I'm a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant here to answer your questions about Canadian visas & Immigration.

My mother was Canadian, never became a US citizen, married my dad & lived in the US until she died. What do I have to do or need to get citizenship in Canada?

If your mother was a Canadian citizen (either by birth or naturalized before you were born), you're likely a Canadian citizen. Google apply for a citizenship certificate. It's $75 CAD and it will take a few months to get (they say 5 months on the website, but could be longer due to the current situation).

Same situation, but born during a weird window in mid-60s where of your Canadian parent wasn't in the military or working for the federal government, your parent had top apply on your behalf while you were a minor. Changes to Canadian law around 2015 or so fixed this, and I applied when I found out (later 2018, as I recall). Straightforward process that I did on my own, and about 4 months later, I got a citizenship certificate. Says I've been a citizen since the day I was born! Woohoo!

Amazing, congratulations! Glad you were able to do it on your own too!

Thank you everyone for such an engaging discussion! It's my first time doing an IAmA and I'm very excited to see all the questions.

Please remember that none of the answers are to be considered legal advice. It's virtually impossible to account for all the nuances of one's situation from 1 question without getting all of their details. So please treat this as general information and cross-check it with the government website.

However, I hope the answers gave you a place to start your research :)

I am going to call it a day! Thanks again, this has been great!

If I'm in an American band looking to tour in Canada but one of our members has a DUI from 3 years ago on his record, is it possible for us to still tour there? I've heard alot of rumors about a DUI automatically disqualifying you.

This is actually a pretty common situation, but there are ways you may be able to overcome it. If they just want to come to Canada once, a Temporary Resident Permit might be an option. If they're looking for a more permanent solution, Criminal Rehabilitation or Deemed Rehabilitation (depending on the circumstances). However, it sounds like his DUI might be a bit too recent for the last 2.

Have you seen an increase in American citizens filing for Canadian citizenship over the last four years?

I have come across a few articles stating that there was a surge of US citizens applying for permanent residence, not citizenship. However, I have not looked into official statistics. But I might do that, I'm actually curious now.

I was 5 days away from my citizenship exam last March when the government shut down everything for Covid.

It's been over a year and I haven't heard anything since last May when they sent me an email saying everything was cancelled until further notice.

On the CiC website it says my application is processing, and I read something in the news about them trialing online exams. It feels like the people who had their exams cancelled first should be at the front of the line for this but I haven't heard anything.

Do you have any information about when the citizenship exams might resume?

I'm so sorry! It's definitely frustrating! This won't help much, but it seems like the government are slowly resuming online tests and they will contact you. Just make sure you keep your contact information updated with IRCC so that you don't miss anything.

As an American, whats the best way to move there?

Depends on your education, age and work experience. Express Entry is probably the fastest and most straightforward way to immigrate (unless your partner is Canadian and they can sponsor you). Google CRS score calculator, and see if you can get up to 460-480s. If you're not getting there, CUSMA work permit might be an option, but you might have to secure employment first.

What service can you provide that an applicant cannot do it themselves?

Essentially, an applicant can do everything themselves, that's why Immigration Canada have very detailed guides on their websites.

It's similar to doing taxes. You can do everything yourself, but if things get complicated or you don't have a ton of time on your hands, you hire an accountant.

If you're a great fit for a certain visa/immigration program, you have no problem understanding all the guides, and you're patient enough to do your research, hiring help might be unnecessary.

However,

- some people struggle with bureaucracy

- some people don't want to DIY a high-stakes application.

- some people know that their application is likely to be rejected.

- some applications rely on the applicant building a compelling case (e.g. humanitarian & compassionate grounds)

- some people have complicated situations that are not black & white. You'd be surprised how common this is.

- many people just don't have time to do research and they can afford to hire someone.

We have access to lots of resources that are not available to the general public, we know how to research case law when questions arise. When things get complicated, it helps to have those kind or skills, resources, and experience.

There's many reasons people hire help, but it's definitely OK to do things yourself if you feel like you can!

What are the requirements to become a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant? I..e how can i become one?

There have been a few dramatic changes in the past year, but essentially:
1) you need to have a Bachelor's with B-average and good English (IELTS 7.0)
2) complete a Graduate Diploma program. It has to be Université de Montréal or Queen's university (both available online).
3) you write an exam (you must be a Canadian Citizen or PR to write the exam)
Lastly, you submit a number of documents to prove good character.
After that you need to take a certain number of professional development courses every year and follow professional regulations.
Good luck! :)

Excellent! Thanks for the information!! I would imagine that having obtained a Juris Doctor would prove worthy for this

Oh, for sure! If you already have a Juris Doctor from another country, you might even be able to become a lawyer in Canada (I'm no expert, but I think one would have to write several exams). As a lawyer you can represent your clients in Federal Court, which consultants cannot do. Actually, many internationally-educated lawyers do apply to become consultants once in Canada.

Thanks for doing this! Excluding criminal records, what are some of the most common reasons why someone would have their application to immigrate to Canada be rejected?

Perhaps its tougher for people from certain countries? Lack of job history or educational background?

The biggest reason is applicants not following instructions or not documenting things properly. Even forgetting to sign something or providing a wrong color copy can lead to rejection. Also, using the wrong NOC code (the code that determines your profession) is very common.

Sometimes, people genuinely forget to disclose something important and they get a ban for misrepresenting.

As for immigration being harder for people from certain countries. In my experience, it's less so for immigration, more for visitor/work/study permits.
However, of course, it''s definitely harder to get maximum points for your English/French, if you're not from an English/French-speaking country.
Also, people from certain countries can easily get a 2-year work permit and get immigration points, while others cannot.
Documents from some countries can be subject to greater scrutiny (determining authenticity and such).

Skilled work and higher education are essential in most cases.

When do you think ircc will be back to full processing capacity? We are over a year into spousal sponsorship and haven't even received an AOR

I wish I could tell you! IRCC were supposed to hire more staff to expedite family sponsorships and shorten processing times, but I haven't seen any changes yet. Hopefully, it will get back to normal soon, best of luck with your application!

my girlfriend and i have been together for three years now. she's a korean citizen whereas i'm canadian. i was wondering what would be the best way for her to immigrate to canada

at the start of our relationship, we lived together in canada for about 9 months due to government extension. by the time she had to leave, we flew together to korea and stayed there for about 7 months before returning back to canada again just before the covid lockdown

she's currently on a work permit in canada for 2 years

i would like to see a future together with her, but i'm unsure of the path there. what's the fastest and easiest way to make that happen?
do we qualify for common-law or does that not count since she's korean?

thanks!

Her being Korean should not affect her eligibility for the common-law application. The time you spent living together would matter though. You will need to show that you lived together for 12 months without breaks and meet other eligibility requirements.

She could also apply for a work permit at the same time as she applies for sponsorship.

I cannot advise you what's the fastest/best way for her to immigrate, since I don't know all the nuances of your situation, but it appears that you might be eligible for common law :)

I have an employee whose felony conviction has been sealed. Can he travel to Canada to work on short trips to Canadian manufacturers we work with?

conviction has been sealed.

Great question! It depends on whether it was sealed because they were a minor or for another reason. It's also important how long ago it happened. Depending on the circumstances, they might be good to go, deemed rehabilitated, need to apply for rehabilitation, or need to apply for a temporary resident permit (if the benefits of their coming to Canada outweigh any risks). To sum up, there are options, but a closer look is needed.

How's the process for work visas going there? Would you describe it as easy?

It depends! If you're from certain (mostly) EU countries, you can easily get a work permit under International Experience Class. Everything else is a bit more complicated, and usually requires having an employer who is willing to spend some time getting the paperwork ready for you. Options also vary depending on your passport & profession.

My grandmother was born in Canada, and lived there for a while, before coming to the US. I know it used to be the case that one could get citizenship based on one's parent, and now it is the grandparent. My mom has tried for years to get this cleared up, but birth documents for my grandmother, who was born in 1900, haven't been forthcoming. What can we do to straighten this out, and get the citizenship that the law allows?

Sounds like you've spent some time working on this, sorry it's been so difficult! I can imagine you probably already tried contacting the Vital Statistics office of the province you grandmother was from? If you cannot provide every document on the document checklist, you can try providing any other evidence you can find that prove your claim.

As an american looking to move to Canada is the proof of english language proficiency necessary?

You do! Unless you're being sponsored, of course. It didn't use to be necessary for native speakers, but they made it mandatory due to some issues with applicants abusing the system in the past.

My girlfriend (Vietnamese) and I (Scottish) have been thinking about places for us to settle down in after I finish my degree. By then will both have Master's degrees from UK universities.

Canada was very high on our list. What are our possibilities of being successful and is there anything that we should think about doing sooner even though we may have another year or two before moving?

Would both of us need job offers before we can move?

It's great that you're thinking ahead! Lots of possibilities, here's a couple:
You could apply under Express Entry as a common-law couple once you have at least 1 year of work experience (provided you can document living together for 12 months in a row).
You might be able to apply for working holiday and have her join you later (depending on the job you get). Afterwards, you could apply for Express entry at the same time.

In terms of thinking ahead. Try to figure out your CRS points (Google CRS calculator and latest Express Entry Draws) and whether you need to improve it or you're doing OK. Make sure you apply before you start losing CRS points due to age.

If you choose Working holiday, make sure you get a job that will actually award you points for PR (aka skilled work).

Job offers are great for immigration, and right now you need them for Working Holiday (COVID-19), but they're not a must if you have enough points otherwise.

Do I need a certain bachelor's degree to apply for a job for immigration? The situation is that I have a bachelor in chinese but Im willing to have any job

It doesn't matter as long as it's from an accredited institution. You will need to apply for ECA (Educational Credential Assessment) and if they recognize it as a BA, you'll be able to get points for it.

The only thing with applying for a work permit is that you need to prove that you can do the job that you're applying for, e.g. through previous experience, or even by showing that your English/French language skills are sufficient to do the job.

If your'e applying for immigration without a job offer (or getting a work permit first), the previous point is irrelevant, you just need to get education points and meet other program criteria.

It's hard to tell without knowing the details, but I hope this helps!

when people in 2016 from the US said that they would move to Canada if trump won actually change anything did yall expect more immigration actually or was there no change in immigration?

Interesting topic for sure! I haven't looked into it. However, some of my colleagues reported an increase in permanent residence applications and requests to claim citizenship by descent. Others did not. I'd be curious to know myself!

As an Australian, with higher education degrees (masters, ba, Hons) in CS.

What are the immigration possibilities like in this covid climate?

Sounds like you have a very strong profile! If you have at least a year of skilled work experience, Express Entry would be an option to apply for immigration right away.

Working Holiday is also an option if you lack points, you would like to come to Canada asap or you're short on points.

The problem with Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker Program) is that they haven't invited any candidates for a while, and due to COVID, you need a job offer for Working Holiday.

If you have CS work or related skilled work experience, you could try to register in the Express Entry pool, and maybe you'll get a provincial nomination.

You can also try obtaining a job offer. Just be careful. Know that it's illegal to charge anyone for a job offer, so if anyone tries to do it, it's not a good sign.

How annoying is the application for renewal of a permanent residency? And how long does the process typically take? My 5 years is up at the end of this year and I've been putting off starting the process

I feel you! Actually, it's one of the easiest application we work with! As long as you meet your residence requirements, it shouldn't be too annoying. Just double-check the instruction guide to make sure you submit all the documents and sign in the right place. It's been taking 3-4 months lately, so it's good to apply early in case you're planning to travel.

Canadian here: how has covid affected the number of applications and what can we expect when the borders open up? Should we expect areas like Vancouver to get flooded with even more immigrants and cause the housing shortage to get even worse?

So far, the Canadian government has been trying to raise immigration numbers for the sake of rebuilding the economy. Yet, the majority of people invited to apply so far (over 27 000 in February) were people with Canadian work experience. Hence, they're most likely already living in Canada.

We don't know if they will invite more people through provincial program, or people without Canadian work experience.

I cannot really speak on the housing situation and the cause-effect relationship.

As for the borders, I can only guess!

If my mother in law is deported from USA and gets her green card taken away for a 1980’s possession with intent to sell Methamphetamine, and served time. Can she apply and possibly be approved to live in Canada?

If my mother in law is deported from USA and gets her green card taken away for a 1980’s possession with intent to sell Methamphetamine, and served time. Can she apply and possibly be approved to live in Canada?

She might be eligible to apply for Criminal rehabilitation, but a closer look at her charges would be necessary to determine that. If the charges part is cleared and you're a Canadian Citizen or Permanent resident, you might be able to sponsor her.

I have someone who want to move to Canada without a Degree and he said he is not ready to take the job when he got there. He his an expert online marketer and that is what he want to focus and start his degree. What advise will you give him and what and what does he need before processing?

I wouldn't give advice without knowing the whole story, but if they don't have a degree, a study permit could be an option. I've actually written a few posts on this lately: https://www.instagram.com/tic.immigrate.canada/

However, please don't take this as legal advice, it's just general information. A closer look is needed to develop a strategy.

I am on a PGWP. I applied for my PR through CEC stream in December 2020. I am thinking of accepting a new job offer. Does that affect my application in any way?

It shouldn't, since you already applied

What are the odds of actual being able to sponsor parents? I hear the system is first come first serve on a certain date every year and so thousands of people are online all trying to do the same thing.

There have been lots of changes to improve the system, switching between a lottery and first-come-first-served, but I definitely know some lucky families. It certainly pays off to try (and make sure you follow IRCC twitter to know when the process happens).

How would I set up a 1on1 with someone in your position? And before I do that do you guys also know the laws and regulations around bringing firearms into Canada? I am taking a trip around the continent and will be traveling with some for animal protection since I will be camping 99% of the time. I’d love to know what I would need to fill out in order to bring them with.

Sounds like a fun trip! Definitely check COVID travel restrictions, right now travelling to Canada is a bit complicated unless you have family here.
CBSA is a helpful resource you can check out regarding bringing firearms to Canada. Some immigration professionals have experience with this, but others don't. It might be best to do some research on your own or try to connect with a lawyer. Immigration Consultants don't study laws and regulations outside of immigration.
For the 1-on-1, make sure the person who's helping you is a licensed consultant or a lawyer. Lawyer's status can be verified based on the province where they are licensed. For consultants like myself, there is a website where you can check their license.

Good luck with your trip!

Well thank you. The trip isnt for another year or 2 but I’m getting ready early

Always good to start getting ready early!

I seriously considering immigrating (from US), but will continue employment (remote office admin) in the US. Where and how should I start? No priors.

Try to see if you're eligible for Express Entry. I also have a short video about getting started:

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CNBEa2dg1eT/

Try to see if you're eligible for Express Entry. I also have a short video about getting started: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CNBEa2dg1eT/

How difficult would it be for a middle schooler from China about to enter high school to obtain the study permit ? I heard it’s pretty easy as long as you get the Canadian high schools offer of admission. ( money and grades aren’t issue). I found an agency that would do this for 1000 CAD, would it be worth it?

Not sure how things are looking during covid (I haven't done these kinds of applications during the pandemic). However, I know some agencies are amazing and provide full support with this, since it's their specialty. 1000 sounds reasonable, neither too cheap, nor too expensive.

Have you seen an increase in American citizens filing for Canadian citizenship over the last four years?

https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/moy3ha/im_a_regulated_canadian_immigration_consultant/gu6jao2?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 This has been a popular topic today!

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Sounds interesting! For immigration, check out Express Entry. Google CRS score calculator, and see if you can get up to 460-480s. If you are, you might be a good candidate.
If you're low on points, you can try getting a CUSMA work permit. Sometimes, with highly specialized industries, it might be possible to get an employer hire you even though you're abroad. It's hard to give you an overview of all possible options without knowing more about your background, but I hope this gives you an idea of what to look into.