Guaranteed Canadian Visa Application Approval | Find out how!

There are so many things going on in Canada right now that will directly affect Canada's Immigration Program.

First, there's the May 2011 Canadian Election. If the Liberals win, chances are they will amend the current regulations.

Then a new body, ICRCC, is expected to oversee immigration consultants. Hoping this new body will not be as controversial like the CSIC.

On or before July 1, 2011, assuming the conservatives managed to win the election, a new Ministerial Instruction will be issued. We will then know the new list of priority occupations.

Now, if you will not pay attention to these changes, your dream to live and work in Canada may just be that - a dream. Citizenship and Immigration Canada said there is no such thing as guaranteed visa approval. But that is of course not true. How do you think is it possible that there are many immigrants in Canada who can't communicate in English if IELTS is really mandatory?

CLICK HERE and find out how to have a guaranteed Canadian Visa Application Approval. 

[Apol Apuntar, 04/01/11]

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PM Stephen Harper duets with Maria Aragon | May 2011 Canadian Election

Following the dissolution of The Parliament after a vote of no confidence against the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a decision was reached to have election on May 2, 2011.

It is now campaign period.

PM Stephen Harper recently went to Winnipeg to sway the big Filipino community there. He ended up singing with a Filipina-Canadian youtube sensattion Maria Aragon.

10-year-old YouTube sensation Maria Aragon joins Prime Minister Stephen Harper in a rendition of "Imagine" during a tour stop on March 29 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Apparently, politicians in Canada are just like local politicians here in the Philippines who will sing, dance and what have you, just to win votes.

Let's see what the leader of Liberal Party, Michael Ignatieff, will do to win votes from Filipino community. Will he dance ocho-ocho or itaktak mo? Let's see. :-)

May 2011 Election is basically between Harper and Ignatieff. If you are to vote, who will you chose?

By the way, the outcome of this election will determine the future of Canadian Immigration Program. Under the current regulations, it is in the power of the Immigration Minister to decide who can immigrate to Canada. The Liberals don't want that. In the past, a law is needed to before a change in the regulations may be implemented.

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Be Informed. Avoid Crooked Consultants.

Last Saturday, we conducted a Visa Party at Aristocrat Restaurant. It's basically a celebration for our successful clients and an in-house pre-departure orientation to get them prepared for their new life in Canada. We awarded visas to 25 clients, who will soon be moving to Canada within the next few months.

During the event, I also conducted orientation for those just exploring their options, for those who are planning to live and work in Canada.

If you are interested to live and work in Canada, here's some of our seminar schedules for the month of April 2011.

Dagupan City, Pangasinan
April 2, 2011, Saturday , 10am
CIC Dagupan City Office
2nd Floor Llamas Building
A.B. Fernandez Avenue, cor MH Del Pilar St
Reg Fee: P300/head
Reserve Seat Now!

Angeles City, Pampanga
April 9, 2011, Saturday 2pm
CIC Angeles City Satellite Office
3rd Floor GM Building, Sta. Teresita, Angeles City
Registration Fee: P500 /head
Reserve a seat now!

You can be one of these clients who now have their visas. That is if you are serious and determined to have it. Attending our seminar will equip you with information to learn your options. There are several immigration programs which you may be eligible depending on your circumstances.

You don't need immigration consultants if you know how to process your application. But if you are planning to get an immigration consultant, beware of new agencies who do not have a track record and do not know what they are doing.

Be informed. Avoid crooked consultants.

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Discover Canada Contest | Win Hockey-Themed Prizes!

I am following Citizenship and Immigration Canada twitter account (@CitImmCanada) and it's where I learned about this Discover Canada Contest. The contest is really simple. You just have to read Discover Canada Guide and tell them one thing you learned and you could win hockey-themed prizes!

Interested to join Discover Canada Contest?

To enter the contest, visit http://cic.gc.ca.

This Discover Canada Contest is in collaboration with:

Canadian Teachers’ Federation Canadian Teachers’ Federation

Canadian Library Association

Historica-Dominion Institute Historica-Dominion Institute

Hockey Canada Hockey Canada

Hockey Hall of Fame Hockey Hall of Fame

This Discover Canada Contest is open only to Canadians (immigrants and citizens) currently in Canada.

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Nova Scotia and CIC's New Agreement on Temporary Foreign Workers Program

Back in 2007, an Agreement for Canada-Nova Scotia Co-operation on Immigration was signed between Nova Scotia and Government of Canada to foster an effective partnership between Canada and Nova Scotia for the promotion, recruitment, selection, admission, settlement and integration of immigrants to the province among others.

Just recently, an annex to this Agreement was signed. This is good news for Temporary Foreign Workers in Nova Scotia!

Under this new agreement is a proposed pilot project would grant “open” work permits to accompanying spouses and dependants of all TFWs in Nova Scotia. That means spouses and dependants would be able to work for any employer and be exempted from the normal requirement to obtain a Labor Market Opinion (LMO). Ordinarily, dependent spouse can get a work permit without LMO only if the occupation of their TFW spouse is classified as Skills Level O, A and B as defined in National Occupational Classification (NOC).

Source: Canada and Nova Scotia to work together on Temporary Foreign Workers

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The Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC)

The Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) will soon be the official regulatory body to oversee immigration consultants. It will replace the controversial Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants.

A proposed amendment to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations so that the ICCRC becomes the regulator of immigration consultants was published in Canada Gazette on March 19, 2011.

If approved, the definition of "authorized representative” in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations would be this:

'a member in good standing of a bar of a province, the Chambre des notaires du Québec or the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council incorporated under Part II of the Canada Corporations Act on February 18, 2011.'

So what happens to members of Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants?

There would be a 120 days transition for the members of Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants with good standing to comply with the requirements of the new regulatory body.

Canada Immigration Lawyers are not affected by this new regulation.

Read more about the news here: ICCRC to Replace CSIC as Canada's Immigration Consultants Regulatory Body

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Settlement Funds Deposited in Banco Filipino

I have bank accounts in Banco Filipino which I used as proof of my Settlement Funds for my permanent residence visa application to Canada, should I worry?

At this point, you really don't have to worry. Let's just hope that Banco Filipino fix their problem before the Canadian Visa Office in Manila started to review your documents.

But in the event that your application was reviewed and Banco Filipino's problem is not yet resolved, then you may have a problem. Your application will not be refused right away, very unlikely. But the Visa Office may require to submit updated proof of readily available or unencumbered funds - excluding Banco Filipino bank accounts.

Related news: Banco Filipino blames BSP

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1,000 cap for pharmacists has been reached! | Federal Skilled Worker Prorgam

As of March 15, 2011, the 1,000 cap for pharmacists has already been reached. Check http://cic.gc.ca for the updated report.



If you are a pharmacist currently completing documents but did not make it to the cap, here's what you may do if you are still interested to live and work in Canada.

Get your documents ready in preparation for July 2011. Your occupation may still be included in the priority list. And you better be ready to file your application within a month once it opens up again.

What if pharmacists will not be included?

If that is the case, try the Arranged Employment route or Provincial Nominee Program. This could be of help: How to find jobs in Canada.

You will have a better chance of getting hired if you are registered in Canada. Check out Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada for information on how to get registered.

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The Best Graduation Gift For Your Kids | Attend our Immigrant Visa Party and Seminar

The month of March is usually associated with school graduation ceremomies. I guess congrtulations to graduating students and their parents is in order.

Image Credit: http://info.anu.edu.au

Now, are you thinking of the best graduation gift for your children? How about an opportunity for them to live and work in Canada and enjoy the benefits of having a permanent residence in Canada? Find out how!

Attend our Immigrant Visa Party and Seminar!

March 26, 2011, Saturday, 4pm
Aristocrat Restaurant - Malate Manila
Along Roxas Blvd.
Registration Fee P500/head
Reserve a seat now!

If you are from Angeles City, Pampanga, you don't need to travel to Manila. There's a schedule a seminar schedule there this coming Saturday.

Angeles City Seminar Schedule
March 19, 2011, Saturday 2pm
3rd Floor GM Building, Sta. Teresita, Angeles City
Registration Fee: P500 /head
Reserve a seat now!

Attending this visa party and seminar will give you an idea about the process and learn which program may be applicable for you. It will also aid you in choosing an immigration consultant to help you with your application, to help you realize your dream of living and working in Canada.

Last year, I have a client who used to work as a Bank Examiner at Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, who was granted with visa together with his family. When he attended the visa party for pre-departure orientation, it was incidentally also his daughter's college graduation day. Some five months after landing in Canada, the said client sent me an email to update me about their situation. Here's a portion of the letter where he talked about his daughter.

My daughter also found a job as cashier in a big company (Canadian Tire). You can take a peek at the website. She gave up the job because she will have a hard time scheduling work and studies the moment she attends classes. She now works in a law firm. Mind you, her salary is more than what I was receiving from my former job in the Philippines. [Read the rest of the letter: One of the reasons why I love my job]

His daughter is a nursing graduate. There is quite a number of registered nurses here in the Philippines who don't have a job. Some are even paying a training fee just to get training and or work as volunteer nurse - WITHOUT SALARY. Then some will end up working out of line, mostly working in a call center. There's another batch who will be graduating this month. And the cycle will just go on and on.

Now, the question is this: Do you want your kids to be subjected to this cycle?

It always boils down to a choice. Your choice, your decision.

You want the best graudation gift for your kids? Find out how. Attend our Immigrant Visa Party and Seminar!

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Tips on Choosing your Immigration Consultant

When the proposed amendments to modernize the immigration system was approved more than two years ago, it paved the way for an expedited process for Federal Skilled Worker program. Since November 2008, when the first Ministerial Instruction was issued, in only takes about 6-12 months for most Canadian Visa Offices to process visa under the FSW program. Many businessman saw an opportunity and thus, many immigration consulting firms suddenly sprouted like muschrooms. Prior to this, when the processing period took about 5 to 6 years, there aren't many consulting firms out there.



As an applicant, you should really be careful in dealing with immigration consulting firms. Here's some tips from Citizenship and Immigration Canada in choosing Immigration Consultants:

Choosing a consultant:

Ask for recommendations from people you trust. Talk to several potential advisers before choosing one.

Ask about their training and experience:

o find out if they are authorized
o ask for references
o find out how long they have been in business.

Discuss what services they will provide and the fee. Get this information in writing.

Ask questions. You should be wary of a consultant who refuses to answer your questions.

Be careful of anything that sounds too good to be true.

If you are choosing a consultant in Canada, you can also contact the Better Business Bureau before making your choice. They can tell you if any complaints have been raised against immigration consultants, lawyers, and other representatives that operate in Canada.

[Source]

Canadian Immigration Consultancy has been in the industry for more than 2 decades now and have already sent thousands of Filipino workers to Canada. No other immigration consulting firm for Canada Immigration can come close to our track records.

Looking for an Immigration Consultant to help you realize your dream to live and work in Canada? Check us out and see it for yourself. Listent to what our clients have to tell.

About 800 clients we assisted (not counting their dependents) received visa for the year 2010 alone. From January 2011 to mid of March 2011, there are already about 70 clients who received visas, some of which will be awarded this March 26, 2011 at Aristocrat Restaurant - Malate, Manila during our Immigrant Visa Party and Seminar. We will be awarding visas to some 25 clients during the event. There would also be an orientation and assessment for those intersted to apply.

Reserve a seat now if you are interested to live and work in Canada. Small mistakes cause big problem. Be guided.

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Optional Certification Trades in Alberta

Here's the list of Alberta's optional trades eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada through Alberta's Immigrant Nominee Program Strategic Recruitment Stream.

Agricultural Equipment Technician
Baker
Bricklayer
Cabinetmaker
Carpenter
Communication Technician
Concrete Finisher
Cook
Electric Motor Systems Technician
Floorcovering Installer
Glazier

Glazier
Auto Glass Technician

Instrument Technician
Insulator
Landscape Gardener
Lather-Interior Systems Mechanic
Locksmith
Machinist
Millwright
Outdoor Power Equipment Technician(OPET)

OPET-Marine Equipment
OPET-Power Equipment
OPET-Recreational Equipment
OPET-Turf Equipment

Painter and Decorator
Parts Technician

Parts Technician
Parts Technician-Materials Technician

Powerline Technician
Power System Electrician
Roofer
Sawfiler

Sawfiler
Sawfiler-Circular Sawfiler

Sprinkler System Installer
Structural Steel and Plate Fitter
Tilesetter
Tool and Die Maker
Transport Refrigeration Technician
Water Well Driller

In the past, temporary foreign workers working in Alberta's optional trades, need an employer inorder for them to apply for permanent residence. This new AINP Strategic Recruitment Stream will give many Filipino workers in Alberta a chance to live and work in Alberta with their family permanently.

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New AINP Strategic Recruitment Stream | Foreign Workers certified in Alberta's Optional and Compulsary Trades

Temporary foreign workers certified in Alberta's optional trades can now apply for permanent residence through Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program even without sponsorship from an employer. This is definitely a good news for temporary foreign workers in Alberat working as roofer, tile setter, concrete finisher and cabinet maker, etc.

This announcement was posted in official Government of Alberta website and will be effective immediately!

There are currently 50 designated trades in the province of Alberta. This is composed of 31 optional trades and 19 compulsory trades. Before the changes, workers in the compulsory trades had the option to apply either directly or with their employers.

Criteria for New AINP Strategic Recruitment Stream (Optional and Compulsary Trades)

You must intend to and be able to live and work permanently in Alberta.

You must have an Alberta Qualification Certificate in a compulsory or optional trade. If you have met all the requirements for the Alberta Qualification Certificate Program, Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) will issue you an Alberta Qualification Certificate in your respective trade. After you receive your trade certificate, AIT will send you a letter inviting you to apply to the AINP Strategic Recruitment Stream.

You must have an AINP invitation letter from AIT. If you do not have an AINP invitation letter from AIT, your application will be declined.

You must be residing in Alberta at the time of application and show that you have a valid work permit from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) in the trade in which you are certified.

You must show, at the time of application, that you are either currently working in your trade for an Alberta Employer or have previously worked in your trade with an Alberta Employer for a minimum of six months in the past two years.

If you are a temporary foreign worker in Alberta and wishes to apply under this new program, Canadian Immigration Consultancy can assist you. We have been processing immigrant visa to Canada for more than 20 years now.


For more information about AINP For Temporary Foreign Workers certified in Alberta’s optional trades, visit albertacanada.com/ainp

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Marriage of Canadians in the Philippines | Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage

Canadians who wish to marry in the Philippines is required, under the Philippine law, to obtain "Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage” from Canadian Embassy or Consulate in the Philippines before filing an application for a marriage licence.

The Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage, which is actually required from any foreign national who wishes to marry in the Philippines, affirms that there are no legal impediments to the proposed marriage. Unfortunately, Canadian Visa Office does not issue such certificate. But there is an alternative.

The Philippine Government accepts an affidavit in lieu of a “Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage” that is notarized by the Embassy or Consulate of Canada.

Requirements to get an Affidavit in Lieu of Legal Capacity Contract Marriage

your valid Canadian passport or citizenship certificate;

the full legal name, citizenship, and residential address of your future spouse;

if your are divorced or widowed, an original or certified true copy of the final divorce decree or death certificate . All documents presented at the Embassy must be in English or French, or accompanied by an official English or French translation; and

the non-refundable processing fee (CAD 50)

Important Note:

Although there is no validity period indicated on the Affidavit, the Local Civil Registrar may not accept an Affidavit issued more than six (6) months prior to the date of marriage;

Permanent residents of Canada who do not hold Canadian citizenship must obtain a certificate or affidavit from the Embassy or Consulate of their nationality within the Philippines;

Divorce decrees may not be automatically recognized in the Philippines. Canadian citizens who were previously married in the Philippines and are intending to re-marry in the Philippines after obtaining a divorce in Canada (or elsewhere) are advised to seek legal advice or contact the National Statistics Office in the Philippines to confirm procedures on how the foreign divorce decree can be recogniszd and enforced in the Philippines;

The Philippine government may require an official English translation of a divorce decree or death certificate; and

If both parties to the proposed marriage are Canadian citizens, each one must present an affidavit.

After the marriage, you can then start the process to sponsor your spouse. Read about the process here - Fiance Visa.

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March 2011 Visa Bulletin is now out!

March 2011 Visa Bulletin is now out!

School graduation ceremonies are normally held during the month of March. It's that time of the year that parents feel some sort of accomplishments - for being able to send their kids to school, for giving their kids the education they need.



Congratulations to graduating students and their parents!

March 2011 Visa Bulletin

Sorry for the delay. ;-)

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March 2011 Seminar Schedule

Interested to live and work in Canada? Find out how! Attend one of our seminar schedules.

Here's our seminar schedules for the month of March 2011.

Angeles City, Pampanga
March 19, 2011, Saturday 2pm
CIC Angeles City Satellite Office
3rd Floor GM Building, Sta. Teresita, Angeles City
Registration Fee: P500 /head
Reserve a seat now!

Dagupan City, Pangasinan
March 5,2011, Saturday , 10am
CIC Dagupan City Office
2nd Floor Llamas Building
A.B. Fernandez Avenue, Dagupan City cor MH Del Pilar St
Reg Fee: P500/head
Reserve Seat Now!

Paranaque City
CIC Coastal Mall Office
Every Saturday, 10am
G/F Uniwide Coastal Mall
Registration Fee: P300/head

Manila
Aristocrat Restaurant - Malate Manila
Along Roxas Blvd
March 26, 2011, 4pm
Reg Fee: P500
Reserve Seat Now!

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2011 Updated Settlement Funds Requirement

For purposes of Permanent Resident Visa application, the mount of settlement funds you need to support your family is determined by the size of your family. These amounts are updated every year.

Here's the amount required for the year 2011.



Settlement funds is not just a show money. You must be able to satisfy the Visa Officer that the funds you will declare is unencumbered and that it is available for use on your initial settlement in Canada.

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