diaspora

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7/19/2019 Topic: Refused Ontario Photo Card diaspora	Hi, I went to apply for the Ontario Photo Card. One section asked whether I had another photo ID, I mentioned that I did for the country I have lived in for the last 21 years. They asked me to provide it, I handed it over. When payment made, I asked for the permanent overseas ID card back. they said I could not keep it anymore. This overseas ID card is needed to enter/for use in that country, which I do intend to return to for visits. it is also property of that country. The Ontario Services counter staff asked another staff member, they also said I have to surrender my permanent overseas ID card to get an Ontario Photo Card. I hope that they are misunderstanding that another Canadian ID card would need to be surrendered (as on the form it says nothing about overSeas ID cards). Who can I contact about this, someone to address this matter via email (rather than chat on the phone). If this happens to me, I suspect that it can happen to other people too.
1/8/2021 Topic: Where can I get my fingerprints taken? diaspora	Hello Settlement Org., I have been asked today to provide to provide an original Police Clearance Certificate from Hong Kong, for my Permanent Residence Application here in Canada. The Hong Kong Police Force form for this (https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/11_useful_info/cert_no_crime_overseas.html#8) requires the original of a full set of my fingerprints be taken and certified by the police / law enforcement agency here in Canada.This is an urgent matter, as yesterday Immigration, Refugees Immigration and Citizenship Canada gave me to 7th April to have this provided. The bad relationship between Canada + Hong Kong (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2020/11/measures-to-support-hong-kong-residents-including-youth-to-come-to-canada.html) is also one that may make Hong Kong Police less than helpful in providing their services for a Police Clearance Certificate also. The measures announced by IRCC don't help me - as I am being sponsored by my Canadian husband + I have an open work visa. In case you wonder, I could go back to hong Kong to get fingerprints, but at great cost - 3 weeks in hotel quarantine there, 2 weeks in quarantine upon return to Canada; and, I would lose my Canadian job. The Canadian issue is as follows: my local Police (Halton, Ontario) are only providing a local "vulnerable" fingerprinting services and suggest an accredited commercial company (which would not be acceptable to Hong Kong police Force, as they state, " Fingerprints taken by the applicants themselves, a legal representative or private / commercial agency will not be accepted.". Can you please outline how I can get an acceptable set of fingerprints here in Ontario, to mail to Hong Kong police, as their requirements appear very strict. Many thanks for your attention and assistance.
1/13/2021 Topic: OHIP (COVID) + Open Work Visa (Part-Time Job) diaspora	OHIP Eligibility when you have an Open Work Visa? Two potential options: 1. For full-time job holders. - So, you can not get OHIP, even when you are luck enough to have a part-time 'essential worker' job currently? 2. You may get OHIP if you have, "applied for permanent residence and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed that you meet the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent residence in Canada. This means that you have "approval-in-principle.””. Question fo you all - what exactly is that stage? The Canadian Government website states about my application, "in process" (application received last March, medical exam completed, now awaiting police certificate from home country). Is that sufficient for "approval-in-principle" or, what later stage? As a part-time essential worker it would seem very unfair if OHIP is denied. many thanks for any and all feedback!
1/15/2021 Topic: PR Card Application Processing diaspora	Dashna wrote: I submitted my PR application in Dec, 2018. I was asked to send my passport to IRCC in Jan, 2020 which was sent right away, but I received it back in 3 months without visa and there is no update until now. According to IRCC the processing time for my application is 6 months, but I am waiting more than two years already. When I call IRCC, they notify me that I have to wait as due to the COVID 19 everything is late. I understand that the COVID 19 is the main reason but I am wondering about the time. As IRCC never says even approximate time how long have to I wait. Is it normal that instead of six months, more than two years was gone? Whom can I apply for help? (I submitted the web form and called many times to IRCC already) thank you Hi, you mention that they sent the passport back to you with no visa - was there any notification with this?
1/15/2021 Topic: Where can I get my fingerprints taken? diaspora	Hello, hope this current information can help anyone in this situation (or for Moderators information). This problem arose because IRCC requested a Police Certificate for in-Canada PR application from our original country However, that country's Police Force first need a set of new Canadian Police fingerprints (not those already done for IRCC, RCMP or other purposes). This caused us alot of stress, as the police certificate has to be provided to IRCC within a specific time period - Here in Ontario our local Halton Police only provide fingerprints for local 'vulnerable' purposes , and, you can also not get these done by Toronto or Peel Police either. These Police Forces suggest using an "accredited agency", but that was not acceptable to our country of origin Police. The solution we found was only after phoning Hamilton Police and being put through directly to a department (their email reply from officer had already also suggested not available), to get these done by Hamilton Police Fingerprinting - the specific fingerprinting person there is very helpful on phone and when doing the work. Hopefully, if you are there that person can assist you. Also, the lesson is to not give up, not reply upon one person's answer at a specific location.
2/1/2021 Topic: OHIP (COVID) + Open Work Visa (Part-Time Job) diaspora	Timeline Update. IRCC did send an email to me (and a separate one to my husband, the sponsor) which specifically stated, 'it has been determined you have met the eligibility requirements for Permanent Residence'. Not sure if this was speeded up by calling IRCC, who said they could not say how long the wait for the letter would be. At ServiceOntario it was possible to make an appointment, and, after the person there checked with their supervisor (and somebody on the phone), they did finally accept the copy we had printed out. So, the timeline was Open Work Visa granted last November, request for Health Check + Police Certificate from overseas in December, Eligibility (OHIP required) letter sent in January. OHIP is important - if someone is working say 10 hours a week (as Oakville supermarkets do offer) on minimum wage, let's say it's possible to earn around $130 each week after deductions (but before any other expenses such as rent, food, etc.) Now Halton Healthcare states that Intensive care is $4,200 per day, a newborn $1,600 per day. https://www.haltonhealthcare.on.ca/patients/your-stay/rates Math shows it would be many, many weeks needing to be worked, just to pay for one day in hospital. Hope this information helps... Moderator wrote: Hi there, Thank you for reaching out, and sharing your question with us. We called the ServiceOntario INFOline and the operator let us know that during the application process for Permanent Residence, IRCC will send a letter that states it has been determined you have met the eligibility requirements for Permanent Residence. This letter can be shared with ServiceOntario as proof of approval-in-principle. You may wish to contact Service Ontario's INFOline at 1(866)532-3161 to confirm this information. It is also worth noting that the province will fund the cost of COVID-19 services if you do not meet the criteria for OHIP and are uninsured. According to the Steps to Justice article, I don't have status in Canada. What should I do if I think I have COVID-19?: You don’t need OHIP coverage to be tested or treated for COVID-19 at assessment centres in Ontario.The Ontario government announced uninsured people should not have to pay for testing and treatment for COVID-19 and other medically-necessary services. This includes medical services in hospitals and services by other healthcare providers in the community. You should not be charged for testing or treatment of COVID-19. But some healthcare providers outside of hospitals might decide to charge money for other services.Visit the Healthcare Access Ontario website to find a walk in-clinic that provides medical care without charging fees. This means that everyone, insured and uninsured, will receive medically necessary care. But, as a person without OHIP, you also have other options for financing healthcare. For more information, you can learn more about the many ways you can access healthcare in Ontario, including low-cost care and private health insurance here. We hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here. Sincerely, Your Settlement.Org Team
2/1/2021 Topic: Where can I get my fingerprints taken? diaspora	There are 2 solutions to this problem. 1) If you read what we posted before, you can see that we were able to get the fingerprints done at downtown Hamilton Police Station. You have to make sure you have an advance appointment + speak on phone to the actual person who does the work (not the front desk/phone officer -who will say service is not available). 2) Also, we contacted Hong Kong police - they eventually replied they would accept finger prints done by an accredited private company, one who works with the police here in Ontario. hope that helps! KingyoFR wrote: Hi Diaspora, Have you find a way to get your fingerprints made by canadian authorities ? I am in the same situation as you, I lived in Hong Kong for 6 years before coming here and I guess my last choice will be to have them done at the chinese embassy. Let me know if you get this sorted without having to flight over to HK, Thanks
3/5/2021 Topic: Visitor Visa Extension if Open Work Permit? diaspora	Hi, Under the same UCI number I have received the following notifications: - I have my Open Work Permit certificate, expiry date 11 November 2022. I began work, using this, in January 2021. It is valid until 2022. - I am currently applying for Permanent Residence. I have been informed that if I do not personally provide the Police Certificate by 7 April 2021, my application will be cancelled. I applied immediately, to Hong Kong, but they have replied that it should be completed there by start of April/that they will only send direct to Canadian government (not me personally). Also, there is currently no air service mail from Hong Kong + a recent letter from there to here took over 2 months by surface mail. -Also, on 18th February 2021 I was mailed a Canadian Visitor Record, valid from that date, but with expiry on 18th May 2021. This letter stated that I must leave Canada by that latter date. I have emailed IRCC on both these various deadlines, but as of yet have received no reply (perhaps because they state they will not reply to issues that are within 'normal processing times') I know that telephoning is a further option, but a verbal conversation has no legal standing. This matter is causing our family huge stress - having a valid Canadian work visa; but then being told have to leave Canada, by a date in near future. Also, the difficulty in clarifying this matter with IRCC. I would very much appreciate your insights, in reply to the question : With a valid Open Work Permit do I continue to need to try and apply for and get Visitor Record extensions? Many thanks for your attention and assistance!
3/22/2021 Topic: Visitor Visa Extension if Open Work Permit? diaspora	Hi Settlement Org. Team, This is to follow-up to your much appreciated replies! We tried to get a written response from IRC,C by submitting the specific details. But the reply simply repeats the issuing and expiry dates for the Open Work Permit (November 2022), the Visitor Visa (May 2021) + the Permanent residence application (on-going, documents required by April 2021 from another country) . The IRCC officer who has replied via email has not answered any of these issues: 1)Whether an earlier valid Work permit removes the need or relevance for a later Visitor Visa? 2)Whether a Visitor Visa issued after an Open Work permit then requires continued Visitor visa extension applications? 3)Whether (as the IRCC website seems to suggest) an Open Work permit might then be turned into a Visitor visa (when it is extended) - this would mean losing the Canadian job that I was able to start in January. Please note - the Visitor Visa's later issuing date than that of the Open Work Permit Work was simply due to several months of delays in its processing. You write about contacting IRCC by phone. But the problem is that verbal comments have no standing legally. Also, we are not keen to hire a legal lawyer, because ultimately the application facts and dates are clear. The issue here is simply that we need someone at IRCC to stand up and clarify where we ultimately stand once applications are cross-referenced. Yes, maybe we can try the 'urgent processing' route? We would very much appreciate any other suggestions or advice you have. It is surely not a unique situation that Visitor Visas and Work permits are issued with overlapping dates. It seems a great pity that the priority is not clearly known! Cheers, Diaspora.