Immigration consultants Canada

Settling Together: Free Newcomer Services Offered by the Canadian Government

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As a Vancouver immigration agency, Racer Immigration provides full-service immigration and business consulting, assessing the best possible ways for clients to immigrate to Canada. However, what do you do after you arrive? From securing a job to setting up a bank account, the Government of Canada offers resources that identify many excellent services available to new Canadians. Some of these include:

  • locating for a job (for example, nearby multicultural centres, immigrant services, or local libraries)
  • getting a language assessment or registering for English/French classes (such as local ESL schools)
  • finding a place to live
  • assistance for filling out forms and applications (immigrant service centres)
  • Sign up kids for school (district contact information)
  • learning about community services (multicultural centres)

The Government of Canada’s website offers a handy search engine to seek out these services based on an address or postal code, and filter by the services required. From there people can contact the service provider directly. For those who are currently outside of Canada, they can look for available Pre-Arrival Services using a similar search engine.

The immigration consultants at Racer Immigration provide the information necessary to help new Canadians get a head start. For more information, call (778) 688-4848.

Navigating Refusals—Advice from Canadian Immigration Consultants

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As a firm that provides Immigration Consulting Services in Vancouver, the team at Racer Immigration warns that one of the biggest mistakes prospective Canadians can make is waiting until their application has been refused to seek out professional help.

Navigating a refusal is always more work as it requires understanding the reason for refusal and answering these concerns when reapplying. Moreover, it’s important to realize that multiple attempts made in a short period can reduce the chances of getting to yes.

While it’s always best to work with a skilled Canadian immigration consultant or lawyer from the start, steps can be taken if an application is refused.

When someone receives a general refusal, and they do not understand the concerns of the visa officer, they should hold off on submitting another application. It’s vital to obtain the notes of the officer who refused the application and prepare a thoughtful answer in subsequent forms. To get these notes, an applicant must request the Global Case Management System or “GCMS” notes in their file. These will provide insight into the immigration officer’s concerns.

Reapplying is an opportunity to provide more information and strengthen your application. The new application should be consistent with the old one, but remember that the case will likely be looked at by a different officer—and it should stand on its own.

A reputable Canadian immigration consultant can investigate a rejection and explain your case in detail. To learn more about working with Racer Immigration, please call (778) 688-4848.

The History of Express Entry to Canada

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The Canadian government recently announced the 100th Express Entry draw, inviting 400 candidates from the Federal Skilled Trades program to immigrate to Canada with their families. As a Vancouver-based immigration firm, the team at  Racer Immigration is always on the lookout for exciting opportunities for people hoping to immigrate to Canada.

Express Entry isn’t a program, but a system meant to manage the intake and processing of applications within three existing programs: Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Federal Skilled Trades (FST). Since Canadian immigration prioritizes skilled workers, the vast majority of skilled worker immigrants come through the Express Entry system.

Canada once used a first-come-first-served basis for processing applications. This resulted in slow processing times and huge backlogs. It could take some applicants years of waiting for their status to be processed. Express Entry was meant to fix these problems and streamline the process.

Express Entry uses an electronic system to manage applications, and a points-based system to accept applications, allowing applications to be processed in a matter of months. An applicant creates an Express Entry profile and is assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System score (CRS). Every two weeks, an Express Entry draw is held, giving a number of people with the highest CRS scores an Invitation to Apply (ITA). The number of ITAs has increased from 31,000 in 2015 to 86,000 in 2017, and that number will most likely be topped in 2018. It should be noted that an ITA is issued to the principal applicant, but also applies to their spouse and dependent children.

Today, Express Entry is an incredibly effective system. The process was a bit slower in its first two years of operation due to the previous backlog, but in recent years 80% of the applications are processed within 4-6 months.

For those who want to learn more about Express Entry immigration to Canada, Racer Immigration is ready to help. Call (778) 688-4848 to learn more.

From Foreign Worker to Full-Fledged Canadian

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As a Canadian immigration firm in Vancouver, it’s no secret that foreign workers fill many important gaps when it comes to shortages in Canada’s labour and skills market. The length of stay often varies according to the job contract, but a number of workers do seek opportunities to extend their stay and immigrate to Canada as Permanent Residents.

For those who are interested, Racer Immigration found a 2018 study by Statistics Canada that examines the time that temporary foreign workers tend to remain in the country as well as their transition to permanent resident status.

According to the study, the number of temporary workers rose in Canada from 52,000 to 310,000 between 1996 and 2015. This includes people coming to Canada through various programs, such as the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or International Mobility Program.

The study analyzed temporary foreign workers between the ages of 18 and 64 at the time of their arrival and received their work permit between 1990 and 2009. These individuals were followed for between 5 and 15 years after their admission. It was found that almost 90% of temporary foreign workers who were still in Canada after 10 years had managed to obtain permanent resident status.

For those seeking permanent residence in Canada, foreign workers’ programs can be a good start. Racer Immigration provides expert consulting and advice for people around the world. Contact (778) 688-4848 to learn more.

Canada Increases Opportunities for Parents and Grandparents in 2019

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Racer Immigration has good news for those hoping to reunite with their parents and grandparents in Canada. As of July 28th, 2018, the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has increased the cap on the number of sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents from 10,000 to 17,000.

As a full-service immigration company in Vancouver, Racer immigration knows that many people who move to Canada do so with the hopes of someday bringing their families with them. Sponsorship applications continue to be one of the most popular immigration programs in Canada.

The program was so popular that between 2012 and 2013 new applications had to be stopped in order to allow Canadian immigration officers to deal with the backlog. And when the program reopened, the government imposed an annual cap of 5,000 applications.

Over time the process changed and evolved. In January of 2017, an online lottery system was introduced where 10,000 lucky Canadian citizens and permanent residents were selected at random for an invitation from IRCC to file their sponsorship applications, rather than the previous “first come first served” basis.

But the lottery system was designed based on assumptions that every person who entered the lottery would meet the eligibility requirements and would be able to make a complete application within the allotted time. In reality, many sponsors who received invitations did not meet the minimum requirements and many more who received invitations never went on to make complete their applications, and so a further call for applications was made.

With the annual cap of 10,000 applications a year being increased to 17,000, Canadian families have better odds than ever to sponsor their parents and grandparents for Canadian permanent resident status.

Racer Immigration happy to help those who want to know more about sponsorship or finding other ways to bring their parents and grandparents to Canada. Contact Racer Immigration at (778) 688-4848 to learn more.

Conservatives Discuss Ending Birth Tourism

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As a team of Canadian Immigration Consultants, Racer Immigration in Vancouver strives to stay on top of all issues related to Canadian citizenship. In recent years, immigration rights have become a hotly contested topic. At the moment, the Canadian Conservative Party, led by Andrew Scheer, is calling for an end of birthright citizenship, arguing it has encouraged “birth tourism.”

What makes this so controversial is the claim that the practice has been abused and taken advantage of. “Birth tourism” is when pregnant, non-Canadian women fly to Canada in order to give birth and secure citizenship for their babies. When those children become adults, they can sponsor their parents to immigrate to Canada.

This is seen by some as a loophole that needs to be closed, as it allows them to receive Canada’s benefits without going through the same channels other immigrants must. MP Joe Peschisolido says the practice is very costly for taxpayers, “since it can be used to gain access to Canada’s publicly subsidized post-secondary education system and to take advantage of Canada’s public healthcare system and generous social security programs, all without having to contribute much to the funding of these systems and programs.”

Immigration lawyer Michael Niren called birthright citizenship a “non-issue.” According to Statistics Canada, only 313 babies were born to non-Canadian mothers in 2016. That number has gone down significantly since 2012 when Statistics Canada reported that 699 babies were born to non-Canadian mothers.

“There are problems with immigration in Canada, but birth tourism is not one. It is a politicized concept,” he said. “Conservatives are trying to energize their base.”

When immigrating to another country, it’s important to stay on top of evolving laws that could impact an applicant’s process and rights. The team at Racer Immigration is pleased to provide timely consulting and advice for people hoping to immigrate to Canada. Contact (778) 688-4848 to learn more.

Newfoundland Introduces New Immigration Options for Entrepreneurs

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The team members at Racer Immigration always keep an open mind when it comes to finding places for prospective immigrants moving to Canada. As a full-service immigration company, they know that opportunities can come from unlikely places. For example, beautiful Newfoundland is currently offering opportunities to budding entrepreneurs.

The province recently announced two new immigration categories for entrepreneurs.

Graduates of Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic with a Post-Graduation Work Permit can apply for the International Graduate Entrepreneur Category.

The International Entrepreneur Category, on the other hand, is aimed at foreign nationals who want to “create, join, or take over” a business in Newfoundland and Labrador. Those accepted through this category would receive a Temporary Work Permit to establish and operate their business.

Applicants to either category will have to own and actively operate their business in the province for at least one year before they can apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence.

To be eligible, a Graduate Entrepreneur will have to have completed at least a 2-year program and have a Canadian Language Benchmark of 7 in English or French, as well as one year’s experience in managing and owning a business.

An International Entrepreneur, on the other hand, will need a CLB of 5, $600,000 in net business and personal assets, $200,000 ready to invest in a new or existing business, and at least two years’ experience managing and owning a business (or more than five years’ experience in a senior business management role).

Racer Immigration is more than happy to help guide applicants through the process. If you’re intrigued with the idea of gaining entry to Canada by starting or running a business, contact Racer Immigration at (778) 688-4848.

Vancouver Ranks 15th Best City for Canadian Immigrants

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As a group of Canadian Immigration Consultants in Vancouver, the team members at Racer Immigration know there are many great places to live across Canada. Recently, an online survey announced the best cities in the country for immigration—and Vancouver ranked at number 15.

At the top of the list was Oakville, Ontario, ahead of other Ontario cities such as Ottawa and Toronto. While Vancouver ranked 15th overall, it is still one of the top places to live worldwide due to “trong economy, ease of commuting and — of course — great weather.”

The online magazine moneysense.ca recently conducted a survey to find the best cities for immigration in Canada, and came up with a list of 415 locations, and ranked them based on 10 categories: Wealth and economy, affordability, population growth, taxes, commute, crime, weather, access to health care, amenities, and culture.

“A liveable city should be prosperous, but affordable. Safe, yet easy to get around. And it should have the type of weather that draws you outdoors,” the survey reads. “We award points to cities with a large percentage of the population speaking languages other than English and French and increase the importance of a low unemployment rate, affordable rents and access to an airport.”

In the case of Oakville, the survey points out that the percentage of visible minorities has increased from 18 percent to 31 percent over the last ten years and about 30 percent of residents speak a language other than English or French.

No matter where you wish to settle in Canada, Racer Immigration can provide expert consulting and advice for people around the world. Contact (778) 688-4848 to learn more.

New Immigration Possibilities for French Speaking Immigrants

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Racer Immigration knows that immigrating can be a frustrating process, and navigating the ins and outs can be time-consuming. As Canadian Immigration Consultants, Racer Immigration has learned that Canada is taking steps to increase francophone immigration, which will come as welcome news for prospective French-speaking immigrants.

This Canada-Ontario collaboration will focus on three annexes: the French-speaking immigrants, international students, and partnerships with municipal governments, all as part of the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA).

In the case of French-speaking immigrants, COIA will set out to help identify opportunities for allowing more French-speaking immigrants into Ontario to reach their immigration targets.

By partnering with Municipalities through COIA, they will be able to focus on issues related to public interests regarding immigration, both in attracting and retaining them, as well as their integration into the community.

Working with international students is also a key focus, especially in their transition from post-graduation employment into permanent residency.

Through these initiatives, the Governments of Canada and Ontario are demonstrating their commitment to ensuring that the economic, social and cultural benefits of immigration are maximized in the province.

Whether you wish to settle in BC, Ontario, or anywhere else in Canada, there are many paths and opportunities available. Racer Immigration provides expert consulting and advice for people around the world. Contact (778) 688-4848 to learn more.

Vancouver Immigrations Advisors Warn: Don’t Sign Away Your Chance

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Racer Immigration has helped many people who have received bad advice in the past. As a full-service immigration company, there is sometimes the need to counsel clients who have put too much confidence in those willing to cut corners—often at the risk of success.

One of the most flagrant examples are immigration consultants who ask applicants to sign blank application forms. This is a clear warning sign of unprofessional behaviour at the very least. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) requires an applicant to answer all questions truthfully—including the completion of the application forms and supporting documents.

If inaccurate information is provided, it won’t matter if it’s not the applicant’s fault, they will have been found to have misrepresented themselves, and that can result in a five-year ban from further applications. Any service provider willing to put an application at that kind of risk is not a reputable consultant.

Remember, as a legal process an immigration application is ultimately the responsibility of the applicant. An immigration service provider can guide you and help you, but they are not authorized to speak on your behalf.

Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, so make sure all the information provided is accurate, and double-check every bit of paperwork before signing it. If English or French is not your primary language, be sure to have someone qualified interpret all the forms. Ultimately, the responsibility falls to the applicant, but a qualified professional can make the job easier.

If you or someone you love is looking to make a home in Canada, contact Racer Immigration at (778) 688-4848.