FAQ

[rupeshhari]

We see people asking the same question again and again.  I thought of starting a new topic with answers to common questions. Please don't post any question on this topic, so that it doesn't get large. If you think something should be addressed, PM me and I will see if I have the answers.
If you see any errors in my posting, PM me and i will modify it.

A great resource for Canadian immigration is the CIC website. www.cic.gc.ca

Try this for FSW category 1 candidates - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/EG7TOC.asp

Another great resource, you should check out, is http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/resources/manuals/op/op06-eng.pdf

Please note, i am no expert on applying to Canadian immigration but most of the answers to concerns addressed here can be found in other topics in this forum.

Here is a useful job database http://www.canadavisa.com/career_zone/canadian-immigration-job-search.htm

[rupeshhari]

Ministerial Instruction or 38 job list

The 38 job list can be found here:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who-instructions.asp

To see if you qualify under the ministerial instruction list. Go to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who-instructions.asp and find the profession most closest to yours.

Then go to the relevant job in the NOC website and decide whether the first paragraph describes your job and whether you do most of the duties found under the NOC code. If yes, you probably qualify under that NOC. If not, then look for another profession in the ministerial list.

NOC website is http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2006/OccupationIndex.aspx

[rupeshhari]

IELTS

If you are not from an English speaking country (such as UK, US, Australia, NZ and some parts of South Africa, etc), you will probably be asked to do the IELTS exam.

There is an example of a person with a PhD in English from Oxford University being asked to do the exam. So it does not matter that you did all your schooling in English, you have a graduate degree from an English speaking country and you worked in an English speaking country, you probably will be asked to do the IELTS exam, especially if you need 16 points.

Even though countries like India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, etc have English as one of the official/national languages, these are not considered English speaking countries by CIC.

If you are from one of these countries or from a non-English speaking country and lived substantially from a young age in one of the English speaking countries, you probably won't be asked to do the IELTS.

To calculate the points, go to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/EG72.asp

[BCguy]

Great job I would like to explain PNP or the Provincial Nominee Program for my contribution,Canada is a federal country where there is a Federal Immigration Law applying to the whole country under this are Federal Skilled Worker,Family Class,CEC Class But Provinces are also allowed to make laws regulating Immigration to that Province only,They nominate people which is the meaning of PNP.Quebec is a Nation within a United Canada,They control their own Immigration which Canada cannot interfere with,Yes they require you to learn French and your applications are processed by Quebec Overseas Offices which are like Quebec Embassies.The national assembly of Quebec changes this law from time to time,So PNP is different in the case of Quebec since Quebec is a nation within Canada.Many people do not realize this and think Quebec is just another province.Going back to PNP once nominated by a province you cannot be denied unless you fail criminal check,medical test or the officer suspects fraud,So that I is why I prefer PNP

[rupeshhari]

Medical, Law, and other professional degrees -

Medical doctor degrees are generally first-level university credentials, in the same way that a
Bachelor of Law or a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology is a first level, albeit “professional”
degree and should be awarded 20 points. If it is a second-level degree and if, for example, it
belongs to a Faculty of Graduate Studies, 25 points may be awarded. If a bachelor's credential is
a prerequisite to the credential, but the credential itself is still considered a first-level degree, then
22 points would be appropriate. It is important to refer to how the local authority responsible for
educational institutions recognizes the credential: i.e., as a first-level or second-level or higher
university credential.

This is taken from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op06e.pdf  page 19

[BCguy]

bump

[BCguy]

bump up again since many questions are answered here

[target2009match]

Hi ,so according to this post as mention in cic ,medical doctors would awarded 22 points as compared to pharmacy which they should awarded 20 points ,am i right ?because in mbbs ,it is a bachelor degree but 17 years of education ,kindly reply as all of u are giving already ,thanks and takecare

[rupeshhari]

Address to CIC in SYDNEY, NS

If you send by normal post:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Federal Skilled Worker
Centralized Intake Unit
P.O. BOX 7500
Sydney, NS  B1P 0A9
Canada

If you send by courier:

Federal Skilled Worker
Centralized Intake Unit
196 George Street
Sydney, NS  B1P 1J3
Canada

[rupeshhari]

Documents to be sent to SYDNEY, NS for FSW category 1

Send all the application forms (remember some forms should be filled out for each accompanying member).

2 address labels, one with your address in your resident country's official language and the other in English.

A check/cheque for the application fees.

If there is not enough space on the application form, you can write it on an attachment. Be sure to say your name on that attachment, the name of the form and the question number.

If necessary, write a cover letter to say what you have included.

You don't attach your IELTS to your initial application to Sydney, NS.  On one place it says to attach it and on the instruction, it tells you to send nothing else. So I believe you don't have to send it now.

However, if you are claiming language points based on where you come from, your education, etc, then you might want to write a letter saying why you are claiming your language points and send that to Sydney, NS with your initial application. If they don't need it, they can throw it away.

[BCguy]

bump again

[rupeshhari]

IELTS Bands

IELTS bands changed on Nov 2008 at the same time the ministerial instructions came out.  If you had sent your application before nov 2008 and did you IELTS prior to Nov 2008, you will be assessed on a score that is advantageous to you.

"Visa officers should also assess applications and test reports which pre-date November 28, 2008
against the above correlation table if it is to the applicants advantage, i.e., resulting in more points
for language proficiency"

See page 24 of http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/resources/manuals/op/op06e.pdf

[rupeshhari]

Academic IELTS vs.  General  IELTS

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/academic-ielts-vs-general-ielts-t13868.0.html;msg56485#msg56485

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/ielts-t12956.0.html;msg53217#msg53217

[PMM]

Hi

Academic IELTS vs.  General  IELTS

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/academic-ielts-vs-general-ielts-t13868.0.html;msg56485#msg56485

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/ielts-t12956.0.html;msg53217#msg53217

Now what do you believe?  A poster's friend who claims to have submitted Academic or what CIC requests.  Me personally I would give CIC what they request, rather than a poster's friends claim.  But then again it is not my application that will be returned.

PMM

[rupeshhari]

If I have already done the academic version of the IELTS and I cannot afford to do the general version, I would certainly send in the academic version. This is especially so if I only need few points from the language section.

If I have not already done the IELTS exam, then I would take the general examination. This is for two reasons, 1) CIC asks for the general version and 2) the general version is easier.

If CIC in Sydney returns my app, that will set me back by about a month or two. For some people, the extension of their application by a month or two is worth the savings from not doing the general (if they had done the academic version already).

Thats my thought. Of course, we also don't know whose got returned because they did the academic version. The sample size we have is too small to say that all applications with academic version will be successful.

One more thing. I am not experienced in Canadian immigration application. I have only done my application and one application does not an experience make. So perhaps you are correct and hence, I wrote what I would do if I was the applicant who already has done an acadmic version of the IELTS.

Well, thats my two cents.