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1/31/2023 Topic: High school students need credential evaluation? Moderator	Hi there, Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us! OntarioColleges.ca will accept credential assessment reports from ICAS, WES, or CES, however some colleges have preferences with regard to which services they accept reports from. If you would like to confirm this information for your specific programs, please contact the colleges that you are applying to about their credential evaluation requirements. You may also find helpful information about this process in Settlement.Org articles about credential evaluation. Colleges typically assess your grades from the most recent (in this case, fall) semester, and may take your mid-term results into account depending on the time of year. You can apply to colleges while still completing your diploma if this is your last year of high school, you do not have to wait until the school year ends. The deadline is fast approaching, but late applications will be accepted for some programs. Whether or not an international GED is accepted may also vary by program. You may want to e-mail the program department to confirm this. Feel free to browse the Programs page on the Ontario Colleges website and follow the website links of the programs you are interested in for information about their eligibility requirements. This will give you the information you need about what each program is looking for in a prospective student. If your grades fall below their admission requirement, you can always re-take/upgrade those courses and apply again next year. Colleges will always take the most recent grade for that course in assessing your application. We hope this information is helpful. Please follow up with us if you have any further questions. We wish you the best of luck in this application! Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org team
1/31/2023 Topic: PR Card renewal Moderator	Hello There, Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us. IRCC may take humanitarian and compassionate reasons into consideration for your mother staying outside of Canada for an extended period of time during the pandemic. This is up to IRCC and it would be best for you or your mother to contact the local visa office or IRCC via web form to get more details about her specific application and what kind of supporting documents she may require. You may also wish to consult a reputable and registered immigration consultant or an immigration lawyer about her situation. We hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org Team
1/31/2023 Topic: Tax Filing for Canada Citizenship Moderator	Hi there, Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us. According to IRCC's application guide about applying for citizenship: Filing income tax: You may need to file taxes in Canada for at least 3 years during the 5 years right before the date you apply. Find out if you need to file your taxes You may want to contact the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Client Support Centre directly to see if they can provide some clarification and information specific to your situation. We hope this information is helpful. Please follow up with us if you have any further questions. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org Team
1/31/2023 Topic: How can I get a personal loan? Moderator	Hi there, Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us. If your credit score is below average, you may find that credit lenders are willing to lend at a higher interest rates, fees, and terms. You may want to speak with a financial advisor and be mindful of the terms you agree to so that you can pay the loan off in a timely manner while maintaining your current lifestyle. Financial planners look at all aspects of your financial situation, such as tax planning, estate planning and retirement planning, and work with you to prepare a plan to help you meet your financial goals. In many cases, your bank or financial institution will have people who can provide this service. However, there are also other private institutions that provide these services. Financial planning is not a regulated profession. However, financial planners can choose to be certified (Certified Financial Planner or CFP), in which case they must operate under a Code of Ethics [PDF]. Choosing a financial planner who is right for you is not easy. This person should have strong product and market knowledge, be trustworthy and understand your personal situation, goals and lifestyle. I hope this information is helpful, please feel free to connect with us if you have any further questions. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org team
1/31/2023 Topic: PR renewal application over 4 years Moderator	Hi there, Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us. For updates related to your specific case it is best that you contact IRCC using their web form. It may also be useful to note that processing time does not include the wait time before they receive the application, and starts once they receive a completed application. IRCC may take humanitarian and compassionate reasons into consideration for an extended stay outside of Canada. This is up to IRCC and it would be best for you to contact the local visa office or IRCC via the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Client Support Centre to get more details about your specific applications and what kind of supporting documents you may require. You may also wish to consult a reputable and registered immigration consultant or an immigration lawyer about this situation. If you find yourself in a position where you need to travel and do not have a valid PR card, you may also find helpful information in the Settlement.Org article, I need to leave Canada but do not have my PR card yet. What should I do? We hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org Team
1/31/2023 Topic: PRTD Application for my parents Moderator	Hi there, Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us. For updates related to your specific case file, it is best that you contact IRCC using their web form. It may also be useful to note that processing time does not include the wait time before they receive the application, and starts once they receive a completed application. You may also wish to contact your local visa office or look at other options for contacting IRCC at the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Client Support Centre. We hope this information is helpful. Please follow up with us if you have any further questions. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org team
1/31/2023 Topic: Ontario Photo Card Application Cancellation Moderator	Hello, Thank you for sharing your mother's situation and question with us. It may be best for you to contact the ServiceOntario Call Centre directly for some assistance with regards to cancelling your photo card application. We 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. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org team
1/31/2023 Topic: Nonstandard lease as a proof of residency for OHIP Moderator	Hello, Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us. You have quite a few options to prove residency for this application and can find some detailed information in our Settlement.Org What documents do I need to apply for a Health Card (OHIP)? article. Here is an excerpt: Proof of Residency A document that has your name and current home address. This document confirms that your principal home is in Ontario. Child Tax Benefit Statement Employer record (pay stub or letter from employer on company letterhead) Income tax assessment (most recent) Insurance policy (home, tenant, auto or life) Monthly mailed bank account statements for savings or chequing accounts (does not include receipts, bank books, letters or automated teller receipts) Mortgage, rental or lease agreement Ontario Motor Vehicle Permit (plate or vehicle portions) Property tax bill School, college or university report card or transcript Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Works Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Disability Support Program Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid T4E Statement of Old Age Security T4A (OAS) or Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits T4A (P) Statement of Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF), or Registered Home Ownership Savings Plan (RHOSP) from a financial institution (bank, trust company, credit union) Utility bill received by mail (home telephone, cable TV, public utilities commission, hydro, gas, water) Valid Ontario Driver's Licence Temporary Driver's Licence (you must also show a photo license card with the same address) Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits T5007 Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contribution Valid Ontario Photo Card For official information about OHIP eligibility and what type of documents are acceptable, please contact Service Ontario: In Canada: 1-800-268-1154 TTY: 1-800-387-5559 We 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. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org Team
1/31/2023 Topic: Protected Person Moderator	Hi there, Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us. You may find helpful information in the Steps to Justice article, This is my first job in Canada. What do I need to work? Here is an excerpt: You will need a Social Insurance Number (SIN). A SIN is a 9-digit number that you need to work in Canada or to use government programs and get benefits. Your employer uses your SIN on forms that they have to fill out related to your work. For example, your SIN goes on income tax, Employment Insurance, and Canada Pension Plan forms. If you're not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, your SIN will start with the number 9. An employer will know by your SIN that you: don't have the right to remain permanently in Canada might need a work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada If you don't have a SIN, you need to apply for one. Work permits: If you're not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, you might also need a work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. An employer can ask to see your work permit to prove that you have the right to work in Canada. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has a list of jobs that foreign workers can do without a work permit. For example, an international student in a full-time program might not need a work permit. Keep your documents safeYour employer does not have the right to keep your passport, immigration documents, or other personal papers. But sometimes employers want to do this. If your employer asks to keep your documents or takes them and won't give them back, you may want to get legal help. If you're not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and you have problems related to your employer taking your documents, you might need to get legal advice about your status in Canada. We hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here and follow up with us. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org team
1/31/2023 Topic: WES WRONG EVALUATION Moderator	Payal1992 wrote: I have already contacted WES many times regarding my issue, but they are reverting with the same reply every time. I told them that I have documents from.my college which states that my degree is affiated with AICTE . They are emailing with a no reply email therefore I can't reply them back. What should i do. Hi there, It is best that you contact WES directly for information specific to your case. Be prepared with your WES reference number and call the (+1) 800-361-6106 to reach an operator. We hope that other users will be able to share their experience with you regarding status changes. You may also be interested in Settlement.Org articles on Credential Evaluation, this may offer more insight on getting your credentials assessed and referrals for other institutions providing the same service. We 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. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org Team
1/31/2023 Topic: Waiting on Acknowledgement Moderator	Hi there, Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us. For updates related to your specific case file, it is best that you contact IRCC using their web form. It may also be useful to note that processing time does not include the wait time before they receive the application, and starts once they receive a completed application. You may also wish to contact your local visa office or look at other options for contacting IRCC at the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Client Support Centre. You may also find helpful information by checking estimates for processing times using this calculator on the IRCC website. We hope this information is helpful. Please follow up with us if you have any further questions. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org team
1/31/2023 Topic: PR card renewal Moderator	Hemmen wrote: If my card expires February 2023 am I able to travel in February Hello There, Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us. You will need to provide a valid PR card or PRTD to return to Canada. Based on information on the IRCC website, you will likely need to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document to return to Canada if your PR card is expired/invalid. According to the IRCC Help Centre article What happens if my permanent resident card expires while I am outside Canada?: If you’re outside Canada and don’t have a valid PR card, you need a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) to return to Canada. You can only apply for a PRTD from outside Canada. If you try to return to Canada without a PR card or PRTD, you may not be able to take your flight, train, bus or boat to Canada. We hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here. You may want to contact your local visa office or IRCC via web form for information specific to your situation. You may also want to speak to a reputable and registered immigration consultant or an immigration lawyer about travelling back to Canada without a valid PR card. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org Team
2/2/2023 Topic: Can I get a new job with a Closed Work Permit? Moderator	Hello, Thank you for sharing your question with us. To be able to change jobs as a foreign national holding a closed work permit, you must apply for a new work permit to make amendments to your current working conditions (employer, position, work location, duration of employment etc.). Closed work permits require the foreign national to whom the work permit was issued to work only for the specified employer in the location and position listed for the duration noted on the permit. Changed conditions that may qualify a foreign national to submit an application to extend or change the conditions of their current work permit are: If the job is extended If there are changes to the current job, such as: A change in pay New responsibilities An offer of a different job You want to work for a new employer Generally, you cannot start working in a different position or for a new employer until you get a new work permit which authorizes the new terms of employment. If your application for a new work permit is approved, you will be issued a new work permit which has new conditions on it, including: The type of work you can do The employer you can work for Where you can work In most cases, the new employer must obtain and provide you with a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to submit with as part of your new work permit application. A positive LMIA decision indicates to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that there are no local Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents who are available and qualified to occupy the position and with this positive decision, IRCC can authorize a foreign national to take up employment for that specific position within Canada. There are some cases where an employer does not need to obtain an LMIA, which are: If you have been working full-time for the employer on your work permit for at least 1 year (or an equal amount of part-time work), and have a valid job offer, and have a valid work permit that is exempt from an LMIA under: An international agreement A federal-provincial agreement The “Canadian interests” category. Second, as an alternative pathway, you may seek to assess your eligibility to apply for permanent resident status to stay in Canada. To find out if you are eligible to apply for permanent resident status, visit: https://ircc.canada.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=006&top=10 For example, applying for Express Entry is a route for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada. It requires you to submit a profile of your background and work experience to determine your rank amongst other skilled workers whose goal is to immigrate to Canada. After this process, you are placed in a pool with the other skilled workers. If your profile is generally among the highest other profiles in the pool by ranking, you may receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency which you would then have 60 days to complete. It is possible to work in Canada while waiting for permanent residency status approval, however, this requires a valid work permit. We hope that the information we provided was helpful to you. Please let us know if you have any further questions. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org team Disclaimer: This document does not contain legal advice. This document was prepared with the assistance of PBSC University of Toronto law student volunteers. PBSC volunteers are not lawyers and they are not authorized to provide legal advice. This document contains general discussion of certain legal and related issues only. If you require legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.
2/7/2023 Topic: Can I be self-employed as an International Student Moderator	Hi there, Thank you for the question! Self-employment, such as running your own small business, would be considered as “off-campus work”. Starting and running your own small business as an international student, i.e., conducting off-campus work, is possible provided that you have the required authorization and meet all prerequisites. First, the conditions of your study permit must authorize you to work off-campus during your studies. An international student is eligible to work off campus without a work permit so long as they: have an explicit authorization on their study permit authorizing them to work off campus; are a full-time student at a designated learning institution (a school that is approved by provincial or territorial government to host international students); are enrolled in a post-secondary, academic, vocational, or professional training program OR a secondary-level vocational training program (Quebec only); are enrolled in a study program that is at least 6 months long and leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate have started studying and are actively engaged in pursuing their study program; and have a Social Insurance Number. If an international student is a part-time student at a designated learning institution, they can only work off campus if they (1) meet all the above requirements, except for the requirement to be studying on a full-time basis because (2) they are only studying part-time because they are in the last semester of their study program and do not need a full course load to complete the program. The international student must have been a full-time student in their program up until their last semester. If the study permit does not explicitly grant authorization to work off-campus and an international student met all the criteria at the time of the initial study permit application, they can ask to have this authorization added by applying to amend the terms of the study permit. There are no fees involved in submitting the application. However, if a student’s study program has changed and they are now eligible to work off-campus, then they must apply for a new study permit and fees will apply. Second, you must not work more than the authorized hours of work per week. During term time, international students can work off campus up to 20 hours a week and full-time during regularly scheduled breaks. However on October 7, 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced that international students are authorized to work more than 20 hours per week during term time until December 31, 2023 if they hold a study permit that authorized them to work off-campus that was either (1) issued before October 7, 2022 or (2) was applied for before October 2022 and they met all the eligibility criteria to work off-campus noted above. Third, respecting and tracking compliance with employment authorization If you are working off campus as a self-employed individual, you are responsible for keeping track of the hours you work off campus and for proving that you are complying with the conditions of your study permit. Hours are calculated as any time you spend doing any of the following: earning wages being paid wages for performing a service or selling a product collecting a commission for performing a service or selling a product Eligibility for a Post Graduate Work Permit (“PGWP”) Being self-employed should not affect your eligibility for a PGWP as long as you respected the terms of your off-campus work authorization and can submit documentary evidence as such if requested. We hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have any further questions. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org team Disclaimer: This document does not contain legal advice. This document was prepared with the assistance of PBSC University of Western Ontario law student volunteers. PBSC volunteers are not lawyers and they are not authorized to provide legal advice. This document contains general discussion of certain legal and related issues only. If you require legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.
2/8/2023 Topic: Applying for Citizenship Moderator	Hello, Thank you for sharing your question with us. You may be prevented from becoming a Canadian citizen if you were convicted of an indictable offence in Canada, or an offence under the Citizenship Act, and your application is submitted after June 11, 2015 and the conviction took place in the four years before you apply. Eligibility for Citizenship with a Criminal Record As a permanent resident holder applying for Canadian citizenship you must meet all eligibility requirements for citizenship the day before you sign the application. The eligibility requirements for citizenship for adults over the age of 18 are as follows; • must be 18 years of age or older on the day you sign the application • must be a permanent resident (landed immigrant) of Canada • must have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the 5 years immediately before you apply • may need to file personal income taxes for at least 3 years within the 5-year period • must demonstrate adequate knowledge of English or French (if you are between 18 and 54 years old when you apply) • must demonstrate you have knowledge of Canada and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship (if you are between 18 and 54 years old when you apply - this is assessed after you apply) • can’t have any unfulfilled conditions relating to your permanent resident status • can’t be under a removal order (asked by Canadian officials to leave Canada) • can’t be inadmissible or prohibited on criminal or security grounds You could be prohibited from receiving Canadian citizenship due to your criminal record on criminal or security grounds. Under the Citizenship Act, you could be prohibited from obtaining citizenship after being convicted of an indictable offence in Canada or another country. If you have been convicted of an indictable offence and served your sentence to completion, you may still be eligible for citizenship if at least four years have passed since you completed serving your sentence. You must include parole and probation in this calculation. Since you completed your sentence in 2014, you will likely quality for citizenship. However, even if your criminal record does not disqualify you for citizenship, it would help your citizenship application to seek a record suspension for the best chance of obtaining citizenship. Applying for a Record Suspension If you were convicted and sentenced in Canada, you could apply for a record suspension at a fee of $50.00 to be assessed by the Parole Board of Canada. A record suspension allows people who have completed their sentence and demonstrated they are law-abiding citizens to remove their criminal record from the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database. Obtaining a record suspension helps people access more employment and educational opportunities and strengthen their citizenship application. Waiting periods and eligibility requirements differ depending on when the offence was committed. Waiting periods are calculated from the completion of your sentence, including imprisonment, probation, and the payment of any fine(s). If you committed your offence before June 29, 2010, your waiting period is • 5 years for any offence prosecuted by indictment. • 3 years for any offence punishable by summary conviction. If you committed your offence between June 29, 2010, and March 12, 2012, your waiting period is • 10 years for any serious offence as defined by s. 752 of the Criminal Code, including ◦ Manslaughter accompanied by a prison term of two years or more, or ◦ An offence referred to in Schedule 1 of the Criminal Records Act that was prosecuted by indictment. • 5 years for any other offence prosecuted by indictment and an offence referred to in Schedule 1 of the Criminal Records Act that is punishable on summary conviction. • 3 years for an offence other than those mentioned above that is punishable by summary conviction. If you committed your offence on or after March 13, 2012, your waiting period is • 10 years for an offence prosecuted by indictment. • 5 years for an offence that is punishable by summary conviction. If you committed your offence on or after March 13, 2012, you are ineligible for a record suspension or discharge if you • Have been convicted of an offence referred to in Schedule 1 of the Criminal Records Act; or • Have been convicted of more than three offences prosecuted by indictment, each with a sentence of two years or more. The Parole Board of Canada typically processes applications within six months for offences tried by summary conviction or twelve months for offences tried by indictment. You can find the official Parole Board of Canada record suspension application guide and forms here. You may wish to speak with a qualified criminal lawyer to assist you with your record suspension application or citizenship application or provide you with more detailed information. We hope this information is helpful. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org team Disclaimer: This document does not contain legal advice. This document was prepared with the assistance of PBSC University of Toronto law student volunteers. PBSC volunteers are not lawyers and they are not authorized to provide legal advice. This document contains general discussion of certain legal and related issues only. If you require legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.