that concern you, please contact our office at
416-365-3300