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5 Benefits Individuals Get When Working With An Immigration Professional

Great West Media I Presented by Foothills Immigration Inc. • April 20, 2023

We spoke with an immigration expert to learn about all the benefits they provide for people looking to immigrate to Canada or explore their options.

If you're from another country and hoping to live or work in Canada, we could not be more excited for you! We know you're about to be up against some red tape and administrative headaches regarding the immigration process itself. There's a lot to think about, from visas and visa extensions to permanent residency and citizenship. It can be daunting, and there's a whole lot of room for error. Lucky for you, there are immigration experts that specialize in helping you through the process and supporting you throughout your unique journey. We spoke to one of those experts, Leann, Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant at Foothills Immigration, to help us give you a peek into the many benefits of partnering with an immigration professional.

First and foremost, you don't have to use expert support. "It's about weighing your options," said Leann. If you have the benefit of time on your side or don't feel that it's the end of the world if your application gets rejected, you may not need to worry about hiring a professional. But, on the other side of the token, if you're in a pinch time-wise, you have a ton of uncertainty, and it's make or break that you get approved. You will want to leverage all the help you can get.

Knowing Your Options

"The government changes policies constantly," Leann told us. "Something that wasn't available six months ago, or even a week ago, could be available now. It's really helpful to work with a professional who keeps up with the fast-paced industry." She explained that immigration professionals keep their fingers on the pulse of the industry for a living, so they don't need to go searching for these updates. They're typically readily aware of them. They can help you understand your current situation, ask the right questions about you and your goals, and help you identify your options.

There are many different paths to permanent residency in Canada, and you may be eligible for several. So, people like Leann can help determine the best option for you to pursue in keeping with your professional and personal goals and your current status–If your visa is about to expire, for example.

Nailing Down Your Timeline

When it comes to immigration, timing is everything. There are multiple timelines and deadlines that will likely come into play throughout your application process, and it's essential to keep track of the many moving parts. Or, rather than leaving room for error, you can trust an immigration professional to keep track of those timelines for you.

Not only are they aware of deadlines and able to keep track of your personal deadlines (expiry dates or due dates for your selective applications, for example), but they are also familiar with things like processing times, so they can give you an idea of how long things may take and what to be aware of when it comes to the calendar. If you have the peace of mind that someone is aware of your due dates and deadlines, you can ensure you're efficiently prioritizing everything and getting everything done without worrying about it outside those dates. If your application process or immigration, in general, is a stressor that weighs heavily on you, it's likely because you're not super clear on what you're up against or certain that you've got the right approach. Experts can change that.

Using the Right Application

"Another key thing we do is ensure that what you're submitting is actually correct," said Leann. "Applications get changed constantly, they get updated, and there is little forgiveness from the processing office if you use a wrong form," she continued. There are tons of application forms floating around online, and it's possible that you might stumble upon one that isn't for the right program or one that is outdated. If you're waiting to hear back about your application status, but you haven't submitted the correct one in the first place, this is a hugely damaging and completely avoidable mistake.

Not only can immigration professionals ensure that you're submitting the correct application, but they can also ensure that you've filled it out correctly. "We constantly see folks make small mistakes on their self-submitting application that completely derailed the entire process for them, mistakes that could have absolutely been avoided," Leann reflected. Working with an immigration professional is all about limiting your risk for mistakes and ensuring you've got everything you need to set yourself up for success.

Supporting Documents

Leann explained that a big piece of her job is helping her clients ensure they have everything they need and nothing that they don't when it comes to their applications and their supporting documents. As you can imagine, there are a lot of documents involved in the process of immigration. "That's really a big thing that can save you a lot of stress because a lot of people spend a lot of time stressing about and looking for documents they don't actually need for their specific application. While there is a checklist online, it doesn't pertain to every application and can be extremely confusing. We give you an exact checklist according to what you're doing, and that's all you need to get us," explained Leann. In this way, you don't waste time sourcing things you don't need, and you don't miss anything that is essential to your application. When you put together an application and a bunch of documents and hit "submit," it can be really stressful because there's no obvious way to tell that you've done everything right and supplied everything you are required to. The peace of mind that you've done everything you need to do is a huge benefit to working with an immigration professional.

Your Personal Advocate

"The main thing that we do, the best way to sum it up, is that we control all the variables," said Leann. From a professional standpoint, this is not my first rodeo. This is not even my 1000th rodeo. We're really confident in what we know, and that helps you gain the confidence that you've done everything you can and done everything correctly to give you the best possible chance for a successful application." She explained that the risk of making one little mistake is so high-risk because the impact could be profound.

"We often hear about people asking their friends or peers about the application process or lean on folks who aren't experts for guidance. The thing is, you can't assume someone is in the same situation as you," Leann explained. "Every situation is extremely different, and you need to gain clarity on what you're up against and what you need to do in your unique situation."

Key Tips

Leann shared a key tip when it comes to looking for an immigration expert to partner with, and that is "shop around." She said to "make sure you use somebody who's been doing this for a long time and who has a good reputation, good reviews, and a track record of good results." She said to ask around in terms of pricing, ask for references, and just be sure that the person you're considering working with understands the situation you're in. This is a big deal, it's your future, and it's putting your future in someone else's hands. Take your time to find the right fit.

Originally Posted on https://www.rmoutlook.com/immigration-in-the-bow-valley/5-benefits-individuals-get-when-working-with-an-immigration-professional-6879659

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Spousal & Dependant Child Open Work Permit Changes Effective Jan 21, 2025

By Leann Sousa • January 14, 2025

Starting January 21, 2025, eligibility for family open work permits (OWPs) will be restricted to the spouses of specific international students and foreign workers.

Who Can Apply at the Port of Entry?

By Leann Sousa • January 8, 2025

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and International Mobility Program (IMP): Persons who may apply at a Port of Entry *Information directly republished from IRCC; Canada.ca. Updated Dec 24, 2024. Effective immediately, most foreign nationals inside of Canada are no longer eligible to apply for a work permit at a port of entry. The following work permit applications are exempt from the above restrictions and may still be accepted for processing at a port of entry: Applicants who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States of America Professionals and Technicians under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) Professional under the free trade agreement with the United States of America and Mexico (T36); Professional under the free trade agreement with Chile (F22); Contractual service suppliers or independent professionals under the free trade agreement with South Korea (F32); Professional under the free trade agreement with Panama (F42); Professional or technician under the free trade agreement with Colombia (F12); Professional or technician under the free trade agreement with Peru (F52). Spouses or common-law partners of applicants under FTAs with South Korea (F32), Panama (F42), and Colombia (F12). Truck Drivers- who are required to depart Canada for the purpose of their employment and prior to their departure from Canada held a work permit or maintained status as a result of a pending application for work permit renewal. This does not include truck drivers operating solely within Canada. Applicants with Pre-Scheduled CBSA Appointments Most foreign workers must apply for a work permit from outside of Canada. A foreign national may apply for a work permit at any time before entering Canada as per section 197 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) . As per ministerial instructions (MI) 62 , all applications for a work permit submitted for foreign nationals who are outside Canada at the time of application must be submitted using electronic means—meaning they must apply online . Some workers can apply at the time of their entry to Canada. When seeking to enter Canada, some foreign nationals may make an application for their work permit at the port of entry per subsection R198(1) if they are exempt from the requirement for a temporary resident visa (TRV) under section R190 and their job falls within the International Mobility Program (IMP) (that is, they are not required to obtain a labour market impact assessment [LMIA]) are exempt from the requirement for a TRV under section R190 and their job falls within the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) (that is, they are required to obtain an LMIA), and a positive or neutral LMIA has been issued by the time they arrive are a national or permanent resident of the United States (U.S.), Greenland or Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, regardless of whether their job falls within the TFWP or the IMP are not seeking a work permit in a category not permitted to apply at a port of entry (for example, as a live-in caregiver or as a seasonal agricultural worker) are seeking entry into Canada and meet the requirements of sections R198 and R200 Note: In addition to the above, before they arrive, the foreign national must have passed their immigration medical examination (IME), if required, and provide the valid results. The following persons cannot apply on entry to Canada [R198(2)]: all persons applying for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) all persons who require a TRV all persons who require an IME, whether TRV-required or visa-exempt, unless valid IME results are available at the time of entry international youth exchange program participants other than U.S. citizens or permanent residents (exemption code C21) (consult International Experience Canada ) seasonal agricultural workers foreign nationals from electronic travel authorization (eTA) expansion countries , as they are not TRV-exempt as per section R190 Persons who hold a valid work permit or who wish to change their conditions or renew their work permit should apply in Canada, pursuant to section R199 . Persons whose work permits expire while they are outside of Canada may apply at the port of entry if they are eligible to apply there pursuant to section R198. They must provide the officer at a port of entry with sufficient documentation to satisfy the officer that the client meets the requirements for the category to which they are applying. Note: Although foreign nationals who are exempt from the requirement of a TRV may apply for a work permit at a port of entry, if they are travelling to Canada by air, they will need to apply for and obtain an eTA before entry to board their flight to Canada. At the air port of entry, when their work permit is issued, they will also be automatically issued a new eTA with a new validity date.

Caregiver Pilot Program COMING 2025

By Leann Sousa • January 6, 2025

Details expected soon (January 2025) from IRCC for the new Caregiver Pilot Programs (both childcare and home support workers). We will posted updates here. On June 3, 2024, IRCC Minister Marc Miller announced significant updates to the Caregiver Pilot Programs. These changes aim to streamline pathways for caregivers and address the evolving home care needs of Canada’s population. Key updates include: 1. Permanent Residence on Arrival: Caregivers will now be granted permanent resident (PR) status upon their arrival in Canada. 2. Lower Language Requirement: The minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) has been reduced to 4, down from 5. 3. Simplified Education Requirement: Caregivers must hold the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma, replacing the previous requirement of a one-year post-secondary credential. 4. Expanded Work Settings: In addition to home care, caregivers can now work for organizations offering temporary or part-time care for individuals who are semi-independent or recovering from injuries or illnesses. 5. Pathway Permanency: IRCC is working toward making the caregiver pilot programs a permanent part of its immigration strategy. Eligibility Criteria for Caregivers: CLB level 4 in language proficiency. A Canadian high school diploma or its equivalent. Recent, relevant caregiving work experience. A full-time home care job offer. Anticipated Benefits: These updates provide caregivers with more flexible employment opportunities and immediate PR status, creating a clearer and more secure pathway to settle in Canada. Pending Details: IRCC plans to release additional information on the pilot programs, including comprehensive eligibility criteria and application processes early 2025. While awaiting these details, stakeholders hope for effective solutions to address issues experienced in past caregiver programs. These changes represent a significant step forward in meeting Canada’s home care demands while providing greater support to caregivers entering the workforce. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/06/canada-announces-new-pilot-programs-to-support-caregivers-and-canadian-families.html If you need assistance with this program, don’t hesitate to contact Foothills Immigration. We provide professional immigration advice and guidance to support you every step of the way.

LMIA points to vanish Spring 2025

By Leann Sousa • January 4, 2025

Spring 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will implement a significant change to the Express Entry system: candidates will no longer receive additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for having a valid job offer. Candidates who have already received an ITA or have an application in progress by spring 2025 will not be impacted. However, once the policy is implemented, it will apply universally to all candidates with LMIA-backed job offers in the pool. Current System: Presently, Express Entry candidates can earn an extra 50 or 200 CRS points if they have a valid job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). These additional points have often been crucial in securing an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Upcoming Changes: Once the new policy takes effect in spring 2025, candidates with valid job offers will no longer receive these additional CRS points. This adjustment will apply to all candidates in the Express Entry pool, including those currently working in Canada temporarily. However, individuals who have already received an ITA or have submitted their permanent residence applications before the implementation will not be affected. Reasons for the Change: The primary motivation behind this policy shift is to enhance the integrity of the immigration system by reducing fraud and misuse associated with LMIAs. By eliminating the incentive to obtain LMIAs solely for the purpose of gaining extra CRS points, IRCC aims to ensure a fairer and more transparent selection process. Implications for Candidates: Without the advantage of additional points for job offers, candidates will need to focus on other factors to improve their CRS scores, such as: Language Proficiency: Achieving higher scores in English or French language tests can significantly boost CRS points. Education: Obtaining higher educational qualifications or Canadian educational credentials can enhance scores. Work Experience: Accumulating more skilled work experience, particularly within Canada, can contribute to a higher CRS score. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): Securing a provincial nomination can add 600 points to a candidate's CRS score, effectively guaranteeing an ITA. Candidates are encouraged to assess their profiles and consider these factors to remain competitive in the Express Entry pool once the changes are implemented. We will announce an exact date when it is officially presented.