Who is an immigration consultant? Why should I hire one?
An immigration consultant is a lawyer who has been allowed by the Canadian government to represent and help clients with different immigration and citizenship issues in Canada. Certified immigration consultants undergo specific education and training, in-depth study of immigration law, and must pass a rigorous comprehensive test, perform multiple backgrounds and police checks, and maintain their certification.
Clients frequently assume that completing immigration paperwork is simple and that they can do it without help. While this may appear to be accurate, there are numerous cases where applicants make mistakes in their paperwork, resulting in not only a refusal of their application but also a prohibition from entering Canada. Did you know there are also ministerial directives, operational manuals, public policies, and guidelines that we use to complete applications?
What is the difference between a free and a paid consultation?
Our free 15-minute consultation is designed to determine your eligibility for the type of visa you wish to apply for. We gather basic information about you and determine if you qualify for the appropriate immigration programme.
Our one-hour paid consultation provides for a thorough examination of your issue. Our Canadian immigration and visa specialists go over your eligibility, the application procedure, and the cost of your application in great detail. Our one-hour consultation is followed by an email that summarises our conversation, as well as up to two emails to answer any questions you may have.
What happens if I decide to retain an Immigration Consultant?
When hiring an immigration consultant, there are generally three processes involved. Step 1: Pre-assessment and consultation, during which we will provide you with a customized immigration strategy.
Step 2: Fill up a retainer agreement and submit all necessary paperwork.
Step 3: Read through your application, sign it, and submit it. Our objective is to make your immigration process run as smoothly as possible.
I completed my application but need to review it. Can I request review only service?
Yes. We offer lower-cost review-only options for your immigration applications at Onkar Immigration. We are familiar with the criteria for immigration to Canada and can give comments on your application. With a review-only package, however, we do not become your agent and cannot contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on your behalf.
Is it more advantageous to apply before or after an applicant has researched the Canadian labour market?
The Canadian immigration authorities are constantly modifying programmes and regulations to meet the changing needs of the Canadian labour market. The present Regulations provide the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration the ability to establish and alter the pass mark at any point throughout the process, and there is no lock-in protection for an application in progress. Qualified candidates who show a strong desire to seek permanent residency should file their application(s) as soon as feasible, together with the non-refundable government filing costs, in order to begin and complete the procedure as quickly as possible.
Furthermore, because the processing of a permanent resident visa application can take months, Canadian companies are frequently ready to support the candidacy of competent foreign candidates on a temporary work visa. As a result, while pursuing an application for permanent residency, applicants may consider canvassing the Canadian labour market.
Can you assist me with a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)?
Onkar Immigration works with hundreds of businesses that are experiencing labour shortages. These businesses have hired us to assist them in filling the gap by filing for LMIAs under the temporary foreign worker programme. Those who satisfy the criteria for the advertised post may be chosen for an LMIA.
How can I become a permanent resident of Canada?
There are several programmes accessible to you that allow you to apply to live in Canada. We propose that we explore your choices during a consultation, whether you want to visit, study, or work.
What steps do I need to take to become a permanent resident of Canada?
You can apply for a variety of programmes that will allow you to reside in Canada. Whether you wish to visit, study, or work, we recommend that we discuss your options during a consultation.
How can I stay in Canada if my status is about to expire?
Depending on your existing status and when it expires, we can decide which extension is the most beneficial in preserving your legal status in Canada. Although each situation is unique, extending your status before it expires is a requirement to avoid future problems.
Before my status expired, I made a request for an extension. Is it possible for me to continue to visit, work, or study?
If you applied for an extension before your status expired, you could be eligible to stay in Canada. Before your status expired, the restrictions of your status may have allowed you to continue visiting, working, or studying until a decision on your extension was made.
Is it necessary for the applicant to go to Canada as part of the application process?
As part of the immigration procedure, the applicant is not required to travel to Canada. However, familiarity with the Canadian terrain, particularly the region of the desired destination, might have a favourable influence on the evaluation in some circumstances.
Applicants who are applying under the Investor or Entrepreneur categories are invited to visit Canada and attend information sessions hosted by the provinces. Such efforts may be related to an applicant's capacity to fulfil the universal criteria and conditions of admission for Entrepreneur Class applicants.
What about the interview process?
In general, an interview would be performed to verify the correctness of the information contained in the documents provided; to clarify problems pertaining to the applicant's past; and to gain a better understanding of the applicant's qualifications. to ensure that an applicant has the financial resources to settle in Canada; to ensure that there is no security inadmissibility; and to ensure that the applicant intends to work in Canada;to see if there are enough reasons to use positive discretion; and so on. The interview cannot be used to assess a candidate's linguistic skills.
Applicants in the Business Class (Investor, Entrepreneur, Self-Employed) are questioned to verify statutory definitions are satisfied and to evaluate the broad limits of the business plan in Canada.
All original documents supporting the application, certificates of non-criminal conviction, and evidence of settlement monies should be brought to the interview.
What if the planned occupation isn't the same as previous jobs?
There is no necessity for an applicant to find work in Canada in a field that matches their previous work experience.
Is it necessary for an applicant to acquire a government-approved job offer in order to be eligible for permanent residence under the Skilled Worker Class?
No, under current regulations, a candidate can be admitted to the Federal Skilled Workers programme without an authorized job offer if they have at least one year of relevant full-time experience in one of the 50 major high-demand occupations.
Applicants who do not fulfil the above criteria must get a suitable job offer from Employment and Social Development Canada (“ESDC”). This is known as "arranged employment." An additional 15 units of evaluation will be available to a potential candidate as a result of this.
The present selection procedures favour applicants who have employment offers that have been authorized by the government of Canada.
What are the present employment prospects in Canada?
Employers in the Canadian health-care, engineering, and financial services sectors, as well as construction and skilled trades, machining and heavy equipment operators, automotive, and agriculture, are looking for qualified people who are legally permitted to work in Canada on a temporary or permanent basis. Many of these businesses are currently advertising available positions in Canada’s leading newspapers, trade journals and or through the Internet.
What was the total number of immigrants admitted to Canada in the previous years, and what are the admission objectives for 2022?
Due to the Pandemic, Canada only received 184,000 newcomers in 2020, compared to 341,000 in 2019.
Canada has released its Immigration Levels Plan for the years 2021-2023. Canada is aiming for the highest amount of immigration it has ever seen.
Canada will seek to welcome the following number of new permanent residents during the next three years:
Immigrants in 2021 : 401,000
Immigrants in 2022 :411,000
Immigrants in 2023 :421,000
1913 was the only time in Canada's history to admit more than 400,000 immigrants in a single year.
What is the processing time for my application?
Every application is different. Processing times can be viewed here: IRCC processing times.