TRV inside Canada Most foreign nationals who come to Canada will need either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly or drive to a Canadian border, depending on their country of nationality.  In general, the TRV must be obtained from a visa office outside Canada. This article explains the process for obtaining a TRV from inside Canada.   In many cases, you may travel to Canada with a TRV that then expires while you are still in Canada with a valid work or study permit. You may find yourself wanting to go back home for a vacation, or per ..read more

Canadian citizens and permanent residents who wish to have their parents join them in Canada must normally apply to sponsor through the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program (PGP). However, there are caps on the number of applications allowed through this program, and many potential sponsors will inevitably be disappointed.  This article focuses on some immigration alternatives for those who may not be successful via the Parent and Grandparent sponsorship pathway. See our other blogs for information on the parent sponsorship application process and the eligibility requirements suc ..read more

First of all, congratulations on being approved for a working holiday visa!  A working holiday in Canada is a wonderful way to experience all that Canada has to offer.  This pathway is available through the International Experience Canada (IEC) program that Canada operates with many participating countries. Being able to work in Canada through an IEC Working Holiday Visa unfolds in stages, and each stage involves various steps. You’ve been through many of these already. First, you had to enter your profile in the IEC pool, meet the requirements and receive an invitation to apply. Th ..read more

We are often asked by clients and potential clients about the possibility of purchasing a vacation home or retirement home here – which makes sense when you consider our offices are located in southern Alberta, near the spectacular Canadian Rockies.   We love it here too! The rules regarding foreign property ownership were changed recently by the federal government, as of January 1st, 2023.   The new rules create restrictions on the ability of non-Canadians to buy homes in Canada.   I’ll take this opportunity to summarize the new restrictions applicable to foreign nat ..read more

Canada requires that any adult who wants to apply for Canadian Citizenship must first live in Canada for a specified period of time before they are eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship. Although there are other Canadian Citizenship Eligibility criteria in addition to time spent in Canada, this post will specifically address the issue of the question “How long do I have to wait until I can apply for Canadian Citizenship?”. There are essentially three categories of people who can apply for Canadian Citizenship, and the timeframe to eligibility for citizenship will be different for each. P ..read more

Although our office usually assists people with acquiring Canadian Citizenship, there are also those who are Canadian and, for a variety of reasons, no longer want to be. If you are thinking of renouncing Canadian Citizenship, it means that you have decided you no longer want to have any formal connection to Canada. When approved, you will lose all of the rights and privileges of being Canadian and will have the status of a foreign national. You will have to go through the regular Canadian immigration processes in order to travel to, visit, study, work or live in Canada; including applying fo ..read more

The Alberta Opportunity Stream is a Provincial immigration program operated by the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, for those who are working inside Alberta with specific types of work permit. It is designed to enable Alberta employers to retain qualified foreign workers who are already employed with their business. Eligible candidates can apply directly to Alberta once eligibility criteria are met, without needing to wait for any invitation from Alberta. The main advantage of the program is that eligible candidates can apply directly, there is no pre-screening Expression of Interest sy ..read more

Proof of funds is a required component of some applications for Permanent Residence to Canada, in order to ensure that the applicant will have enough money to move to Canada and become established during the time that it takes to find employment.  The amount of money needed depends on the family size (principal applicant, spouse or partner and dependent children) and is adjusted yearly to account for increases in the cost of living. This table shows the minimum amount you need to immigrate to Canada as of April 25, 2023. Number of Family Members Funds Required (in Canadian dollars ..read more

If you have a valid job offer with a Canadian company, you can obtain extra Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for Arranged Employment through the Express Entry system for immigration to Canada.  However, it’s not enough to have a Canadian company that wants to hire you – not all job offers qualify you for Arranged Employment points.  There are specific factors associated with any Express Entry job offer that need to be in place for the extra CRS points to be awarded. Only certain types of employment situations actually qualify for the additional Express Entry CRS points asso ..read more

Sometimes prospective immigrants to Canada will meet the criteria for more than one program and need to decide which pathway is the better option to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada. Most often, this dilemma applies to foreign nationals who are in a relationship with a Canadian but also meet the criteria for an economic immigration application, like Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program. The best pathway for each applicant will be different due to unique personal circumstances; however, these are the main considerations when pondering your best option to apply for Permanent Res ..read more