Advice requested

[happytuna05]

Hi folks: 

I am on an H1B visa in the US.  My sister is on a student visa (has some work exp before she went back to school).  She applied for Canadian PR through an immigration attorney in March 2008, check was cashed (we have a case number), but nothing has happened so far.  Given the situation and economy in US, I thought of applying for Canadian PR (not with same attorney!)..either skilled category or AINP.

Questions:
1. If I apply for PR, can I add my sister's application/name to my application?  Else, can I add my name to her existing application?  When I went to the CIC website, the 'adaptability' section only states 'principal applicant/spouse/common-law-partner', no mention of sibling..hence the question.  Is there another/better way to do this?

2. If my sister can be added to my application (not vice versa), what happens to her existing PR application?  Is it viewed negatively?

Thanks so much in advance for your time.  You folks are doing a wonderful job with helping each other in this forum.

[Leon]

You can not add your sister but if you get AINP and move to AB, you can sponsor her later under family class through the AINP.  You can not sponsor your sister federally so if you want to keep that option open, you have to pick a province that has a family class on their PNP.

If your sister applied as a federal skilled worker in March, she will be processed under the new rules that haven't even been published yet.  There is supposed to be a list of 38 professions, if hers is not one of them, she may not be able to use that immigration class.  She can try to get a job offer and temporary work permit though and get PR later through PNP or CEC.

[happytuna05]

Thanks Leon. I am thinking of going for AINP and then sponsoring my sister after I get my PR.  One question: Is it true that I can sponsor her only after 2 years of getting my PR?  I heard that there is a 2 year wait period before sponsoring someone thru family class and I couldn't find any clarification on AINP website. 

You can not add your sister but if you get AINP and move to AB, you can sponsor her later under family class through the AINP.  You can not sponsor your sister federally so if you want to keep that option open, you have to pick a province that has a family class on their PNP.

If your sister applied as a federal skilled worker in March, she will be processed under the new rules that haven't even been published yet.  There is supposed to be a list of 38 professions, if hers is not one of them, she may not be able to use that immigration class.  She can try to get a job offer and temporary work permit though and get PR later through PNP or CEC.

[Leon]

You must have lived in Alberta for 2 years before you can sponsor her, see http://www.albertacanada.com/immigration/immigrate/familystreamsponsor.html