Immigration
to Canada
In
the United States, there are only a few opportunities for potential
immigrants to petition themselves for permanent residence. In Canada,
all immigrant categories (except Family Immigration) permit potential
immigrants to sponsor themselves as landed immigrants.
The
most common category immigrant category is the independent category.
Independent applicant cases are processed on the basis of the applicant's
individual skills and the likelihood that they will contribute to the
Canadian economy.
General
Independent
applications applying for residence in Canada (other than in Quebec)
are processed using the "points system". Under this system, the applicant
is awarded points based on various factors which assess his or her ability
to make a positive contribution to Canada. Independent applicants must
generally attain at least 70 points in order to qualify for landed status.
Many
visa offices have a pre-application questionnaire which they provide.
However, it often takes a considerable period of time to have the pre-application
questionnaire assessed by the visa office. In the majority of cases,
it is better to simply file the actual application. However, in such
cases the applicant should seek professional guidance (preferably from
an immigration lawyer) prior to making their application. This is because
the actual application will become part of their permanent immigration
record.
The
principal applicant may include his dependents (spouse and dependent
children) in the application. However, if there is more than one adult
applicant and both wish to be assessed to determine whether or not they
are qualified for admission to Canada, they may both be designated as
principal applicants and assessed accordingly.
As
mentioned above, the Immigration Regulations permit a person who is
being sponsored for landing in Canada to bring his or her accompanying
dependents. Dependents would include the legal spouse or dependent children
of the principal applicant. However, the Immigration Regulations define
these dependents as accompanying dependents. "Accompanying dependents"
means a dependent of the principal applicant who is accompanying or
following that person to Canada. If the dependents arrive in Canada
prior to the principal applicant, they are not accompanying dependents
and will not be granted landed status.
Dependent
children are defined in the Immigration Regulations as being as a son
or daughter who is:
