Canadian Immigration

White & Associates has helped hundreds of professionals, businesspersons, and their families immigrate to Canada. Canada, in contrast to the United States, has a relatively liberal immigration system, not requiring job offers or labor certifications.

Who can qualify?

There are three primary categories of immigration, none of which require a job offer.

1. Independent Category — Canada seeks to attract young professionals with good knowledge of English or French who work in occupations that are highly demanded in today's job market. IT professionals; engineers; translators; financial analysts and managers; marketing, advertising, and management consultants; mathematicians, physicists, chemists, and other occupations in the sciences; lab technologists and certain medical professions — each of these specialties is in demand. If you think you qualify under this category, please submit your resume to us for evaluation.
2. Entrepreneur Category — Canada wishes to attract investment and new businesses, granting permanent residency status to foreign businesspersons who
   1) have experience managing enterprises
   2) have availability of sufficient means (usually at least US$200,000) for starting a new enterprise in Canada or acquiring an already existing business/share of a business
   3) will actively participate in the management of business, and
   4) will employ at least one Canadian citizen or resident, who is not a member of the entrepreneur's family, as a regular employee of the enterprise.

   Permanent residency is granted conditionally, with the entrepreneur obliged, within a two-year period, to put into operation the enterprise, satisfy the job requirement, and make a "significant contribution" to the Canadian economy.

3. Investor Category — Canada seeks to attract investment from wealthy individuals, granting permanent residency status to foreign individuals who 1) have accumulated net worth exceeding C$800,000; 2) have at least three years of real experience in starting-up and/or active management of a profitable enterprise; and 3) will make a qualifying investment of C$400,000 for five years. This category, in contrast to the Entrepreneur category (which requires active management, and is conditional upon satisfying the above-mentioned terms), is unconditional, and only requires a passive investment into an authorized investment fund. The fund may offer a variety of financing options, which may reduce the financial commitment of the investor to approximately C$120,000.

There exist other forms of immigration, such as family (permanent residents/citizens may sponsor family members) and self–employed (e.g., farmers or individuals who will make cultural or economic contributions to Canada).

What documents will I need and what services does W&A provide?

White & Associates will assist you in preparing your application, so as to give you and your family the best chance of immigrating as quickly and efficiently as possible. Depending on the category of immigration, the documentation varies: statutory documents, evidence of your professional and/or business experience, resume, asset valuations, documentation evidencing the source of your net worth. We help select the most beneficial category and occupation for you; assist you in preparing for the selection interview; qualify you with the applicable professional association in Canada (for example, the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers); represent your interests at the Canadian embassies; and follow up with the posts on an as-needed basis until you receive your visas. You will also need to show that you have sufficient assets for resettlement (depending on the size of your family, starting at $6,000), and pass a medical exam. At the time of visa issuance, it will be necessary to show that you have the necessary resettlement funds in the West. We may open for you a bank account in a leading Canadian or American bank by mail within 3–5 business days.

How long will the process take?

The process of immigration to Canada may take from 12–30 months, depending on a number of factors, including the processing post, the quality of your application, and security checks.

What happens after my visa is issued?

White & Associates may help you with the adaptation process, providing a broad range of services. These services include meeting you at the airport upon arrival in Canada; arranging living accommodations; assisting in your job search or setting up a business; accompanying you in obtaining your social insurance number and opening accounts; and in general, ensuring your promptest assimilation into Canadian society.

How do I preserve my permanent residency status and obtain Canadian citizenship?

To retain one's permanent resident status, it is necessary to physically reside in Canada for 6 months a year, unless exempted from this requirement. Canada offers the opportunity to obtain citizenship and its passport after three years of physically residing as a permanent resident within a four-year period. Canada only taxes its citizens who are residents. Canada, known as the "Most Livable Country" in the world and with one of the highest standards of living, offers free universal healthcare, and higher education with reasonable tuition rates.

If you have any further question concerning immigration to Canada, or our services, please feel free to contact us.