With so many immigrants from around the world seeking to immigrate to Canada, it isn’t surprising to hear that the wait list for Canadian citizenship can be up to 3 years. However, since the Canadian government is keen to accept immigrants who can contribute to Canada’s economic growth, they have created Provincial Nominee Programs that can shorten the wait list for eligible immigrants.

When you’ve been granted permanent residency status in Canada, you know the value of having your permanent resident (PR) card. But did you know you might not be allowed back into Canada if your PR card expires while you’re outside the country? And Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will not mail a PR card to an address outside of Canada.

Every year, Canada opens its doors to over 200,000 immigrants. In order for these immigrants to be accepted into the country, however, they need to have filed all necessary paperwork and waited for their case to be accepted by Immigration Canada. So our economy is not negatively affected by immigration, Canada has set up Provincial Nominee Programs tailored to granting skilled immigrants priority over unskilled immigrants.

It is well-known that Canada welcomes immigration and believes that immigrants can contribute to the country’s economy. In fact, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) set a 2017 target to admit 300,000 Permanent Residents.

Canada is a large country that is quite diverse in population and landscape. Much like the landscape, the employment opportunities and economy in one province or territory can be vastly different from those in another province or territory. That also means that each province or territory has different employment needs, some of which are met through immigration.

Canada has a thriving entrepreneurial culture and is cited as one of the best countries in which to do business. Many independently-owned businesses flourish in this country and the government encourages entrepreneurial growth by offering a unique immigration opportunity. The Start-Up Visa immigration program is targeted to entrepreneurs who want to operate businesses and invest in Canada by providing jobs here and competing globally.

If you live in one country while your adult children or grandchildren live in Canada, you may not be able to visit them regularly. And when you do visit, the usual six-month stay granted with a visitor’s visa might not seem long enough. It could be that you’re missing special family time.

Being denied entry into Canada can be a shock. Especially if you thought you had all your documentation in order or you’ve been allowed in before. What are your options? And having been denied once, does that mean you can never enter Canada?

In Part 1 of this 2 part series, we shared some guidelines for choosing the right immigration professional or lawyer to suit your needs, such as reading reviews and making sure the person is authorized. Here, we continue that discussion.

Making the decision to immigrate to Canada can be the start of a bright, new future. But the immigration application and approval process can be a long and complicated journey. Many people find it confusing even understanding the right program to apply for. This is one of the reasons why a lot people decide to hire an experienced immigration professional or lawyer.