A lot of mistakes are made when applying for a permanent, temporary or even visit visa to Canada, a very popular immigration destination.
According to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), thousands of application forms are sent back every year due to these mistakes.
Sometimes, a correction can be made, but at other times, the mistake leads to the rejection of the application, upon which the applicant must start all over. Because popular programmes apply intake caps, time is a critical factor and should not be wasted.
With more than 60 different immigration programs and different criteria for each programme, the process of selecting the right programme, collecting the required documentation, filling out the application form, and submitting everything on time is not an easy task.
Fortunately, the CIC is aware of the challenge. In order to mimimise the risk of avoidable mistakes leading to the rejection of an application, it has cautioned aspirant immigrants of the top 5 mistakes that applicants make – and how to avoid them.
#1 Mind your language
Insufficient language test scores: Language proficiency remains one of the most important criteria for almost every immigration program in Canada. The applicant must be proficient in English or French in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
In order to demonstrate this proficiency, test scores must be submitted. These test scores must be derived from certain language testing systems, and meet the standards set by the CIC, failing which the application will not be accepted.
For each programme, proficiency is measured according to the Canadian Level Benchmark (CLB) system, explains CIC. However, different standardised tests may be accepted for proof of language ability depending on the immigration program one is applying under.
“For instance, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is one of the tests accepted as proof of English proficiency for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Applicants submitting IELTS scores must meet at least CLB level 7 in all four language abilities. This amounts to a score of 6.0 in each language ability. If even one ability is scored less than a 6.0, the applicant will be deemed ineligible for immigration through this program,” said the CIC.
#2 While you were away
Inconsistencies in history: When applying for a permanent residency, and in some cases for a temporary residency too, the applicant is required to fill out a detailed personal, travel and educational history.
‘Detailed’ here means that no timeframe should be left unexplained. Every period of time, even as short as a week, must be accounted for, or the application becomes invalid. The CIC explains:
“Even short vacations should be noted on a travel history. For personal history, periods of time when you were unemployed should still be accounted for. You should double- and triple-check this part of your application to make sure that dates align properly. These dates should also correspond with supporting documents such as letters of reference.
#3 Don’t blame the messenger
Non-compliant employment letters: Most programs require that work experience be proven by providing an employment letter from previous and current employers. These letters ought to be formulated following a certain format, and become invalid of information is missing.
The letter must be printed on company letterhead and contain company information such as address and contact information. The following details must be included:
Position held
Hours
Salary and working conditions
Description of job duties
Employer’s signature
#4 Dependence day test
Listing Ineligible Dependents: Canada adopts a lenient family sponsorship programme with an uncapped intake of dependent spouse. However, there is a lot of confusion over the definition of spouse.
“For Canadian permanent residency applications, only spouses, common-law partners, and/or eligible biological or legally adopted children may be listed as dependents by the principal applicant. However, some applicants misunderstand this limitation and list other family members such as parents or siblings as dependents. These individuals may not be included on an application, and doing so may slow down and application’s processing time,” said the CIC.
Parents and grandparents can be sponsored through the Parent and Grandparent Programme (PGP), which will re-open on January 2, 2014.
There is an intake cap of 5,000 applicants for the year to come.
#5 Grouse of representatives
Using an unauthorized representative: Although an immigration consultant may offer guarantee of a flawless application process, there are also cases where the immigration consultant turns out to be the primary obstacle to a successful application.
“Unfortunately for applicants, there are many fraudsters claiming to be immigration representatives, when in fact they are not authorised to represent individuals. These phony representatives are not accountable to the government or a professional order, and will often request large sums of money for a ‘guaranteed’ visa,” said the CIC.
“Representatives may be paid or unpaid, but if paid they must be a lawyer or immigration consultant authorised by the government to assist Canadian immigration applicants. An immigration lawyer must be registered with the law society in their province of residence and an immigration consultant by the ICCRC (Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulation Council),” it added.
