FAQs

Absolutely! Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) are required to abide by a strict Code of Conduct. There are numerous benefits associated with utilizing the services of an RCIC and serious risks associated with utilizing the services of those unauthorized providers.

Regulated Consultants vs. Unauthorized Providers of Immigration Services:

There are two types of immigration representatives; Paid and Unpaid. Paid representatives may charge a fee or receive any other type of consideration, to represent or advise you in connection with a Canadian immigration proceeding or application:

• Immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC-CRCIC),
• Lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, and
• Notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Quebec

The government of Canada will not deal with non-authorized immigration representatives who charge for their services.

Unpaid immigration third parties, such as family members, friends, and non-governmental or religious organizations are allowed to act on your behalf.

No! DON’T BE A VICTIM OF A SCAM. If the offer seems to good to be true – it probably is.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Only authorized officers at Canadian embassies, high commissions and consulates can decide whether or not to issue a visa.
• Don’t be tempted into using false documents as this will result in the refusal of your application.
• Beware of internet scams and false websites. The official website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is www.cic.gc.ca.
• Processing fees are the same at all Canadian visa offices around the world. Fees in local currency are based on official exchange rates and correspond with the amount in Canadian dollars.
• Canadian visa offices will never ask you to deposit money into an individual’s personal bank accounts or to transfer money through a specific private money transfer company.
• If you have questions, contact our offices or the visa office responsible for your area.

A single-entry visa allows you to enter Canada once. When you arrive at the point of entry in Canada, an officer of the Canada Border Services Agency will make sure you meet the requirements to enter Canada. If you leave Canada during your authorized stay, you must get a new visitor visa to re-enter Canada.

A multiple-entry visa allows you to enter Canada several times during the period while your visa is valid. A multiple-entry visa is valid for a maximum of 10 years or one month prior to the expiry date on the passport/re-entry visa, whichever is earlier.

If a multiple-entry visa is approved, it will allow you to enter and leave Canada repeatedly during the validity period of the visa. You must arrive in Canada on or before the expiry date on your visa. You cannot get a multiple-entry visa for a period that ends after the expiry date of your passport.

Yes. International students who are studying in Canada may apply for a work permit to work. However, during your studies, your work permit will allow you to work only on school property and at a maximum of 20 hours per week. During school breaks such as recognized holidays, you may work up to 40 hours per week.

Yes. Students are permitted to work on campus at the institution they are attending without a work permit. You may qualify for this if you are a full-time student at a public post-secondary school, university, or college or at a private post-secondary school, university, or college

In order to work off-campus, you must be a full-time student enrolled at a participating publicly funded post-secondary institution or in an approved program at an eligible privately funded institution. Students may only apply for an off-campus work permit if they have been studying in Canada for a period of at least six months in the past twelve. Off-Campus work permits authorize students to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week during regular school season, and full time during holidays and breaks from school.

To be authorized to stay in Canada upon the completion of your study program you must maintain proper immigration status. Proper immigration status is; visitor, student, worker or immigrant.

This is a special work permit program that allows students who have graduated from a participating Canadian post-secondary institution to gain valuable Canadian work experience.

To apply for a post-grad work permit you must have graduated from;

• a public post-secondary institution, such as a college, trade/technical school, university, or CEGEP (in Quebec), or
• a private post-secondary institution that receives at least 50% of its financing from government grants, (currently only college-level institutions can qualify), or
• a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees (not likely).

Post-graduation work permits are issued for no longer than the length of the study program and are not issued for longer than three (3) years. To apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, you must have successfully completed a program with a minimum length of eight (8) months.