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9/30/2021
Topic:
Looking for Housing - Reasonable price

Moderator
Moderator
Golish65 wrote:
Hi
I am an international student in Toronto. I lived with one of my relatives . Unfortunately He is going to the US. How can find a room to live in? Is there any possibility that social system help me?

Hello There,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

It is best that you connect with housing assistance services near you. Community agencies that provide housing assistance services will be able to support you in finding suitable accommodation for the short-term and long-term. You may also wish to contact 211 and speak to a Community Resource Navigator, they may be able to refer you to housing assistance services in your area.

211 Ontario is a free, confidential service. Their phone service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Here is a link to their live chat if you prefer to communicate online. Their live chat service is available Monday to Friday from 7am-9pm ET.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.

We hope this information is helpful.

Your Settlement.Org Team
9/30/2021
Topic:
Problem with My WES Evaluation Report

Moderator
Moderator
Hello There,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We appreciate that you would be interested in this type of information. We understand that the outcome of your report may cause concern.

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 or use their contact form.

For information about contacting WES, you may find the Settlement.Org discussion thread Problem With My WES Evaluation Report useful.

Here is an excerpt:
Submitting Application for Evaluations

For more information, visit Settlement.Org for articles on credential evaluation. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.

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
9/30/2021
Topic:
CPP Survival Benefits

Moderator
Moderator
Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us.

I'm sorry to hear that no one has answered your call on Service Canada's CPP line, unfortunately Service Canada has been experiencing high call volumes and long wait times. It may be helpful to seek insight from a lawyer familiar with this application process for advice. Steps to Justice has compiled a list of services that provide legal information and support regarding the CPP.

We hope this information is helpful, please follow up with us if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org team
9/30/2021
Topic:
Making complain against IRCC

Moderator
Moderator
Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us.

According to the Information Commissioner of Canada, the Access to Information Act gives Canadians the right to request information from federal institutions. If you submitted a request for information to a federal institution under the Act and you are not satisfied with how it was processed, you may complain to the OIC. You can submit a complaint directly on their website. IRCC also has a feedback form, where you can directly comment on an unmet expectation relating to the department's services, performance, or processes.


We hope this information is helpful. Please follow up with us if you have any further questions.


Sincerely,


Your Settlement.Org team
9/30/2021
Topic:
Nursing Program

Moderator
Moderator
Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us.

The level you begin your studies in post-secondary may be determined by the school you are applying to and their credential evaluation process. In the meantime, you may want to connect with a settlement agency that provides employment services using our Services Near Me section.

It may also help to connect with a community resource navigator at 211 to narrow your search.

211 Ontario is a free, confidential service. Their phone service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Here is a link to their live chat if you prefer to communicate online. Their live chat service is available Monday to Friday from 7am-9pm ET.



If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.

We hope this information is helpful.

Settlement.Org Team
9/30/2021
Topic:
How do I renew a health card without a license?

Moderator
Moderator
Charmayne wrote:
My husband's health card has expired and he does not have a current Driver's License and I understand we cannot renew this online without a valid Driver's License, however he is not well and will be going into a nursing home soon and therefore not able to physically go to a Service Canada location to do this in person. Can you tell me how we can get a new Health Card due to this situation.



Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us.

It should be possible to still access health services with an expired health card. Expired health cards remain valid during the pandemic, and health care providers have the tools to validate your card each time you visit. You can check whether his card is valid by calling ServiceOntario at 1-866-532-3161. If it is no longer valid, you will need to update your health card registration by visiting a Service Ontario centre.

We hope this more information is helpful. Please follow up with us if you have any further questions.


Sincerely,


Your Settlement.Org team
9/30/2021
Topic:
How do I renew a health card without a license?

Moderator
Moderator
montyjammable wrote:
This requirement by the Province discriminates against non-drivers. We pay for an Ontario ID card yet cannot use it to renew our health cards during the pandemic. As noted above, many people who do not drive are elderly and/or have health issues that preclude them from driving. I would like to see this changed. Who do I talk to about this?



Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your question with us.

While the Ministry of Health does accept questions directly on their website, if you feel passionately about this matter, you may also wish to connect with your M.P.P. by writing them a letter. You can find information on how to contact your local representative for provincial parliament on the Ontario Legislative Assembly website.

We hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have any follow up questions.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org team
9/30/2021
Topic:
Making complain against IRCC

Moderator
Moderator
Hi Max,

Thank you for following up with us, we hope the information is helpful. Please feel free to follow up with us if you have any other questions in the future.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org team
9/30/2021
Topic:
Name Change

Moderator
Moderator
Hi Bill,


Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

There are 2 ways you can change your name after marriage. You can assume your married name or go through a formal name change. The Settlement.Org article How do I change my name after I get married? details both processes for filing a name change in Ontario.


Marriages that are legally performed in a foreign country are usually valid in Canada, and you do not need to register them in Canada. To get married in Canada, you both must not be currently married which would unfortunately make you ineligible.


If you wish to request the marriage document from Japan, and have it professionally translated, you may find helpful information on how to get that done in the Settlement.Org article, How do I get my documents translated?


We hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.



Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org Team
9/30/2021
Topic:
Citizenship test

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

You can find detailed information regarding applying for Canadian Citizenship in our Settlement.Org article, How do I apply for Canadian Citizenship?


Here is an excerpt on the process:
Application Process
  • Download and fill out the forms in the Canadian Citizen Application Package for both you and your children.
  • Include all supporting documents.
  • Pay the application fee.
  • Mail your application to the Centralized Intake Office (CIO) in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.
[...]

If your application is accepted you have to write a citizenship test. Children under 18 years of age and persons 54 and over do not have to write the citizenship test. Find out more in How can I prepare for the citizenship test?


According to the IRCC article about the online citizenship test, if you are invited to take an online test, you have 21 days from the date of the invitation to take the test. If you need an extension, email the office that sent you the test invitation with your explanation. IRCC officers give extensions on a case-by-case basis.


We hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to follow up with us if you have any further questions.


Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org Team
10/18/2021
Topic:
Vaccine for travel purpose?

Moderator
Moderator
Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us.

Travel restrictions and guidelines regarding vaccination and the mixing of vaccines will vary by country and airline. You can find the Canadian guideline for vaccinated travelers here on the tavel gc website. You may also want to look for information on the government websites of the places you plan to visit and airlines you wish to board on.

We hope this information is helpful. Please follow up with us if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org team
10/21/2021
Topic:
Citizenship by Heritage

Moderator
Moderator
Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out! We are happy to try to answer your question.

Under Canadian Nationality Law, if your husband’s mother was a Canadian citizen, either born in Canada or naturalized, at the time of your husband’s birth on or after February 15, 1977, then he is a Canadian citizen. He is able to inherit his citizenship by applying here.

You would need information from your husband’s mother in order to complete the application. As per CIT 0001, you will need a good amount of the citizen’s information such as; name, country and date of birth, birth certification if applicable, citizenship certificate number, date they entered Canada.

Due to amendments made to the Citizenship Act, inheritance of citizenship by descent is now limited to the first generation if born after April 17, 2009. Therefore, since your kids are the grandchildren of your husband’s Canadian mom, they are considered second generation. If you and your husband’s children are born after April 17, 2009, they are not automatically Canadian citizens.

As the spouse, you cannot marry into a citizenship and thus you must go through the regular application process. You can click here to find out if you satisfy the eligibility requirements.

However, as a Canadian citizen, your husband can sponsor you, as his spouse, and the children, if under the age of 22, to become sponsored permanent residents. This will fulfill one of the requirements needed to apply for citizenship.

We hope this information is helpful, please let us know if you have further questions.

Sincerely,


Your Settlement.Org team

Disclaimer:

This document does not contain legal advice.

This document was prepared with the assistance of PBSC Western University 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.
10/21/2021
Topic:
PR card renewal on hold or lost?

Moderator
Moderator
Hello,

Thank you for sharing your questions with us.

  • Application status

  • The processing time begins on the date a complete application is received by Immigration Canada.

    There are a number of reasons why you cannot access your application status through the Client Application Status tool.

    There have been significant delays throughout the Immigration Canada processing offices caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects are felt in all types of applications.

    It is possible that the application has been received but it has not been opened/processed yet. As you are within the normal processing times, you need to wait until the application has been pending for longer than the processing times before following up.

    If your application has been pending for longer than the posted processing time you can contact Immigration Canada via web form or by telephone. Without having proof that the application has been delivered, it is very difficult to know if the application was received by Immigration Canada.

    If you decide to leave Canada before the application is processed and the card is mailed to you while you are abroad, you can ask your family or friends who live at that address to send you the PR card. You can then re-enter Canada with your PR Card. However, there are significant risks that arise with this option including the card being lost in the mail etc.

    If you are genuinely concerned that your application has been lost, you can resubmit it and include a note that this is a replacement application.

  • Documents Required to Travel to Canada

  • Immigration Canada’s website clearly states that a traveller must possess either a valid Permanent Resident Card (“PR Card”) or a Permanent Resident Travel Document (“PRTD”). Airlines are required by the Government of Canada to ensure that each individual travelling to Canada presents a document approved for travel to Canada.

    Please see the list of approved documents below as set out in Section 259 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations:

    For the purposes of subsection 148(1) of the Act, the following documents that a person requires under the Act to enter Canada are prescribed:
    (a) a travel document referred to in subsection 31(3) of the Act [PR Travel document];
    (b) refugee travel papers issued by the Minister;
    (c) a document referred to in subsection 50(1) or 52(1) [passport or refugee travel document];
    (d) a temporary travel document referred to in section 151;
    (e) a visa referred to in section 6 or subsection 7(1);
    (f) a permanent resident card; and
    (g) an electronic travel authorization referred to in section 7.01 or 7.1.


    Therefore, once you are outside Canada and do not have a valid PR card, you must have PRTD if you travel back to Canada on a commercial carrier.

  • PRTD application

  • A PRTD is a one-time travel document issued to Permanent Residents who are outside Canada and do not have a valid PR Card to return to Canada. A PRTD is issued to satisfy transportation companies that that an individual is allowed to travel to Canada as a permanent resident.

    You can apply for a permanent resident travel document if you:

    • are a permanent resident,
    • do not have a valid PR card showing your PR status,
    • are outside Canada, and
    • will return to Canada by airplane, boat, train or bus.

    To be eligible for a PRTD, you need to:

    • prove who you are;
    • confirm your permanent resident status; and
    • meet the residency obligation of a permanent resident.

    You will be required to complete certain forms and provide specific documents as listed and explained here: Applying for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (IMM 5529).

    Past passports may be needed to support and prove the above requirements. Not providing all documents may affect your application for a PRTD. If you do not have a copy of a previous passport, you can still apply for a PRTD.

    Generally, visa offices will work with applicants to provide a PRTD in a timely manner. You can always include proof of travel and request they process the application quickly. Please apply for the PRTD as soon as possible to give yourself the best chance of keeping your travel arrangements. Generally, you can expect processing times to range from 2-5 weeks. The processing time for PRTD varies and is based on several factors.

    If your return flight to Canada is in less than six weeks, Immigration Canada recommends that you:

    • mark your application “urgent”
    • provide your travel dates and flight itinerary when applying

    You may wish to contact the visa office that will process your PRTD for further information.

    Given the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible that the Visa Application Center you need to submit your application to, may be closed. If so, you will need to submit your application online. Please see this page, Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Landed permanent residents and go to the section titled: “If you’re already outside Canada without a valid PR card”.

    Please note that an application for a PRTD will be critically assessed. The officer at the visa office will review your application, determine if you meet the eligibility criteria and then, if you are eligible, issue you a PRTD.

    You may wish talk to a qualified immigration lawyer about this or contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) directly to see if they have any information they can provide you.


    Given the ongoing significant delays at Immigration Canada, unless the purpose of travel is mandatory, and/or you are willing to risk a longer processing time of your PRTD application, the most cautious path forward is to avoid travelling outside Canada until you have all necessary documents.

    Finally, we noted that Canada has implemented travel restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID-19 that you must comply with. Up to date restrictions can be found here: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid.
    We hope that the information we provided is helpful to you. We would also recommend you to seek legal help from a lawyer or a licensed consultant familiar with Canadian immigration to find more information about your particular circumstances.

    We hope this information is helpful, please let us know if you have further questions.

    Sincerely,

    Your Settlement.Org team

    Disclaimer:

    This document does not contain legal advice. This document was prepared with the assistance of PBSC Western 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.
    10/21/2021
    Topic:
    Work Permit

    Moderator
    Moderator
    Hello,

    Thank you for sharing your questions with us.

    After September 1, 2021, you can no longer restore your status if it expired more than 90 days ago. You cannot work until you get a new working permit.

    You can find instructions on how to apply for a new working permit here. As a Protected Person, you are eligible for an open working permit. You may refer to our previous answer on what to do after working permit expires.

    You can renew your SIN after you get your new working permit.

    You may also apply for permanent residence as Protected Person. If you have permanent residence, you then have the right to work anywhere in Canada and you do not need a working permit. However, you still need to have a valid working permit before you fully get your permanent residence status.

    For financial assistance, please feel free to browse our articles on assistance for refugees and other financial assistance options. Some programs such as Canada Child Benefit (CCB) and Ontario Child Benefit (OCB) do not require a SIN.

    We hope that the information we provided is helpful to you. We would also recommend you seek legal help from a lawyer or a licensed consultant familiar with Canadian immigration to find more information about your particular circumstances.

    Please let us know if you have 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.
    10/31/2021
    Topic:
    Looking for Affordable Housing

    Moderator
    Moderator
    Christos wrote:
    Hi guys! I am Chris and currently living in Sydney Australia. I've been sponsored by a company in Mississauga and early December me and my family we are coming!!!!
    I ve searched for renting a house or apartment and wooooo prices are worst than here!!!
    Any help for new comers? My wages will be very bad in the beginning and I won't be able to pay more than $1600 for a decent 2-3 bedroom apartment ( no basement).
    Any help or information please is welcome
    Thanks

    Hello There,

    Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

    It is best that you connect with housing assistance services near you. Community agencies that provide housing assistance services will be able to support you in finding suitable accommodation for the short-term and long-term.

    You may also find helpful information in the Settlement.Org articles, How can I look for rental housing? and How can I apply for subsidized housing?.

    If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.

    We hope this information is helpful.

    Settlement.Org Team