Answer: It’s true that immigration officials may understand why you did not include your husband (because you have not officially separated as you said), but it doesn’t mean they’re going to bend the rules and let you exclude him in your Permanent Residence application. After all, this man is still your husband as far as the law is concerned, until such time that you get a divorce or an annulment. And under immigration rules, all married individuals need to include their spouses in their applications, regardless of whether or not they are coming with them to Canada. In other words, simply telling immigration that your marriage has failed will only raise more questions concerning your case, such as how you’re going to get your husband complete his own application and go through medical exams when you don’t even know where he is. The simplest option then is to get a divorce or an annulment if only to free you from this predicament. Since you don’t know where your husband is, you can file for a motion for substituted service. After all, you don’t really need this man’s approval. He just needs to know the legal actions you’re taking to dissolve your marriage, and the legal proceedings can begin.

It is specially a necessity now that many Canadians are ageing and people going in their senior years would continue to grow in the coming decades.

It used to be that nannies and caregiver sponsorship from overseas is not a problem but because the Government of Canada have imposed stricter rules before an employer can hire temporary workers in the live-in caregiver category, employers are discouraged from hiring.

Under the new rules, employers are required to pay for the transportation, medical costs (for 3 months while Provincial Health insurance residency is satisfied) and/or employment agency cost of the candidate worker. Their concern about paying all the fees is rightfully so because there is always the possibility that the live-in caregiver may leave their employ after only a week of work, leaving them in a big monetary loss without ever recouping what they spend on the worker.

And this kind of situation have actually happened to a lot of Canadian employers for live-in caregiver workers.

And because there are no employers willing to take the risk of hiring live in workers abroad, caregiver employment agencies are in turn affected and many have closed.

Right now, the only way to find a live in caregiver in Canada, if your need is urgent, is to seek a nanny who is already in Canada with a work permit or even those who have Canada visitor visa and have completed a live-in caregiver training progam.

1. See to it that you provide all the necessary documents when applying for visa to Canada.

Once you send in your visa application to Canada, be sure that you double check all the documents included to ensure that they are complete. Otherwise, your application might be returned to you and this can cause a significant delay in the entire processing time. In certain instances, if the lacking document is a very important one, your entire application might be refused. When this happens, you can either reapply or simply file an appeal, both of which are time-consuming.

2. Check that all the forms necessary for your application are properly and completely filled out.

There’s nothing more frustrating than having to deal with a Canadian visa application that has been returned to you just because you forgot to include a single detail being asked for in the application form. This said, be sure that you check and recheck your application form before sending it to ensure that it is complete.

3. Be sure that the data provided in the application forms and the documents that you submit are consistent.

Even just a single discrepancy in the information that you provide in your application can already arouse suspicion, and this can cause a significant delay in the entire Canada visa processing time. The authorities processing your documents may deem it necessary to conduct an interview for you to prove your credibility, and the scheduling can take long. Therefore, see to it that your documents are well polished before submitting them.

4. Make it a point to double check the Canada immigration office address where you will send your application.

This sounds dumb, but there have been some cases in the past when delays happen just because an applicant sends his application to the wrong address. All the while, he was thinking that his application was already being processed, only for him to be surprised to find his application returned to him in the mail after sometime. Avoid this possible predicament by taking the time to do your research.

5. Take the time to provide possible necessary documents in advance.

Although your application documents may already be complete, there are instances when the authorities processing your application may find the need to ask for additional supporting documents. You must be able to anticipate this and should take the time to prepare and send all other documents that may possibly be asked from you.

6. If you are not confident about your understanding of the entire procedure involved in processing your visa and the requirements that you need, consult a Certified Canadian Immigration Lawyer.

If you feel like you’re still fumbling in the dark when it comes to preparing all the necessary documents that you need for your visa application, a Certified Canada Immigration Lawyer can make everything easier for you. The benefits that this will give you include less possibilities of mistakes and better chances of a speedy processing time.

With all these pointers now at your fingertips, you need not worry about the processing of your visa to Canada taking too long. Just remember the mentioned tips above as you prepare the necessary requirements and enjoy speedy visa processing.

Called the Pathways to Employment in Canadian Mental Health, this program is managed by the Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto and different mental health community organization.

This is designed to improve your already existing knowledge and experience in the field of mental health and then equip you with the skills that are needed if you are to work in Canada.

So, what are the requirements for you to qualify in the bridging program for mental health profession? Check out below:

1. An undergraduate or graduate degree in fields like psychology, with clinical psychology included as an important component (this could include social work and counseling).

2. International professional training with a minimum experience of two years in such fields as community mental health work, clinical psychotherapy, and clinical counseling.

3. Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 (CLB ELTPA Score 7, IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 80).

This bridge program is described as no cost to the participant, and it involves different areas aimed at enhancing your overall skills either as a mental health professional or as a psychologist. Some of the elements included would be academic training as the foundation, supervised clinical training, and sector-specific terminology and workplace communication.

If you are looking for the specific components of this mental health job program in Canada, check out the following:

160 hours of mental health instruction
200 hours of language training (occupation-specific)
450 hours of supervised clinical training
60 hours certificate program via TAPE Educational Services
Clinical seminars and employment workshops
Orientation to mental health environment and Canadian workplace

If you have all the qualifications mentioned above and you’re interested to be in the program, you can check out BridgingPrograms.org for more details.

Question: What is the right age if I want to emigrate to Canada?

Answer: There is no right age when immigrating to Canada, although age is one of the factors being considered during the immigration process. A points system is used to rate all the factors that are being looked into, and the biggest point for age is given to people from 21 to 49 years old. If you are not within this age range, you can still qualify but the points assigned for your age may be less. Remember, however, that age is just one of the many factors being considered here. Your status and educational background are examples of other factors being looked into during the immigration process.

Question: Is an employer a requirement when emigrating to Canada?

Answer: No. Canada has established immigration rules, and you can immigrate to Canada as long as you meet all the requirements specified in the said rules—even if you do not have an employer. You may want to check Canada’s immigration policies to know whether you are qualified for immigration or not.

Question: How long is the processing time when applying for permanent residency? I’ve heard of processing time as long as five years, but there are also who claim of processing time as fast as six months. Which is true?

Answer: If you will apply now and you qualify in Canada’s occupation list (this is a list of 29 work occupations being prioritized in Canada right now, and only those with experience in any of the occupations specified qualify to apply), the processing time takes about a year. The five years processing time that you’ve heard about involves those applications filed before February 2008—these are considered as backlog applications and processing can really take many years. Meanwhile, promises of application processing within six months are false claims, so beware. These are most likely fraudulent.

Question: If I apply for immigration to Canada, who are the people that I can include as my dependants?

Answer: You can include your spouse and any child below 22 years old, or a child who is older than 22 but who has been a full-time student since he/she was 22 years of age. A common law partner can also be included as dependant in your application.

Question: If I am a USA citizen and I immigrate to Canada, will my USA citizenship become void?

Answer: No. It’s possible for you to have dual citizenship since both countries permit such.

Question: If I live in a country different from the country where my family resides, is it still possible for us to immigrate as a family? How?

Answer: Yes, that is possible. There are just certain conditions to be followed, such as the need for you as a family to enter Canada together or for you to enter the country prior to your family—your dependants cannot enter Canada before you. Familiarize yourself with the different regulations concerning this case to make the process easier for you.

Question: If I apply for immigration to Canada with my family and our application is approved, Do I need to move to Canada? Is moving a requirement?

Answer: Not necessarily. Such is one of the special cases that involve certain procedures, but it’s possible to stay where you are even after your immigration is approved. Familiarize yourself with the conditions involved in processing special cases like this.

Question: I am working in another country and I have applied for immigration to Canada. If my application is approved, am I required to enter Canada from the country where I am working, or should I return to my home country and enter Canada from there?

Answer: It doesn’t really matter whether you enter Canada from your home country or from the country where you’re working. As long as you do so before your visa expires, you’ll have no problem.

The Federal Skilled Worker Program or FSWP, among other Canada’s immigration program, continue to be the primary avenue of successful permanent resident immigration to Canada.

So much so, that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is planning to welcome about 57,000 more Foreign Skilled Workers (FSW) in 2012, a big increase from the 47,000 approved landed-immigrants in 2011.

According to Kenney, the department realized the direct importance of letting more of this type of immigrants to Canada’s labor market, with the economy as getting the most benefit that this skilled immigrants bring in as a valuable contribution to the nation’s international competitiveness.

In 2010, the CIC carried-out a study on Federal Skilled Worker Program. They found the program to be working well. In the report, they learned that 89% of FSW newcomers are either employed or have become self-employed 3 years after landing.

Furthermore, employers are also benefiting from hiring a FSW. In the same report, 95% of employers acknowledged that FSW employees surpassed or meet their expectation. As a result of this evaluation, the CIC recognized a strong continuing need for FSW immigrants.

In their press release, Citizenship and Immigration Canada intends to build a strong Canada by strengthening the country’s social, economic and cultural well-being by managing the immigration program to Canada’s best benefit. With this objective in their agenda, expect to have a more diverse Canada in years to come.

I was able to work in a bakery during that time and paid taxes on my own, though. My question is, if the employer who released me is willing to issue me a T4 to match my contributions – can I use that time for my 24 months employment?

Answer: This is a very common question among many of those in the live-in caregiver program. It is surprising that those in the program ask this when it is obviously a misrepresentation of their application. Caregivers are not allowed to work outside of their authorized employer, so the answer is no.

The period you worked in a bakery cannot be used for your employment time even if you have a T4. Obtain professional help from a Canadian immigration lawyer before filing your permanent residence. Don’t be scared because any information you give to the lawyer is confidential and is protected by client-lawyer privilege.

A: As a Canadian citizen, you will have no problem coming back to Canada. However, your husband will require a visa to enter Canada but, since he is not a legal US resident, it is almost impossible for any Canadian consulate to issue a visitor visa to Canada for him. That said, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to file sponsorship inside Canada. The best solution is to work on the sponsorship while you’re still in the US. You may hold-off entering Canada until such time that your husband obtains his permanent residence.

However, I don’t live in Canada because I work in another foreign country. I am concerned that I might lose my Canadian permanent residence because of this. What are the rules that I should adhere to in order to maintain my permanent residency? Thanks!

Answer: There is actually only one requirement for you to maintain your permanent residency status when you immigrate to Canada – within five years, you must be physically present in the country for at least 730 days.

When you are approved as a permanent resident, you will be given a permanent residency card that you must renew every five years. This card serves as your proof of permanent residency, and you can use it anytime someone questions your status.

Every time you renew this card, the Canada immigration officer will determine whether you have met the requirement. You can, however, enjoy an exemption here. The Canada immigration authorities offer two exceptions.

One, you will be exempted if you work in another country, but with a Canadian company.

Two, if you accompany your spouse outside of Canada, that is another exception.

There are instances when the immigration officer may find that you have not met the required number of days, but you could still be given consideration because of humanitarian and compassionate reasons. If, for instance, you have children studying in Canada, and the removal of your permanent residency status will affect the studies of your kids, the immigration officer might reconsider.

However, if no consideration is given and the Canadian immigration officer finds that you did not meet the requirement, she would file a report detailing your case.

This is not the end for you, though – you can still file an appeal at the Immigration Appeal Division. After appealing, that’s when a decision will be made.

If you find yourself in a situation that might threaten your Canada permanent residence status, try to consider all the other options mentioned here. Or better yet, consult a Canada immigration lawyer for a more legal opinion of your situation.

However, the best thing to do in this case would be to apply as a Canadian citizen. Once you are already a citizen of Canada, you can freely leave and return anytime without having to worry about any rule or regulation.

The department, in its memo, said that it will stay in moratorium for at least 2 years. They pointed to the recent immigration backlog as the reason for this new initiative.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney claimed that due to the present immigration wait times of sometimes 7 years, the department decided to take action by halting the processing of papers effective immediately.

“Action must be taken to cut the backlog.” Immigration Minister Kenney said.

He also said that this moratorium is just one of the stop gap measure his office is implementing to redesign this class of immigration application. There are more than 165,000 grandparents and parents sponsorship application who are still waiting to be processed, according to him.

In lieu of this latest immigration restriction, Minister Kenney have substituted it with a new program called the Super Visa Program for Parents and Grandparents. The new program which becomes in effect starting December 1, 2011 will allow grandparents and parents to stay in Canada continously for 2 years without exiting the country and will be valid for 10 years, for multiple-entries.

However, to become eligible for the Super Visa Program, there are certain criterias that must be met by both the applicant and his/her sponsor:

- The sponsoring grandson/granddaughter or daughter/son must meet income requirement

- The sponsoring person must purchase a Canadian medical insurance for visitors to cover the applicants medical emergency

- The applicant will have to pass the Canadian medical screening procedure

- The applicant must prove that she/he will leave Canada after the maximum stay

The new Super Visa for Parents and Grandparents will take 8 weeks to process, assuming the forms are correctly filled and the requirements above are satisfied.

Immigration Minister Kenney also added that his department will be increasing the quota for parents and grandparents to 25,000 applications when the program resumes, an increase from 17,500 from previous years. He also intends to increase applications for Foreign Independent Workers (Federal Skilled Worker Program), White-collar Skilled Workers and those with PhD who graduated from Canadian universities and also refugee applications.

But on the other hand, other class of immigration applications will be slashed as a result of the above increase. Those which will be affected are the Business class immigration, spouses sponsorship application and live-in caregivers.

Immigration critics are quick to criticize this latest announcement by Canada’s Federal Immigration Department. They claim that Canada in the next five to ten years will depend primarily on immigration to make up for the shortfall in labor requirement and this will not help Canadian businesses and employers in their time of need, affecting the economy in the long run.

Among the different professions, doctors and nurses are very in demand these days, and a lot of Filipinos aspire to get into the field of medicine to be able to work in other countries and find greener pasture. In fact, some parents send their children to nursing school for this primary purpose.

There are different countries with great demand for doctors and nurses, but employment in Canada remains to be one of the most promising. This country is rising as the top destination of doctors and nurses because jobs in Canada are stable and abundant, not to say that working in Canada comes with many different perks.

Jobs in Canada for foreign workers will continue in years to come with stricter rules for those illegal recruiters

• Higher earnings. Foreign countries generally offer higher salary to doctors and nurses compared to the salary offered in the Philippines, thus the popularity of overseas work among Filipinos.

However, among the different countries today, working in Canada is one of the most lucrative, especially among people in the medical field, because of the higher pay.

• Strong economy. Other than the high earning that medical jobs in Canada offer, these jobs are also very stable – thanks to the strong economy of the country. Whereas other countries, even the US, may be experiencing recession and other problems, Canada’s economy remains stable. So, there’s greater assurance of job stability.

Many Canadian companies will need foreigners for jobs in Canada in the future to sustain economic growth

• Opportunity for Canadian citizenship. Whereas workers in other countries cannot hope for anything more than their high salary, job opportunities in Canada also come with the opportunity to become a Canadian citizen after several years of work and upon the completion of the necessary requirements. Thus, working in Canada could be a stepping stone for migrating in the said country.

• Professional fulfillment. Whereas in other countries (i.e. Middle East), doctors and nurses are seen and treated as mere workers, in Canada they are treated as professionals – career growth is fast and the benefits go beyond monetary and into work fulfillment.

• Non-stringent rules and regulations. While working in Arab countries could mean major adjustment just to adhere to the new culture, working in Canada poses no similar problem because the rules are not strict and are based on democratic ideals.

All the mentioned factors make employment in Canada a very appealing prospect for many overseas Filipino workers. All these offer promise of a better job and a better future to those aspiring to find that greener pasture.

Foreign workers looking for jobs in Canada need to be extra resourceful to get ahead of other applicants

Question: I’m a certified nursing assistant and I have a pending application in the Canadian Embassy that’s still being processed since 2007. It’s already been years now, and some people I know who applied later than I did have already been approved – some are even in Canada already. I’m worried about my application and I’m wondering about how things would turn out. What can I do?

Answer: Certified nursing assistant is an occupation that is in demand in Canada. Meaning, applicants with this occupation are prioritized. However, this only started in 2008. Prior to this year, all applications were treated equally. After 2008, when prioritization has already been implemented, applications filed prior to that year became backlogs and were not processed as fast – this could be the reason why your application is not yet approved until now. One option that you have here would be to withdraw it and then reapply so that the new rules will already cover you.

Working and permanent residency in Canada is a constant topic in Immigration circles

Question: I have been married to a younger Filipina, but we do not live together yet – she is in Philippines while I am in Canada. We met online, chatted for a period of time, and decided to get married. Because of our situation, though, we do not have children yet. I want to sponsor her to Canada, but I’m worried that it might not be approved because we’ve been married for only a short time and because of the circumstances surrounding our relationship. Any advice as to the best time to apply?

Answer: When it comes to spouse sponsorship, there’s only one challenge – to prove that the marriage is true and in good faith. The time that has passed since you got married won’t matter as much as the other circumstances surrounding your case will. One of these is the fact that you only met online, which can arouse suspicion among the immigration officers. Another is the fact that your wife is younger. These factors are often carefully looked into because of previous cases of marriage in bad faith. So, anytime would be fine – just see to it that you have all the required papers needed for the application. You can also get legal advice to ensure that you won’t have problems dealing with the specific details.

Many inquiries to immigration lawyers is about working and permanent residency in Canada

Question: My husband and I have been married for several years, but my husband was actually married to someone else before we wed. Only, his wife has long disappeared and they’ve had no communication for a long time. Now that I’m applying for permanent residency in Canada, I want my spouse to be my dependent but I’m afraid the circumstances surrounding our marriage will cause a problem. What can I do?

Answer: In a case like this, it would be best not to declare your spouse as your husband. You can refer to him as a common law partner so that you won’t have to face the complications that may be brought by the circumstances surrounding your marriage.

People seeking working and permanent residency in Canada had to be resourceful and research oriented to succeed

A working visa and work permit to Canada are among the common means employed by individuals to be able to stay in the country and even to apply as permanent residents later on.

However, many applicants can tell that getting one isn’t easy. Plus, the different requirements needed make everything even more difficult. And of course, the various processes involved can be confusing. A lot of issues are not clear with applicants yet, and there are a lot of questions being asked online about these topics.

Here, we’ll try to address some of the basic questions to help some individuals who are in need of answers.

A working visa or work permit to Canada is required to work legally in the country

How do I obtain a work permit for Canada?
First, you will need a work offer to be able to get a work permit and a working visa. It is employer-specific – meaning you can’t apply for an open work permit. There are certain regulatory requirements specified that you should be able to obtain.

Is the process for obtaining a work permit similar for all kinds of work in Canada?
No, it’s not. There is a different set of work for people considered as skilled workers and there is a care-giving work that is altogether considered as different. They differ in terms of requirements and the time it takes to process the permit.

Working visa or work permit to Canada does not always guarantee permanent residence

What is a live in caregiver program and how is enrollment in the program different?
A live in caregiver program is a program that enables caregivers to work and stay in Canada, and then to apply for permanent residency after two years. These two years should be completed within the first three years of stay of the person in Canada. Also, issuance of the INITIAL work permit should be outside of Canada.

Processing for a live in caregiver work permit is shorter (it only takes months) compared to other occupations (average of which is one year). Plus, the requirements are different. While other occupations demand meeting certain regulatory regulations plus Labor Market Opinion (LMO), work permit for a live in caregiver only requires LMO. Additional requirements will depend on the particular position that is being offered.

What are the other in demand occupations in Canada?
Canada has a list named as “29 occupations” that mentions the occupations that are in demand in the country. Some of the professions included are those in the medical field (doctors, practical nurses, and nursing assistants), as well as cooks, architects, and many others. You can check the complete list to see the rest of the occupations mentioned.

Engineering, nursing, teaching and doctor jobs in Canada are just some of in demand occupations

How do I get a new work permit if the one I have now expires? Is the process the same?
While it is important that the initial work permit be issued outside of Canada, it is possible to have your next work permit come from inside Canada when you renew (after expiry of your previous permit).

Who can I include as dependents during my application?
You should include your family, children and spouse. If you’re divorced or widowed, you need to produce the death certificate or divorce certificate as proof. If, however, you are merely separated but not yet divorced, you will still have to include your spouse in the application – as a non-accompanying spouse – but you will need your partner’s signature. Remember not to lie about this as this can have grave consequences.

One, Canada has a high worker demand for certain skilled and specialized occupations. Two, due to this great demand, the Canadian government offers appealing perks and benefits to all foreign workers. And three, one of the said perks is the opportunity to be a permanent Canadian resident – the most appealing of all.

It is for this reason that many individuals aim to work and immigrate to Canada. The process is not easy, though. There are considerable requirements, and it can take a lot of time – from a few months to a few years.

Below, we look at some of the concerns and issues among those who aim to work and are already working in Canada. We also look at some concerns regarding Canada immigration.

Question: What is the newest regulation involving Federal Skilled Workers? Is it true that there is already a quota? If so, when will that be implemented?

Answer: Yes, there is a new regulation involving Federal Skilled Workers and that involves a quota in the number of workers to be accepted. For each occupation covered by the program only 1,000 workers will be accepted and 20,000 workers for all occupations every year. The regulation has been in effect since June 26, 2010 and the first year covers the period between June 2010 to June 2011.

(Note: This Federal ruling will change from time to time, so if you are still waiting for the right time to apply – don’t. Apply as early as you can if you think you are qualified during assessment, either by yourself or thru a qualified representative)

Question: I know about the low-skilled program and the high-skilled program that are in effect in Canada right now. I’ve been planning to work in Canada, but I’m not sure which of the two programs is a better option. Any advice?

Answer: Yes, there are low-skilled and high-skilled programs available for individuals who want to work in Canada. First and foremost, what is your specialization or skill? Check the occupations covered by the two programs and determine where your skill falls under. That said, overall, the high-skilled program offers more benefits compared to the low-skilled program. First, if you’re planning to apply for permanent residency in Canada, you’ll have a better chance if you qualify in the high-skilled program. Second, you don’t need a job offer under this program in contrast with the low-skilled program. If you apply under the low-skilled program, you should have a Canadian employer sponsor you for your application to be granted. And third, working under the low-skilled program will require that you return to your country after the two-year period.

Question: I’m enrolled in the live-in caregiver program and I only have a couple of months left before I’m done with the 24 months work period requirement. I’m planning to apply for permanent residency afterwards, but my work permit is about to expire. Should I get a new work permit?

Answer: Congratulations! You need to have a valid work permit for you to be eligible to apply for permanent residency. You will need to apply for a new work permit since you said your current permit is about to expire. If you plan to stay with your present employer after the two-year period, you can simply apply for an open work permit. What’s important is, you have a valid work permit when you apply for the permanent residency program.

Question: I am halfway through the live in caregiver program here in Canada – I still have a few months left to complete the program and apply for permanent residency. I have a boyfriend who is a Canadian citizen, and we are planning to get married. I know he can sponsor me afterwards, but which would be the faster and surer way to be a permanent resident in Canada?

Answer: Actually, both ways are valid for permanent residency. You can finish the remaining months as a live-in caregiver or you can marry your boyfriend and be sponsored to be a permanent resident in Canada. But, it would be better if you still finish the live-in caregiver program – that’s a sure way to being a permanent Canadian resident.

The application process for a foreign worker in Canada can get complicated at times, as well as the permanent residency program of Canada. But, there are online guides that you can refer on to help you resolve all your issues and concerns.

The mother got approved for a single-entry visa to Canada. He is asking if his mother can go to the US and come back to Canada using the same visa. The Canadian visa given to his mom has a 6 month duration and within that six-months, he wants to bring her to the US for a tour before going back to Canada.

The answer to his question is, of course, NO.

This can be a confusing matter for a lot of people but I feel that the confusion stems from the misunderstanding between the different types of immigration documents. If you want to better understand the various kinds of Canadian visa, then read on:

The first kind of visa is the TRV or the Temporary Resident Visa. This particular document allows a person from a non-visa exempt country (Philippines, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, etc.) to enter Canada. Those countries who are exempted from a visa to come to Canada do not need to apply for this (South Korea, Japan, etc).

The TRV can be issued for both single entry and multiple entries. If what you have is a single entry visa then it expires as soon as you enter Canada even if the expiry date has not passed yet. However, if you are given a multiple entry visa, then you can re-enter Canada as many times as you desire until your visa expires.

You have to know though that even if a TRV is issued by the Canadian consulate, it is not a guarantee that you will be able to enter Canada. You still have to prove to the immigration office upon entering Canada that you will leave the country once your visa expires. If you can convince the immigration officer, then you will be given a temporary visa with a maximum stay of 6 months.

If you don’t satisfy the immigration officer, then you will be refused entry to Canada even if you have a TRV. The Temporary Resident Visa is for anyone who is entering Canada temporarily, whether the visitor is a tourist, a worker, or a student.

Visitor Record, Work or Study Permit
If you are granted entry by the immigration officer when you arrive at Canada, you will be given another document to designate your purpose in the country. You can either be given a visitor record, a work permit, or a study permit depending on your purpose. You can see an annotation in this document that states that it won’t be valid for re-entry.

You can apply for an extension for these permits within Canada but this is only a permit to stay, study, or work in Canada. The TRV is a document that allows you to enter Canada and it is not extended automatically once it expires. This just means that even if you have a valid permit to stay in Canada then your TRV expires when you exit the country (for multiple entry TRV, it becomes invalid depending on the stamped date on the document). You need to secure another TRV despite the existing validity of your permits. TRV’s are applied for outside of Canada.

Other Permits And Visas
There are also other types of permits and visas that add to the confusion people have about entering Canada. One such document is the temporary resident permit which is a permit for temporary residents who are inadmissible but are still allowed to enter for really valid reasons.

There is also the permanent resident visa for those who are granted permanent residence in Canada. Once the person who has the permanent visa enters Canada, the document expires, and then he is given a Confirmation of Permanent Residence.

The Permanent Resident card takes place of the Temporary Resident Visa when the resident wants to leave Canada and re-enter the country later on. Nevertheless, having a PR card does not guarantee that you will retain your PR status forever. You still have to satisfy residency requirements and if you are found to be inadmissible for one or another reason, you can still lose your residency status.

Yes, it can really be confusing to learn the different types of permit to enter and stay in Canada. In the future, we can only hope for a less confusing system to better inform those who are interested. The alternative to avoid being confused about what visa to apply for in coming to Canada is to consult a certified Canada immigration attorney who has the experience and the qualification to help you process your application.

For more details on visa for visiting Canada, see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/visit/visit-faq01.asp

For more details on temporary resident permit to Canada, see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/information/inadmissibility/permits.asp