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6/10/2014
Topic:
Am I eligible for OSAP?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

Regarding your question about OSAP, you can find some detailed information in our Settlement.Org Who is eligible for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)? article.

Here is an excerpt,

To be eligible to apply for financial assistance from the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), you must be a:

-Canadian citizen;
-Permanent resident; or
-Protected person/convention refugee with a Protected Persons Status Document (PPSD).


Regarding the SIN, you can find some information in our Settlement.Org How do I get a Social Insurance Number (SIN)? article.

Here is an excerpt,

Who can get a Social Insurance Number?

If you are eligible to work in Canada, you can get a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

This includes:
-Canadian citizens
-Permanent residents
-Some temporary residents
-Some refugee claimants

If you are a refugee claimant or a temporary resident, you will get a SIN with an expiration date. These SINs start with 9.


You can find some specific details regarding which documents are required in order to apply in our Settlement.Org What documents do I need to apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN)? article.

Here is an excerpt,

Temporary Residents

Temporary residents have to show 1 of these documents. Temporary residents include foreign workers and foreign students:

-Work Permit (sometimes called an Employment Authorization) – From Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
-Study Permit (sometimes called a Student Authorization) – From Citizenship and Immigration Canada and an employment contract from an on-campus employer or a student work permit (off-campus work permit or co-op work permit).
-Visitor Record that shows you are authorized to work in Canada – From Citizenship and Immigration Canada and an employment contract.
-Diplomatic Identity Card – From the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. You also need a letter of permission to work.


You may want to contact the nearest Immigrant and Refugee serving organization for some assistance.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/10/2014
Topic:
Should we send Additional Documents? - Citizenship

Moderator
Moderator
Hello JL,

Thanks for sharing your situation and question with us.

In terms of including the additional information and documents, according to a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre Representative, generally, you should include what you are asked to include, however, they stated that if you like you can include this additional documentation. Unfortunately though, there are no guarantees that it will help you to avoid getting the RQ.

From what we can understand from what we have heard from several Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre Representatives , it sounds like the Residence Questionnaire is done and considered on a case by case basis. It is given to applicants even in cases where people have gone well over and above and met the residency requirement.

The main reason why there may have been a higher number of Citizenship applicants receiving RQs, is due to an audit of the Citizenship program.

There are even those who have gone well over and above the residency requirement have received the RQ.

You may want to contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre directly for some additional information.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/10/2014
Topic:
Is the Hospital violating my Rights?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello Mika,

Thank you for sharing your situation with us. We are sorry that you have had to experience this. We can appreciate that this would be very concerning and frustrating.

You can find some detailed information in our Settlement.Org What are my rights as a patient? article.

Here is an excerpt,

Your Rights

In general, as a patient, you have a right to:

-Receive safe and proper care.
-Give or refuse consent for any procedure, and for any reason.
-Have a medical professional clearly explain health problems and treatments to you.
-Participate in health care decisions.
-Ask questions and express concerns.
-Request a second opinion; within reason.
-Be assured that personal information is confidential.
-Request to access your health information records.
-Request the transfer of your health records to another medical professional; you may be charged a fee.


This article also outlines what your options are and the complaint process.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/10/2014
Topic:
Affect my Timeline? - Change Province

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

According to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website in the Change of Address section,

If you have an application in process, you must notify CIC of a change of address.


The Application for Canadian citizenship under subsection 5(1) — Adults 18 years of age and older (CIT 0002) guide also states,

During the application process, you must advise us of any change of address or telephone number


You may want to contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Call Centre directly for some additional information regarding your own situation and to find out if and how it will affect your timeline.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/10/2014
Topic:
Spouse of Study Permit Holder

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to provide information about this type of application process.

However, you can find some detailed information on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website.

Your spouse may also want to contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre directly for some information.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/10/2014
Topic:
Would like to go to University

Moderator
Moderator
Hello Jmalik,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

It is unclear if you are interested in studying in Ontario and if you are interested in studying as a permanent resident or as an international student.

If you are interested in studying in Ontario, you may find some helpful information in our Settlement.Org How do I choose the right university or college for me? article.

If you are interested in studying in Ontario as an international student, you can find some details on this process in our Do I need a study permit? How do I apply? article.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/12/2014
Topic:
Add a New Tenant to Existing Lease - Possible?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation your situation with us. We can appreciate that you would be concerned about your girlfriend's situation.

It is important that you find out what your rights are.

You may want to contact the nearest Community Legal Clinic for some assistance.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/12/2014
Topic:
EI and Sponsorship

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and questions with us.

From information we have received from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre, EI is not counted as social assistance since it forms part of your income as you mentioned, and it is something that you have paid into.

However, we suggest that you contact CIC directly for some additional information regarding your own situation and if this will affect this application. You can contact them here:

1-888-242-2100 (In Canada Only)

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/12/2014
Topic:
Question about Canadian Passport - Foreign Country

Moderator
Moderator
Hello Alex,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us. It is great that you are looking into this type of information. This is a very important question.

According to the Passport Canada (CIC) Call Centre, it is very important that you contact the foreign authorities or consulate of the country you are interested in getting dual citizenship from directly in order to confirm if this is a genuine requirement or part of their normal procedure.

The Passport Canada (CIC) Call Centre agent stated that this is very important information to confirm because of the nature of the information contained in your passport.

They also stated that it is very important to confirm that you are not dealing with an intermediary company where it is difficult to confirm whether or not they are legitimate.

We suggest that you contact the Passport Canada (CIC) Call Centre directly to confirm this information and for additional information.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/12/2014
Topic:
How Long does the Address Notification Take?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

You are very welcome!

You can find the Check your application status tool on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/13/2014
Topic:
Urgent PR Renewal Application - Delayed

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your mother's situation with us.

If your mother leaves Canada without her PR Card, in order to return to Canada, if she does not have a valid PR Card, it is likely she will have to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) at the nearest Canadian Visa Office.

She may want to contact the nearest Canadian Visa Office for specific information on her situation if she is outside Canada.

We also suggest that you may want to contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre directly once again to see if they have any suggestions or some more information specific to her situation.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/16/2014
Topic:
How can I get a Divorce?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

Regarding getting divorced in Canada, you can find some information in the Marriage and Divorce publication from the Family Law Education for Women website.

Here is an excerpt,

"Getting a divorce in Canada

There is one law about divorce for everyone in Canada. It is called the Divorce Act. No matter where you live in Canada, the law and the process of getting a divorce are the same.

You must apply for a divorce in family court. Either you or your spouse can file the application or both of you can file a joint application. Your application can ask for just a divorce, or it can ask the court to decide about custody, support and how to divide property. These are called claims for corollary relief.

When you apply for a divorce, you must show that your marriage has broken down. There are three ways to do this. The most common way is when you and your spouse have been living separate and apart for at least one year before you applied for a divorce. You can live “separate and apart” in the same house if you no longer behave as though you are married.

It is also possible to get a divorce if one of you has committed adultery or your spouse has been so physically or mentally cruel that you can no longer live together."

In terms of filing in Ontario, it does not matter if you were married in another province or country. You can apply for divorce if you have been living in Ontario for at least one year.

Only one spouse must reside in the Province of Ontario for at least a year before the divorce is granted.

In your situation, we suggest that you speak to a lawyer regarding your situation if necessary. You can contact an Information and Referral Coordinator through the nearest Family Law Information Centre (FLIC). Information and Referral Coordinators are available at certain locations.

Regarding your issues related to your status in Canada, it is important that you speak to a lawyer who is familiar with immigration related issues.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/17/2014
Topic:
Sponsorship - Can I Sponsor my Spouse?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello Rose,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We have had others ask similar questions in the past.

You may be able to find some helpful information in our previous Settlement.Org Can I Re-Sponsor My Family? discussion thread.

You may also want to contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre directly for some information.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/17/2014
Topic:
Should we send Additional Documents? - Citizenship

Moderator
Moderator
You are very welcome.

Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to provide a definitive response to that question. There are no guarantees.

We hope that others who have had a similar experience, can share some suggestions or comments with you.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org
6/17/2014
Topic:
Passed Citizenship Test - Next Steps?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

In terms of including the additional information and documents, according to a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre Representative, generally, you should send/include what you are asked to include. Unfortunately though, there are no guarantees that sending additional documents or not will avoid any chances of seeing a judge.

Sometimes, in order to get another response or clarification, it is necessary to call the the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Centre to speak to several representatives to find out if they have any additional information on this process.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org