1. Introduction
2. Brief Guide
3. Documents
4. Fees
5. Right of Landing Fee
6. Police Certificates/Clearances
7. Medical Exam
8. Things That May Delay Your Application
9. Rights and Obligations of Permanent Residents
10. Selections System for Independent Immigrants.
11. Official Language Testing
12. Providing proof of language proficiency
13. Permanent Resident Card

Accompanying dependant: A spouse or child of the principal applicant who intends to immigrate to Canada.

Arranged employment: A guaranteed job offer by a Canadian employer that has been validated by a Human Resources Canada Centre that no suitably qualified Canadian or permanent resident is available to fill the position.

Background check: Checks conducted by Immigration Canada in all countries in which you and your dependants have lived to determine if you have any arrests or convictions or are a security risk to Canada.

Close relative: The brother, sister, mother, father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew of the applicant or of the applicant's spouse.

Dependant children: are either

Under 21 years of age and unmarried on the date the application is received at the visa office (and if they plan to immigrate, are still unmarried when they arrive in Canada). Children of any age or marital status are also considered dependent if they are financially dependent upon their parents for either of the following reasons:

• They are continuously enrolled and in attendance as full-time students in an educational institution and financially dependent upon their parents since reaching the age of 21 (or from the date of their marriage, if married before 21). Students who interrupt their full-time studies continue to be considered dependants as long as they are not away from their program of study for a total of more than one year and continue to be financially dependent upon their parents during that time; or
• They cannot support themselves due to a physical or mental disability and are financially dependent upon their parents. (Note: Some disabilities may result in refusal for medical reason).

Excessive demand: Refers to the significant burden placed on Canada's health or social services due to ongoing hospitalization or medical, social or institutional care for physical or mental illnesses, or special education or training. These individuals may be denied admittance to Canada due to the high costs of their care.

National Occupational Classification: the list of occupations in Canada.

Human Resources Canada Centre: (formerly known as Canada Employment Centres). Local office of Human Resources and Development Canada (HRDC) which provides advice on local labour market conditions and mobility.

Independent immigrant: a person with specific occupational skills, experience and personal qualifications who meets Canada's selection criteria and is accepted to immigrate to Canada.

Permanent resident: A person lawfully in Canada as an immigrant but who is not yet a Canadian citizen.

Spouse: A person of the opposite sex to whom the applicant is legally married.

Visa office: a Canadian immigration office outside Canada.

DEFINITION OF INDEPENDENT APPLICANT: Independent applicants are persons who intend to enter the labour market and have the intention and ability  to be self supporting upon their arrival in Canada. In order to qualify, applicants must accumulate sufficient units of assessment to meet the pass mark.

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BRIEF GUIDE

The first step for a self-assessment  is to find your occupation on the National Occupational Classification  (NOC). If it is not on the NOC, then check the list of all occupations and try to find something else that you are qualified to do. Your occupation must be on the NOC in order for you to apply.

Your education should match the occupation in which  you want to be assessed . 

The experience must be in the chosen occupation. At least 1 year of experience is necessary to qualify. 

If you are between the ages of 21 and 50, you will get a full 10 units in the age category. Deduct 2 points for every year over 50 and below 21. It can go to 0 only - no negative numbers.

As a rule, at least a "Good" level of English or French is necessary to succeed. If you are not at that level quite yet - hit the books. You will have a few months between the time you send your application and the time of the interview -use it.

If you have a close relative (see the definition of a close relative) in Canada -add 5 units of assessment.

If your total is 67 or over -you are qualified to apply for permanent residence in Canada. 

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DOCUMENTS: Translated and certified copies of the following

IMMIGRANT APPLICATION FORMS.	Check that it is complete and signed
IDENTITY/MARRIAGE INFORMATION	Birth, marriage, final divorce, separation and /or death certificates for you and spouse. Clear copy of your national identity Card/Certificate/Cedula (where available)
CHILDREN’S INFORMATION	Children’s birth certificates (with the name of their parents). Adoption papers for adopted dependent children. Proof of custody for children under the age of 18 and proof that the children may be removed from the jurisdiction of the court. If the children will not accompany you to Canada, proof that you have fulfilled any obligation stated in custody agreements. Proof of continuous full-time studies of all dependent children aged 21 and over.
TRAVEL/PASSPORT DOCUMENTS	Passports or travel documents for you, your spouse and dependent children. Children must have their own passport, separate from their parents’. Include only copies of pages showing the passport number, date of issue and expiration, your photo, name, date and place of birth. If you reside in a country different from your nationality, include a copy of your visa for the country in which you currently reside. All prospective immigrants must hold a valid regular or private passport at the time of landing. Diplomatic, official, service or public affairs passports are not acceptable
PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP TO CANADIAN FAMILY	Birth and marriage certificates
EMPLOYMENT/EDUCATION INFORMATION	Copies of educational degrees, diplomas or certificates for the principal applicant and ORIGINAL letters of reference detailing your present and previous work experience. Letters of reference must be prepared on official letterhead and signed by a responsible officer or supervisor. Letters must include all of the following information: The specific period of your employment with the company. The position (s) you have held during the period of employment and the time spent in each position. Your main responsibilities in each position. Your total annual salary plus benefits at the time of your employment. If you cannot provide a letter of reference from your current employer, please provide a written explanation. Any letters/contract offering employment or information you believe may be relevant to your successful establishment in Canada, which may help to demonstrate your adaptability, initiative, motivation or resourcefulness.
SETTLEMENT FUNDS	Proof of sufficient funds currently available to maintain yourself and your dependants until you are self-supporting in Canada. This includes bank account statements, letters from your financial institution, and other proof of your liquid assets. These funds must be transferable to Canada in a convertible currency.
POLICE CERTIFICATES	Original police certificates or clearances form each country in which you and everyone in your family aged 18 years and over lived for at least 6 month.
FEE PAYMENT	Certified check, bank draft or money order.

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THINGS THAT MAY DELAY PROCESSING OF YOUR APPLICATION

• Incomplete or unsigned application forms
• Missing documents
• Incorrect or missing fees
• Insufficient postage
• Incorrect, incomplete address or failure to notify the visa office of a change of address
• Unclear photocopies of documents
• Documents not accompanied by a certified English or French translation
• You are not a permanent resident in the country in which you currently reside
• A medical condition that may require additional tests or consultations
• A criminal problem
• Family situation such as impending divorce or custody or maintenance issues
• Consultation is required with other offices in Canada and abroad
• Verification of information
• Inquiring about the status of your application before the standard processing time has passed.

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RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENTS

Permanent residents of Canada have the right to live, study and work in Canada as long as they remain permanent residents and are entitled to most social benefits accorded to Canadian citizens. When permanent resident meets citizenship requirements, he/she may apply for Canadian citizenship and a Canadian passport.

Limitations:

• You cannot vote in certain elections
• You may be ineligible for certain jobs requiring high-level security clearances
• If you or your dependants commit serious crimes, your or your dependants risk being deported from Canada.

You remain a permanent resident until you become a Canadian citizen or abandon Canada as your place of residence. You may be considered to have abandoned Canada if you have frequent and/or lengthy absences from the country. If you travel to Canada to present your visas for landing and then return to live in your home country indefinitely, you will lose your permanent resident status.

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FEES

There are two fees to be paid when applying for immigration to Canada - one is a processing fee and the other is a Right of Landing Fee (ROLF). The processing fee is not refundable whether your application is approved or not. The processing fee must be paid when you send your application.

The ROLF is required of every adult aged 21 or over in your family but, unlike the processing fee, is refundable if an immigrant visa is not issued or used, or if you withdraw your application. The ROLF can be paid at any time during the application process, but must be paid before an immigrant visa can be issued. If you don't pay ROLF when you submit your application, the visa office will contact you when it is the time to pay the ROLF.

	Immigrant Visa Processing Fee	Right of Landing Fee	Total of Processing Fee and ROLF		Total
Applicant	$550	$975	$1525		$1,525
Spouse	$550	$975	$1525		$1,525
Each dependant 19 years and over	$550	$975	$1525		$1525 * =?
Each dependant under 19 years	$150	Not Applicable	$150		$150 * =?

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Police Certificates/Clearances

You must provide a police certificate or clearance for yourself, your spouse (if applicable) and all of your dependants aged 18 or over from every country in which they have lived for six month or longer since the age of 18 indicating any criminal record.

It is your responsibility to contact the police or relevant authorities to obtain the necessary police certificate or clearance.

Persons who are not residents in the following countries will not be able to obtain police certificates.

Brazil	Czech Republic	Paraguay
Bulgaria	Ethiopia	Surinam
Chile	Jordan	Yemen
Comoros	Morocco

Do not attempt to obtain police certificates from the following countries.

The Canadian Consulate will enquire on your behalf.

Afghanistan	Guam	Mozambique
Albania	Guinea	Myanmar
Angola	Guinea Bissau	Nepal
Aruba	Haiti	New Zealand
Bangladesh	India	Nicaragua
Bolivia	Iraq	Pakistan
Burkina Faso	Ivory Cost	Rwanda
Burundi	Korea (South)	Saudi Arabia
Cape Verde	Kampuchea	Sierra Leone
Central African Republic	Laos	Somali Republic
Chad	Liberia	Sri Lanka
Chile	Mali, Republic of	Sudan
Congo	Maldives	Uganda
Cuba	Malaysia	Venezuela
Djibouti	Mauritania	Vietnam
Equatorial Guinea	Mexico	Zaire

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MEDICAL EXAM

Detailed medical instructions will be sent to you by a visa office. At the time that you receive your assessment notice you will also receive medical forms for yourself and your accompanying dependants if applicable, instructions and a list of doctors in your area who are authorizes to conduct immigration medical examinations. You are not required to have medical examinations before you submit your application to the visa office.

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THE RIGHT OF LANDING FEE

The Right of Landing Fee (landing fee) is payable by all adult immigrants 21 years of age and over who apply to become permanent residents of Canada. Every person seeking landing is required to pay regardless of nationality, ethnic origin or immigrant class.

Without the introduction of the landing fee, the Minister of Finance would have been forced to cut funding to the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. This would have resulted in cuts to the programs and services offered by CIC. A number of these programs provide newcomers with services such as language training, orientation and reception centres. Another option the government might have chosen was to charge prohibitively high user fees to those most in need of services and least able to pay, or even substantially reduce immigration levels. None of these options would have been beneficial to Canada.

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration regards the programs offered by the government, including settlement programs, as critically important services. By raising funds through the Right of Landing Fee, the government is strengthening its ability to sustain vital settlement services, in order that newcomers may become fully integrated and productive citizens.

The Right of Landing Fee is separate from the processing fee. The processing fee is non-refundable. It helps cover some of the costs of processing an application for permanent residence. In contrast, the Right of Landing Fee is refundable if permanent resident status is not granted.

The landing fee will not compromise Canada's international humanitarian commitment to protect refugees. No refugee will be denied protection simply because of an inability to pay the landing fee. A refugee accepted by the Immigration and Refugee Board will not be removed from Canada just because they cannot pay the landing fee.

In order to assist people who are unable to pay the landing fee, a new option was added to the existing Immigrant Loans Program. The Immigrant Loans Program allows people in genuine need, who can demonstrate an ability to repay, to obtain a loan to pay the Right of Landing Fee.

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NEW SELECTION SYSTEM FOR INDEPENDENT IMMIGRANTS

FACTOR		Final
EDUCATION		Maximum 25
University Degrees
PhD, or Master's, AND at least 17 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study		25
Two or more university degrees at the Bachelor's level AND at least 15 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study		22
A two-year university degree at the Bachelor's level AND at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study		20
A one-year university degree at the Bachelor's level AND at least 13 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study		15
Trade or Non-university Certificate or Diploma
A three-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship AND at least 15 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study		22
A two-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship AND at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study		20
A one-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship AND at least 13 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study		15
A one-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship AND at least 12 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study		12
Secondary School Educational Credential		5
LANGUAGE		Maximum 24
1st Lang.	High proficiency (per ability1)	4
	Moderate proficiency (per ability)	2
	Basic proficiency (per ability)	1 to max. of 2
	No proficiency	0
	Possible maximum (all four abilities)	16
2nd Lang.	High proficiency (per ability)	2
	Moderate proficiency (per ability)	2
	Basic proficiency (per ability)	1 to max. of 2
	No proficiency	0
	Possible maximum (all four abilities)	8
EXPERIENCE		Maximum 21
One year		15
Two years		17
Three years		19
Four years		21
AGE		Maximum 10
Maximum 10 points for:		21-49
Less two points for each year:		over 49 or under 21
ARRANGED EMPLOYMENT IN CANADA		Maximum 10
HRDC-confirmed permanent offer of employment		10
Applicants from within Canada holding a temporary work permit that is:
Validated by HRDC, including sectoral confirmations		10
Exempt from HRDC validation under international agreements (e.g., NAFTA) or significant benefit (i.e., intra-company transferee)		10
ADAPTABILITY		Maximum 10
Spouse's or common-law partner's education		3-5
Minimum one year of full-time authorized work in Canada2		5
Minimum two years of full-time authorized post-secondary study in Canada2		5
Informal job offer in Canada		0
Points received under the Arranged Employment factor		5
Family relationship in Canada2		5
TOTAL		Maximum 100

It is anticipated that the Minister will set the new Skilled Worker pass mark at 67 
points when the new selection system comes into effect upon proclamation 
of these Regulations.  

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Official Language Testing

The best way to provide proof of language skills is to take a language proficiency test given by an organization approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). If you do so, you will be able to see exactly how many points you will receive for the language factor according to your test results.

• Make arrangements for testing by an approved organization. You will have to pay the costs.

• Include the results of your test with your immigration application.

• You can use the equivalency charts to see exactly how many points you will earn based on your test results.

• The test results will be used by CIC as conclusive proof of your language skills.

• You can use language test results for one year from the time you took the test.

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

• Canadian International Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP)

• Test d'Evaluation de Francais (TEF)

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Providing Other Written Evidence  

If you choose not to take an approved language test, you must prove your ability to speak, listen, read and write Canada's official languages through other written evidence. You must provide written proof and explanation that clearly shows you meet the benchmark criteria listed in the Canadian Language Benchmarks in each of the four skills:

Submit your written explanation and documentation with your application. This material should include:

• a written submission explaining your training in English or French.

• an explanation of how you commonly use English or French.

• official documentation of education in English or French. and

• official documentation of work experience in English or French.

What Happens Next:

An officer from Citizenship and Immigration Canada will look at the evidence you include with your application.

• Your submission must satisfy the officer that your language skills meet the benchmarks for the level you are claiming.

• The officer does not have to ask you for more evidence so include as much evidence and documentation with your application as you can.

• The officer will not interview you to assess your language skills.

• The officer will award points for your language ability based on what you send with your application. You will not know how many points the CIC Officer gives you for your language skills or if the CIC Officer is satisfied that you have clearly demonstrated the level of language skills you claim on your application.

Note: We strongly recommend that you take an official language test if you are claiming skills in a language that you have not used from birth.

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The Permanent Resident Card (also known as the Maple Leaf Card or the PR Card) is a new, wallet-sized, plastic card. People who have completed the Canadian immigration process and have obtained Permanent Resident status, but are not Canadian Citizens can apply for the card. The card replaces the IMM 1000 as the status document needed by Canadian Permanent Residents re-entering Canada on a commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train and bus) as of December 31, 2003.

Security features of the new PR Card will simplify the screening process of Permanent Residents when boarding a commercial carrier going to Canada. The card also increases Canada's border security and improves the integrity of Canada's immigration process.

Beginning on June 28, 2002, PR Cards is mailed to new Permanent Residents of Canada as part of the landing process. People who are already in Canada as Permanent Residents can apply for the new PR Card beginning October 15, 2002.

Beginning on June 28, 2002, all new Permanent Residents is automatically receive their PR Card in the mail following their arrival in Canada. At the point of entry in Canada, personal data will be confirmed as part of the landing process.

Existing Permanent Residents

PR Cards will be available to Permanent Residents upon application only. CIC will process applications according to a published schedule based on the applicant's year of landing.

There are approximately 1.5 million Permanent Residents in Canada who are eligible to apply for a new PR Card. Applications for existing Permanent Residents is available after September 15, 2002.

New PR Card Fees

The PR Card costs $50.00 per applicant. Each person applying for Permanent Residence status in Canada will need a card (children included.) The Card is normally valid for five years. All Permanent Residents will need a valid PR Card for re-entry into Canada on a commercial carrier as of December 31, 2003. It will be the cardholder's responsibility to make sure their card will be valid at the time of their return to Canada. If a Permanent Resident with a PR Card has become a Canadian Citizen, the PR Card is automatically cancelled. This person would then need to obtain a Canadian passport for international travel purposes.