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10/18/2016
Topic:
Do not have a PR Card - Citizenship Application

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We can appreciate that you would be concerned.

As far as we know, a valid PR card is not required to apply for Citizenship. The permanent resident (PR) card is the official proof that you are a permanent resident of Canada. You use it to enter and stay in Canada when you return from another country. However, it is not a requirement to have it in order to maintain your permanent residency. For example, for those who do have a PR card, if your PR card expires, it does not mean you have lost permanent resident status.

According to the Immigration, Refugees and Canadian Citizenship website in the Notifications regarding citizenship ceremonies section,

The documents the candidate must bring with them to the ceremony (notice, personal identification, IMM 1000, IMM 5292/IMM 5688, and/or PR card and a holy book of their choice, if they wish to use one to swear the oath of citizenship);


As you can see it states "and/or PR card".

We suggest that you get some additional clarification by calling the Immigration, Refugees and Canadian Citizenship Call Centre directly.

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
10/18/2016
Topic:
Which Documents are needed for SIN?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

It is best that you contact Service Canada directly to find out if there are any other options regarding the Primary Document requirement.

Canada toll-free: 1-800-206-7218 (select option "3")
Canada TTY: 1-800-926-9105
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Atlantic time
Closed statutory holidays.

Outside Canada: 1-506-548-7961 (long-distance charges apply)
TTY: 1-800-926-9105
Hours of operation: Monday 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Atlantic time
Closed statutory holidays.

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
10/18/2016
Topic:
Do I need to apply for OHIP?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us.

Yes, you should apply for OHIP. There is no cost to apply for OHIP.

You can find some helpful information in our Settlement.Org How do I apply for a Health Card (OHIP)? article.

During the three-month waiting period for Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage, according to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care website,

If you move to Ontario directly from another province and apply for coverage, your OHIP coverage will begin on the first day of the third month after establishing residence in Ontario, provided you were insured in your previous province or territory.

Your valid health card from your former province will continue to provide you with health insurance coverage in accordance with that province/territory's plan during the waiting period.


Since a year has already passed, you may need to confirm with ServiceOntario regarding your previous province's coverage.

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
10/18/2016
Topic:
Does he need a Visa to go to the USA?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We can appreciate that you would be interested in this type of information.

As you may have noticed, the Settlement.Org website is mainly about settling in and living in Ontario, Canada. Therefore, you may not find a great deal of information regarding the requirements for travelling to the United States.

However, you can find some detailed information in our Settlement.Org What do I need to know about travelling to the United States? article.

You may also want to look at some information on the U.S Customs and Border Protection website in the Entering the U.S. - Documents required for Foreign Nationals section.

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
10/18/2016
Topic:
Rent Increase - What is legal?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We can appreciate that you would be concerned about this situation.

The guideline for 2016, the limit is 2.0%.

In terms of increasing the rent, there are some exceptions.

You can find some detailed information on rent increases in our Settlement.Org How often can a landlord increase the rent? article.

Here is an excerpt,

It is important to note that the rent control guideline does not apply to new rental buildings. A new rental building is a building that was occupied as a residential unit for the first time starting November 1991; like a new apartment or condo building or a converted factory that is now an apartment building.


You can find some more information on the Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) website.

Here is an excerpt,

Exceptions

The guideline does not apply to some newer rental housing, for example:

-a unit that was never occupied for any purpose before June 17, 1998, or
-a building that had no one living in it before November 1, 1991.

In these units, there is no limit to how much a landlord can increase the rent. But the 12-month and 90-day rules still apply.


As stated, in these units, there is no limit to how much a landlord can increase the rent.

You may want to contact the nearest Community Legal Clinic if you have any additional questions or concerns.

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
10/18/2016
Topic:
OAS, proof of permanent departure from Canada

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We can appreciate that you would be interested in this type of information.

We have had others ask similar questions related to similar issues with proving time spent in Canada.

You can find some helpful information on the Information Sheet for the Old Age Security Pension - Service Canada and the Old Age Security pension page on from the Government of Ontario. Here is an excerpt,

If you have not lived continuously in Canada since the age of 18, you must submit proof of all the dates you arrived in or left Canada for periods of over six months. You can do this by providing your passports, visas, airline, ship, and bus tickets, and other requested documents that prove your residence history in Canada.


When official documents are not available, additional evidence may be submitted such as school and census records, letters from employers, and contracts (mortgage, lease, etc.). Contact us for examples of acceptable proof. If you have already provided these documents to us, you do not have to provide them again.

The application kit contains more details about these requirements.


For more information and for information specifically related to whether or not what your husband has as proof is acceptable, you can call 1-800-277-9914 (from Canada and the United States) / 1-800-255-4786 (TTY: if you have a hearing or speech impairment and use a teletypewriter) / 1-613-957-1954 (from all other countries, collect calls accepted).

It is best to have your social insurance number ready when you call.

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
10/18/2016
Topic:
PR living abroad with Canadian citizen for 9 years

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for your kind words and feedback.

Regarding your question, you can find some additional information in the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada -How long must I stay in Canada to keep my permanent resident status? FAQ. Here is an excerpt,


"Residency Requirement

To maintain your status as a permanent resident, you must live in Canada for at least two years within a five-year period. During this time you must be here physically.The two years may not need to be continuous.

An officer can confirm if your time in Canada counts when you:
  • re-enter Canada, or
  • apply for a permanent resident card.

Time spent outside Canada may also count towards the two years if you are:

  • travelling with your spouse or partner who is a Canadian citizen,
  • a child travelling with his or her father or mother who is a Canadian citizen,
  • an employee of (or under contract to) a Canadian business.

It may also count if you are:

travelling with your spouse or partner who is a permanent resident and works full-time for:

  • a Canadian business, or
  • the public service of Canada or a province,"

Unfortunately, it does not state a situation where a parent accompanies a Canadian citizen child.


You may want to get someone in Canada to contact the IRCC Call Centre directly for some clarification and additional information regarding maintaining residency requirements.


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
10/18/2016
Topic:
Living in Windsor - Working in Detroit

Moderator
Moderator
Hello Boban,

Thank you for sharing your question with us.

According to the ENF 23 Loss of Permanent Resident Status manual,

"6.4. Day

For the purpose of calculating the number of days to comply with the residency obligation in A28(2)(a), a day includes a full day or any part of a day that a permanent resident is physically present in Canada. Any part of a day spent in Canada, or otherwise in compliance with A28(2)(a), is to be counted as one full day for the purpose of calculating the 730 days in a five-year period."

Additionally, according to the FAQ on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website:


Q11: I travel often because of my work (truck driver, employee for an airline company, etc.). Do I have to declare those absences?

A11: Yes. All absences from Canada, regardless of the reason, must be declared. The only trips you do not have to declare are those where you left and came back to Canada on the same day.


We suggest that it is best that you contact some IRCC representatives directly to confirm this information and to get some clarification and 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
10/18/2016
Topic:
Want to Sponsor my Husband - Need Info

Moderator
Moderator
Hello Maria,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We are sorry we are unable to provide a definitive response regarding your question.

It is best that you contact a lawyer who is familiar with these type of family law 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
10/18/2016
Topic:
Ontario Works Rent Portion

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your update.

You may want to contact the nearest Community Legal Clinic for some advice regarding your 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
10/18/2016
Topic:
Renewing PR and SIN card

Moderator
Moderator
Hello Harry,

We suggest that it is best that once you arrrive in Canada that you contact some IRCC representatives directly to confirm this information and to get some clarification and 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
10/18/2016
Topic:
I Have Lost my IMM 1000 - Citizenship

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

We suggest that it is best that you contact some IRCC representatives directly to confirm this information and to get some clarification and 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
10/18/2016
Topic:
My PR card is Expiring

Moderator
Moderator
Hello Biplab,

As stated above, to find out if someone has fulfilled their residency requirements, each time a Permanent Resident re-enters Canada, the Officer will count back 5 years from the date the permanent resident has re-entered Canada.

In that 5 year period, if the permanent resident has not accumulated 2 years (730 days) of physical presence in Canada, then it may be determined that the permanent resident has lost their PR status.

The five-year time frame set out in the Refugee and Immigrant Protection Act is not static. Rather it is a moveable window that is dependent on the time at which a visa officer examines your situation. Therefore, if you cannot fulfill the two-year (730 day) requirement for the five-year time frame starting from when you became a permanent resident, you should remain in Canada until you can satisfy the requirement for another five-year time frame.

The IRCC’s Permanent Residency Status Determination Manual states:

"For persons who have been permanent residents of Canada for more than five years, the only five-year period that can be considered in calculating whether an applicant has met the residency obligation is the one immediately before the application is received in the visa office. A28(2)(b)(ii) precludes a visa officer from examining any period other than the most recent five-year period immediately before the date of receipt of the application."

It is important to note that you do not lose your permanent resident status the instant your Permanent Resident Card expires.

Since the officer cannot choose any five-year time period for consideration, but must always assess the most recent five-year time period (the one immediately preceding examination), you may still have the opportunity to satisfy the two-year “in Canada” requirement.

We suggest that you speak to a Lawyer who is familiar with Canadian immigration issues for additional information regarding your 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
10/18/2016
Topic:
Can I Sponsor my Spouse as a Student?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

As you may already know, the sponsorship guidelines only state that you cannot be an undeclared bankrupt or be receiving social assistance.

In your case, if you do not have employment, IRCC will likely ask you to demonstrate how you can support your spouse in Canada without any income.

We suggest that it is best if you contact the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Call Centre directly for information specific to your situation and for responses specific to your questions.

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
10/20/2016
Topic:
Language Proof for Citizenship Application

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We can appreciate that you would be interested in this information.

It is best if you use this Acceptable language proof to apply for citizenship wizard to confirm what is acceptable in your own situation.

You may also want to contact the Call Centre directly for some information and assistance regarding your 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