Tell me about immigration to Canada

[photon]

Does anyone know how it works or how easy/hard it is, or know someone who is good to talk to? We're trying the lawyer referral service but I'm not sure if we're getting the right people to talk to.

I have some family that's in a fairly dangerous situation. They're a lawyer in a country that's pretty violent and corrupt, and the threat level is high for them to the point they're exploring options to get out of the country.

I've read the government websites and I don't think they'd qualify as a refugee.

If they wanted to move to Canada how would that work? Could we invite or sponsor them? Do they come as a visitor and apply? Could they get a work visa or whatever?

[skudr248]

When I immigrated to Canada it was because my dad got a work visa, 3 years later ... Canadian citizen

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by photon

Does anyone know how it works or how easy/hard it is, or know someone who is good to talk to? We're trying the lawyer referral service but I'm not sure if we're getting the right people to talk to.

I have some family that's in a fairly dangerous situation. They're a lawyer in a country that's pretty violent and corrupt, and the threat level is high for them to the point they're exploring options to get out of the country.

I've read the government websites and I don't think they'd qualify as a refugee.

If they wanted to move to Canada how would that work? Could we invite or sponsor them? Do they come as a visitor and apply? Could they get a work visa or whatever?

I met and married my wife when she was in Canada on a student visa. After the wedding, I sponsored her permanent residency application which was just over a year ago, and it should come within the next month or so. You can sponsor family that lives outside of Canada, but they won't be granted a visa until it's complete (if accepted)

I would start looking into where their law degree is from and if it's transferrable to Canada. If it is and your relative speaks English, they would have a good chance at getting a work visa to come over quicker, then you could sponsor them after. Or maybe look into refugee status if they're in serious danger from their own government

[Ozy_Flame]

Not that it's my business, but I'm going to guess Venezuela or Honduras?

[jeffporfirio]

I immigrated to Canada on a FSW resident visa 7 years ago. The program is now called Express Entry. It is a points based system that aims to attract English/French speaking candidates with work experience in areas that may be short of worker supply. Points are awarded based on education, age, language knowledge and work experience. Regretfully, I dont think lawyers are a "transferrable" skill.

Sponsoring is a long process (2 - 5 years), and the sponsor (you) have to prove that you can financially sustain the sponsored persons. Again, regretfully you can only sponsor, a spouse, parents, grandparents or children (adopted or natural). We are currently in the process of sponsoring my in-laws.

I think your best bet, although a long shot is a work visa. He needs to find an employer willing to sponsor him. Its not a cumbersome process, but employers do most of the paperwork, which most of the time they are unwilling to do.

Good luck, and pm if you have any questions.

[jeffporfirio]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Not that it's my business, but I'm going to guess Venezuela or Honduras?

Or El Salvador....

[photon]

Originally Posted by jeffporfirio

Or El Salvador....

Yeah El Salvador. He works for the police. I guess there's people he knows that have just been taken and executed.

Thanks for the replies everyone I'll look into it.

[killer_carlson]

pm

[photon]

Thanks for the pms!

[Pointman]

I am in the process of immigrating through express entry. But in your case you need to check out whether lawyer is in the list of NOC available under this program (edited: yes, it is. It is even in the Ontario nomination program list)

Also check out Morden immigration stream. Also there is a thing called province nominations and they differ from province to province. Manitoba is thought of as the easiest to immigrate to. Prince Edwards Island may let you in under some circumstances as well.

Update: lawyer's noc is 4112 and they are eligible for express entry.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-imm...awyers.391766/

Next steps:

Pass an IELTS general (not academic) exam.
Evaluate education, wes.org/ca is the best.
Gather reference letters to prove work experience.

Get a police clearance certificate.
Pass medical exam in a specific hospital associated with Express Entry (I have no clue if there are any in Salvador, but you can find out on the site).

It's a fairly standard process with loads of videos and web resources available to guide anyone through. You don't even need any paid agents to help him along.

Calculate your points and find out if you have a chance. Current threshold is 436.

While doing express entry, don't neglect other routes as well.

[Swift]

Originally Posted by jeffporfirio

I think your best bet, although a long shot is a work visa. He needs to find an employer willing to sponsor him. Its not a cumbersome process, but employers do most of the paperwork, which most of the time they are unwilling to do.

If you can find an employer who's already looking for foreign workers, that'd make things easier. A decade ago when there was a boom in Calgary and a shortage of workers, I was hired as a TFW by a company who was bringing in guys from all over. While I was working here, I married my wife and she sponsored me for PR. I was able to live and work in Canada during that time due to the work visa.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by photon

Thanks for the pms!

Said no man ever

[spuzzum]

It's a long process my friend. It's a huge pet peeve of mine. Canada is an immigrating country and the amount of waiting time, paper work and cost is beyond ridiculous. My wife went through the whole process to Citizenship and holy hannah, what a gong show.

[GirlySports]

Hey at least there is a path to citizenship. Probably the best passport in the world! We are very fortunate.

[jeffporfirio]

We went through the citizenship process last year. I thought it was pretty straightforward and fast.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Hey at least there is a path to citizenship. Probably the best passport in the world! We are very fortunate.

Germany and Singapore have the best passports in the world with 158 countries they can enter either without a visa or visa on arrival. Canada is close at 154.

https://www.passportindex.org/byRank.php

[JD]

We're just starting out with my wife, applied for the permanent residency back in June. Only lately have things started to roll, but it seems once things go, they go pretty efficiently. It was about 2 months before we received any acknowledgement of our application. But now it seems they're making new requests for information from us every week.

It's amazing how many Canadian citizens there are here in the Middle East that have barely even set foot in our country. I meet them all the time. I hate to think the process would be easy for people to take advantage of Canadian benefits without ever making a contribution to the country. It's better that the process is thorough.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by JD

We're just starting out with my wife, applied for the permanent residency back in June. Only lately have things started to roll, but it seems once things go, they go pretty efficiently. It was about 2 months before we received any acknowledgement of our application. But now it seems they're making new requests for information from us every week.

It's amazing how many Canadian citizens there are here in the Middle East that have barely even set foot in our country. I meet them all the time. I hate to think the process would be easy for people to take advantage of Canadian benefits without ever making a contribution to the country. It's better that the process is thorough.

I think it all goes in cycles how often information is checked and approved.

Here is a great forum where you can track applications. People will report where their application is what office they are going through etc.. It's all in their profile and there are spreadsheets as well.
You will definitely find people in the same cycle as your wife. You will probably get approved the same day.

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-imm...sponsorship.5/

[Radio]

Not claiming to know anything about it but what about sanctuary cities? If you can get into one under the guise of a vacation or something couldn't you seek sanctuary and work on immigration from inside the country? Again, I don't know anything about so it's more a question than a statement.

[jeffporfirio]

The only way to start an immigration process from within Canada is through spousal​ sponsorhip (its called inland sponsorhip).

If your relatives situation is dire, that his life is in danger he can request assylum, but Canada has to be his first country of arrival (can't land in the US first). There is a direct flight from San Salvador to Toronto. He has to make sure he documents his case extremely well.