CEC application questions

[KamSut]

Hi,
I’ve few queries regarding my permanent residence application. I would really appreciate if this can be answered:
Fiancé
1. I am engaged with a girl and I am not married to her yet and will be getting married in Nov this year. Also, I am not staying with her to consider her as my Common Law Partner. Can I still add her name in my Family members list in the permanent residence application?
3. Do you think it should be ok if I attach a letter intimating my marriage in Nov with my permanent residence application?
4. Can I add my dependent parents name in the permanent residence application?

Fees:
1. Should I include the demand draft with the application and not deposit it separately with the consulate?
2. Should be payable to Consulate General of Canada?

Ref letters
If ref letters cannot be provided from employers then:
1. A written explanation is required? (Please suggest some reasons).
2. Required information mentioned in the checklist for the last 3 years right? Will this be a separate letter from #1.
3. What additional documents can I supply in support of the employment claim? (like pay stubs, offer letters, etc)

NOC:
1. Can I add more than one category as the CEC schedule has many rows? For the time period I've stayed in Canada I've worked under one NOC only.
2. Can I add more suitable NOC regardless what appears on my Work permit?

Photo requirement
1. This is different for a PR than a work Visa.. right?
2. Are the dimensions mentioned in the guide up to date?

Misc
1. Do all the copies which are required to be included in the PR application needs to be attested by someone?
2. Schedule 1/ Background declaration –
In personal history there is not enough space in the application? How can I add more rows? Shall I omit and sum up the information?

Thanks in Advance.

 

[jes_ON]

Hi, I'll let others more familiar with family requirements answer your family-related questions.

Fees:
1. Should I include the demand draft with the application and not deposit it separately with the consulate?
You must include the processing fee with the application (see p. 29 of the application guide).

2. Should be payable to Consulate General of Canada?
As stated in the application guide, p. 30:
You may pay by certified cheque, bank draft or money order made payable to the “Canadian Consulate General.”


Ref letters
If ref letters cannot be provided from employers then:
You only need a Letter of Employment from employers covering the past 3 years. Are you saying you cannot this? Why?

1. A written explanation is required? (Please suggest some reasons).
If you genuinely CANNOT get one, state truthfully why not.

2. Required information mentioned in the checklist for the last 3 years right?
Letter of employment MUST include all the required information as stated in the checklist, for each job held over the past 3 years.

Will this be a separate letter from #1.
No.

3. What additional documents can I supply in support of the employment claim? (like pay stubs, offer letters, etc)
You do not need additional documents, unless you cannot get the Letter of Employment.

NOC:
1. Can I add more than one category as the CEC schedule has many rows? For the time period I've stayed in Canada I've worked under one NOC only.
Don't know what you mean by "add more than one category," can you clarify? Also confirm that you're referring to Schedule 8, Section 7.


2. Can I add more suitable NOC regardless what appears on my Work permit?
Depends... provide some more info. What NOC is on your work permit, and what NOC do you think is more suitable, and why?

Photo requirement
1. This is different for a PR than a work Visa.. right? Right
2. Are the dimensions mentioned in the guide up to date? Yes, if you have the most recent guide.

Misc
1. Do all the copies which are required to be included in the PR application needs to be attested by someone?
No. The only time you need certified copies are if you have to have something translated.

2. Schedule 1/ Background declaration –
In personal history there is not enough space in the application? How can I add more rows? Shall I omit and sum up the information?

Omit NOTHING. You can add more rows on a separate sheet of paper. (I made a table in a Word document that copied the format of the application form).

 

[Leon]

Fiancé
1. I am engaged with a girl and I am not married to her yet and will be getting married in Nov this year. Also, I am not staying with her to consider her as my Common Law Partner. Can I still add her name in my Family members list in the permanent residence application?

3. Do you think it should be ok if I attach a letter intimating my marriage in Nov with my permanent residence application?

4. Can I add my dependent parents name in the permanent residence application?

1. Since she is not your common law partner and you are not married yet, you can not list her on your application now. When you get married in November, you send a marriage certificate as well as her information and request that she be added to your application.

3. Yes, you can tell them that you are getting married in November and will be adding a spouse to your application. It may however result in them shelfing your file, waiting for you to get married and send them updated documents.

4. Immigration does not consider your parents to be your dependants and they can therefore not be included in your PR application but you can sponsor them later although it will take years to complete and you have to show enough income to support your own family, yourself and spouse and later possibly children as well as your parents. Your spouse can co-sign the application to sponsor your parents which would allow you to count your spouses income as well if your spouse is working.

NOC:
1. Can I add more than one category as the CEC schedule has many rows? For the time period I've stayed in Canada I've worked under one NOC only.

2. Can I add more suitable NOC regardless what appears on my Work permit?

1. You write the truth

2. If you have a NOC in your work permit, it means that you got your work permit to do that job. If the employer changed your job duties and made you do a different job, they actually should have applied to change your work permit. Just like it would be breaking the rules to work for a different employer than specified in your work permit, it would also be breaking the rules to work a different job than what your work permit specifies, even if it is for the same employer. It might therefore not be a good idea to claim you have been working under a different NOC than your work permit states.

Why do you feel that another NOC would be more suitable for you? As long as your NOC is skilled, you qualify to apply under CEC.

 

[KamSut]

I have this perception that NOC category is one of the major criteria for granting a permanent residence. And during the determination of one's application a Labour Market Opinion is sought to find out if sufficient no. of jobs exist for that particular NOC category.
The application could be refused if the no. of applications outrun the no of jobs available in a province. So, I was thinking to search and add more similar categories just to be on the safe side. Please advise if that isn't the case.
My NOC category is 2174.

Also, I've checked with my employer and they aren't providing me a reference letter. Please also advise what documents would suffice this shortfall.

Thanks Leon and jes for taking time out and responding to my queries. Really appreciate all your support.

 

[jes_ON]

RE NOC - you have posted in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), so I assume you are applying in that category. If you are applying as a Provincial Nominee or a Federal Skilled Worker, there are different requirements and I suggest you post in those forums. And whichever category you chose, please read all the information about it on the CIC website - CIC has enough of its own rules to learn and understand, without inventing your own...

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp

For CEC applicants, the NOC is only used to determine whether you have "skilled" employment experience or not. If your NOC 2174 and it accurately describes your job (Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers), then there is no problem, as NOC 2174 is "skilled" (Skill Level A).

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/index.php?action=post;topic=72713.0;num_replies=3

Under a few circumstances, a job may legitimately be classified under more than one NOC (usually, but not always the same skill level), but there is no benefit to having more than one NOC. And sometimes HRSDC does screw up, NOCs are not an exact science.

As for your Letter of Employment - first, stop calling it a reference letter, as that is often confused with a "Letter of Recommendation" and employers might not want to give that for immigration purposes. It is not a letter of recommendation, it is simply a statement of the facts of your employment.

Show your employer the page on the document checklist that indicates the details that are supposed to go into the letter. It is only the details of your employment - same as the employer would have had to submit for your LMO, same as they will have to submit on a record of employment if/when you leave your position. You can indicate that you are going to apply for immigration with or without this letter, but without the letter, CIC will have to investigate...

If this doesn't work, please let us know what province you are in so that that we can give you more tips on what to submit...

 

[Leon]

There is no criteria under CEC that says that only certain skilled NOC's are picked for PR. If there were, they would have to publish that on the CIC website just like the skilled worker program is posting their list of 29 NOC's.

For CEC, you only need some skilled NOC, enough hours and IELTS.

 

[KamSut]

RE Jes :
You're right that it shouldn't be called as a Letter of reference. Correcting it.

I am not presently in Canada. I was working in Vancouver,BC so I guess if I become permanent resident then I would go there first as I know the place.
Please advise what documents would be required for BC. My employer is not giving the letter stating my job responsibilities and other required information under any circumstances.

Thanks again Jes and Leon for clearing up my perception. I was completely off-course.

 

[jes_ON]

So, do you mean "former employer?" That's different, and if so, you're in luck.

First, employers are required to file a Record of Employment with Service Canada every time an employee leaves a position, and are required to give you a copy when you leave a job. If you did not get one, you should ask for one.

However, employers who file the ROE electronically with Service Canada are not required to give you a copy, but you can order a copy directly from Service Canada.

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/employers/roe_duplicate.shtml#obtain

Then, write the letter yourself, explaining that the employer refuses to give it, and include ALL the details specified in the document checklist.

 

[KamSut]

I haven't left the position yet. I am still working with the same employer. The only thing that has changed is the location from Vancouver to an offsite office of my employer's company. Do I still need the ROE from Service Canada?
Can I write my own letter stating all the required employment related information for the last 3 years and add some supporting documents?

 

[jes_ON]

I haven't left the position yet. I am still working with the same employer. The only thing that has changed is the location from Vancouver to an offsite office of my employer's company. Do I still need the ROE from Service Canada?
Can I write my own letter stating all the required employment related information for the last 3 years and add some supporting documents?

ROEs are only issued at the termination of employment. If you're still working for the same employer, there will be no ROE.

Nothing to stop you from writing your own letter, make sure you include ALL the details as stated in the checklist. Also give the name and contact info of your supervisor.

But what your chances are, who knows. You're not the first person whose employer has refused. But that means CIC will have to do more investigation to ensure that your employment has been "legitimate." Just do the best you can, but realize you're lacking a key document...

 

[KamSut]

Ok. Now we have cleared that I won't be getting any letters from my employer. Could you please suggest what add on documents are required to support my employment details?

 

[jes_ON]

The letter is required. CIC does not provide guidance on alternatives, other than you must explain why you cannot get one (note this will be verified). But a copy of your contract(s) will help, first and most recent paystubs (end of year paystubs are good), contact info for your supervisor, copy(ies) of your LMO(s). Info on the company - a website, for example, an annual report - would also be useful.

One person was recently asked to provide a copy of the business license for the company - I think the legitimacy of the company itself was under question. I know you can obtain that in Ontario, don't know about BC...

And of course all the other documents on the document checklist (T4, NOA...)

 

[KamSut]

Thanks Jes for all the answers. Really appreciate it.