Canadian citizens and permanent residents living in Canada, 18 years of age or older, may sponsor close relatives or family members who want to become permanent residents of Canada. Sponsors must promise to support the relative or family member and their accompanying family members for a period of 3 to 10 years to help them settle in Canada.

You can sponsor relatives or family members from abroad if they are:

• Spouses, common-law or conjugal partners 16 years of age or older.

• Parents and grandparents.

• Dependent children, including adopted children.

• Children under 18 years of age whom you intend to adopt

• Brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces or grandchildren who are orphans; under the age of 18 and not married or in a common-law relationship.

• You may also sponsor one relative of any age if you do not have an aunt, uncle or family member from the list above who you could sponsor or who is already a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

A son or daughter is dependent when the child:

• ...is under the age of 22 and does not have a spouse or common-law partner.

• ...is a full time student and is substantially dependent on a parent for financial support since before the age of 22, or since becoming a spouse or common-law partner (if this happened before age 22).

• ...is financially dependent on a parent since before the age of 22 because of a disability.

Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class

You may also sponsor a spouse or common-law partner from within Canada if they have been living with you in Canada. Sponsorship of a spouse or common-law partner includes their dependent children whether inside or outside of Canada

Sponsorship by a Canadian Citizen Living Abroad

A Canadian citizen may sponsor their spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or children while they are living together with them in a foreign country. To qualify, the sponsor must show that he or she and the sponsored relative intend to reside in Canada once the relative obtains permanent residence.

Free Immigration Online Assessment

Entrepreneur Visa

Entrepreneurs are persons who have successful experience starting and running their own business. The Entrepreneur Program seeks to attract experienced business persons who will own and actively manage businesses in Canada that contribute to the Canadian economy and create jobs.

To qualify as an Entrepreneur you must have managed a qualifying business and controlled a percentage of equity of a qualifying business for at least two years in the period beginning five years before the date of your application. An Entrepreneur class applicant must have a net worth of at least $300,000 Canadian dollars.

A qualifying business refers to a business for which you can demonstrate any two of the following. In each of any two years in the period beginning five years before the date of application for a permanent resident visa and ending on the date a determination is made in respect of the application:

1. The percentage of equity multiplied by the number of full-time job equivalents (defined as 1,950 hours of paid employment) is equal to or greater than two full-time job equivalents per year.

2. The percentage of equity multiplied by the total annual sales is equal to or greater than CDN$500,000.

3. The percentage of equity multiplied by the net income in the year is equal to or greater than CAN $50,000.

4. The percentage of equity multiplied by the net assets at the end of the year is equal to or greater than CAN $125,000.

Free Immigration Online Assessment

Investor Visa

The Immigrant Investor Program (IIP) seeks to attract experienced business persons and their capital to Canada. The IIP is a government initiative aimed at helping business investors and their families gain entry to Canada by making an investment in the country’s economic development and fuelling job creation.

The following outlines some of the requirements that an Investor applicant must satisfy under the Immigrant Investor Program:

• Minimum net worth of at least $800,000 Canadian dollars.

• Have a minimum of at least 2 years managerial experience.

• Make an investment of $400,000 Canadian dollars for a period of five years, which will be repaid (without interest) at the end of the five year period. Financing options are available.

Business experience in either one of the following

1. Managed a qualifying business and controlled a percentage of equity of a qualifying business for at least two years in the period beginning five years before the date of application.

2. Must have managed at least five full-time job equivalents (defined as 1,950 hours of paid employment) per year in a business for at least two years in the period beginning five years before the date of application.

Advantages of the Investor Program

• Investors are not required to start a business in Canada.

• All the money paid by the investor into the investment fund is guaranteed by the Canadian government so there is no chance of the investment being lost.

• The provinces and territories control the investment during the five year lock-in period.

• No immigration conditions are imposed upon admission to Canada.

Free Immigration Online Assessment

Self-Employed Persons Visa

The Self-Employed Person Program allows applicants with relevant experience in culture, athletics or farm management to immigrate to Canada provided that they make a significant contribution to the cultural or athletic life of Canada or purchase and manage a farm in Canada.

To qualify for a self employed visa, you must have a minimum of two years of experience in one of the relevant activities (culture, athletics or farm management). These two years of experience must have been gained during the period beginning five years before the date of your application for a permanent resident visa and ending on the day a determination is made on your application.

For those involved in cultural activities, your experience must consist of:

1. Two one-year periods of experience in self-employment in cultural activities.

2. Two one-year periods of experience in participation at a world-class level in cultural activities,.

3. A combination of a one-year period of experience described in clause (A) and a one-year period of experience described in clause (B).

For athletics, your experience must consist of:

1. Two one-year periods of experience in self-employment in athletics.

2. Two one-year periods of experience in participation at a world-class level in athletics.

3. A combination of a one-year period of experience described in clause (A) and a one-year period of experience described in clause (B).

For farm managers, in respect of the purchase and management of a farm, you are required to have:

1. At least two one-year periods of experience in the management of a farm.

Free Immigration Online Assessment

Work Permits

Every year, over 90,000 foreign workers enter Canada to work temporarily to help Canadian employers address skill shortages. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) ensure that these workers will support economic growth in Canada and create more opportunities for all Canadian job seekers.

In almost all cases, you must have a valid work permit to work in Canada.

These steps must be followed before you apply for a work permit:

1. An employer must first offer you a job.

2. HRSDC must normally provide a labour market opinion or "confirmation" of your job offer. However, some types of work are exempt from this process.

3. After HRSDC confirms that a foreign national may fill the job, you apply to CIC for your work permit.

The Employment Division of Rasmusson & Associates offers employment services whether you are inside or outside of Canada.  Rasmusson & Associates’ employment services availability depends on the client’s education, experience and on the current labor market. Every client’s case is assessed on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to be considered for a job opportunity in Canada, please send us your resume to: info@2immigrate.net. If you would like to be assessed for permanent residence as a skilled worker, please fill out our  Free Immigration Online Assessment or contact us.

Student Visas

If you are planning to study in Canada and looking for a suitable educational program or if you are already in Canada and would like to extend your current student visa, Rasmusson & Associates can help you.

We can assist you to find a suitable program that fits your educational objectives. For example, if you would like to come to Canada to study English, we can assist you registering in an ESL (English as a Second Language) program.

Alternatively, we may assist you with enrolling in a college program of your choice, such as a Paralegal Diploma, Accounting Diploma, Engineering Diploma, Health Care and Dental Diploma, Information Technology and Digital Media Diploma, Community Service and Child Care Diploma, among others.

If you are already a student in Canada and would like to obtain a work permit to work-off campus or if you are about to graduate and would like to obtain a post-graduate work permit; we can accommodate you to obtain a work permit.

For more information, please contact us. 

Check the Status of your File

For the past few years it has been very difficult to obtain a status report of an applicant's file at a Canadian Embassy or Consulate by writing for it. There is only one certain method to obtain detailed information about the current status of your application, and this is by requesting a copy of your CAIPS Report.

The Computer Assisted Immigration Processing System, which is so-called the CAIPS System, is a computer system used by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to process visa applications.

You may be interested in obtaining a copy of your CAIPS report if:

1. you have been invited to attend an interview as this will help you prepare for the interview.

2. you feel that your application is taking much longer than usual or you have not heard anything from the visa office for a long time.

3. The date on which your application is set to be reviewed.

4. If you have any question regarding the application or you are just curious about the status of your application.

Requesting a CAIPS file will not delay or interfere with the processing of your application.

We can obtain a copy of your CAIPS file even if you previously used a lawyer or consultant to help prepare and file your application.

To obtain a copy of your CAIPS Report please Contact us.

Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, Quebec has the sole responsibility for selecting all independent immigrants outside Canada who wish to settle in Quebec.

If you are interested in immigrating to Montreal or another city in the province of Quebec, you are required to meet the Quebec’s selection criteria.

It is important to note that the Quebec Skilled Worker criteria is different than the Federal Skilled Worker Class criteria.

Quebec Skilled Worker applicants must score sufficient points based on the selection factors described below to obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate (QSC). A single applicant (no spouse or common-law partner/conjugal partner) must score at least 49 points on the selection system below. However, an applicant with a spouse or common-law/conjugal partner must score at least 57 points.

The Quebec Immigration selection factors may be summarized as follows:

Up to an additional 6 points may be awarded upon the interview for Adaptability.  With these points awarded, a single applicant must score a minimum of 55 points.  An applicant with a spouse or common-law/conjugal partner must score at least 63 points.

Successful Quebec Skilled Worker applicants are granted QSC. Subsequently, these applicants are required to apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada and undergo medical and security examinations to obtain a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa.

If you would like Rasmusson & Associates to fully assess your case under the Quebec Skilled Worker program, please fill out our Free Immigration Online Assessment. You may also contact us if you require additional information.