Our Canadian Immigration Story (II)

By: Dave Lympany

We managed to spend two weeks at Andie's sisters in Calgary during October 2001, fitting in quad biking, hiking, trips to Banff, and also viewing show homes. We were getting a feel for southern Alberta and its opportunities. On our way home the airline (Canada 3000) went bankrupt as we flew into Gatwick on it – another bad sign for my future employment.

With the police checks complete, we sent the application off to Kerry, who returned professionally presented paperwork with supporting documents for us to sign and return with the High Commission fees. The new Canadian Immigration system was finally announced with stricter point scoring that was back dated to all applications received after December 18th 2001.

Ours had arrived there on 19th December!!!! We wouldn’t qualify under the new rules; Kerry reassured us that as the new system hadn’t been ratified by parliament it wasn’t set in stone. The authorities backed down after threats of legal action by several Canadian Immigration Lawyers, the cutoff date was set as June 1st 2002. All applications processed before then would be under the old rules – we were back in with a chance. In Feb. 2002 our file number arrived – we were being processed; we waited to see if we were to be called for an interview, accepted or declined.

The wait was crazy – Kerry kept us busy with regular information mailings on Canada, the reassuring voice on the end of the phone was worth the fee in itself. Andie’s sister was also busy in Calgary phoning around to establish points of contact for me. I had started to look at other employment and began some project management courses. As with my aircraft maintenance licenses I soon realized that UK qualifications wouldn’t readily move to the Canadian system. I contacted the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and found they had an impressive curriculum of courses including several Project Management offerings and some great technical pre-employment courses that had a good history of the candidates finding employment in the field of choice.

The call came out of the blue: we had been accepted subject to Medicals and were not being called for an interview! The nearest approved clinic was in Oxford, Andie phoned immediately, the first appointment was eight weeks. We put the house on the market – we needed to know it was sold before we could plan on moving. If we failed the medicals we decided I would still leave the RAF and we would move away from the area. Andie’s parents would let us stay with them if we sold the house. We put the house on the market at the end of June 2002 – and had a buyer in 3 days.

The date of sale was set for the 31st August and we would move out on the 29th. We couldn’t believe our luck, but it wasn’t to be all plain sailing! The clinic phoned first, they had double booked us and we’d have to wait an extra two months. Andie had “a bit of a chat” with them and they finally agreed to squeeze us in as an extra appointment after a heated debate!

All 4 of us had to have medicals – the kids didn’t have x-rays or blood tests but we each had 40 minutes with the doctor, hearing and blood pressure tests. Even though there were no health issues as far as we knew I managed to stress about the whole deal and ended up failing the blood pressure test.

Our Canadian Immigration Story (I)

By: Dave Lympany

After 6 weeks in Canada and the finality that we were no longer on vacation hit with a thud – we weren’t going “home”. I'd served 16 years in the Royal Air Force (RAF), so saying goodbye to a “safe” job seemed surreal. The final Christmas and New Year, the emotional family farewell, even the one way flight - it all seemed totally unreal! We found it hard to believe that over 2 years of planning had actually come to fruition and we were starting our new life near Calgary.

Well, it was true. I was starting my new job the next day and the temperature was a cool - 25ºC ! We had discussed living in Canada in great length after my wife’s sister had moved to Edmonton with her Canadian husband and were enjoying a lifestyle we could only dream of. We tried a few DIY assessments to see if we would qualify but found ourselves 1 point short of the “pass mark” which was 70 at that time.

We decided that we’d have to hire an immigration professional. When we opened up the Immigration Newspaper “Canada News”, the first advert we saw was Access Migration Services who offered a free assessment. We spoke to Kerry Martin and discussed our thoughts. We received the assessment in the post, filled it in and returned it the next day. Kerry decided that we had a good chance of qualifying and so offered us a no visa no fee contract and so the process began. We were inundated with forms and questionnaires and set to researching thoroughly what it all entailed.

I assembled my qualifications and sent them to IQAS in Edmonton for a Canadian equivalency. Then I contacted Transport Canada to see if my aircraft maintenance licenses were valid. They weren’t, but I would be able to sit some exams, provide my full career history and work for a minimum of 6 months in Canadian Aviation. It didn’t seem too bad considering I was hoping to move continents! We had to send off for police checks from Germany, the UK police and the RAF police to prove we had no criminal records, once they were back we could submit our application.

It was announced that the Canadian Immigration visa system was changing; no-one knew what would happen or when it would come into effect. Kerry kept us informed and was very reassuring during a troublesome time. I had to put in my 18 months notice to leave as the Immigration authorities required an exit date from the RAF – 17th Feb 2003 was the date we chose.

We watched the horror of September 11th unfold; the aviation world collapsed and with the rest of the RAF, I became involved in the Afghan War and the unstable world climate that followed.

Canadian Immigration

By: Dave Lympany

One of the most disheartening things I hear about Canadian Immigration is the stories of families who return to their original country after unsuccessfully attempting to settle in Canada. One of the main reasons for the failures, it seems, is that the principal member of the household that normally supports everyone financially is unable to gain meaningful employment in their chosen profession or trade.

Many of these stories state that once in Canada it is quickly discovered that the foreign qualifications do not meet Canadian standards and so they cannot find employment without extensive retraining. Most of these cases may have been avoidable if the prospective employment requirements had been thoroughly researched well in advance of landing. Canada has an extremely high standard of education and many other systems simply don’t measure up against theirs – a degree program is 4 years for instance. So the chances are you will have to retrain, recertify or normally as a minimum, start again at the bottom.

This may seem crazy but it’s the way it is – at least once your experience is apparent you may well soon find yourself rising up the ranks. When my wife and I moved to Canada I believe we had exceptional luck, but we had also spent two years thoroughly researching our respective occupations in the Province of our intended destination. When I realized that my qualifications would not suffice I had to make alternative plans and so set about working towards qualifications that would be attractive to any employer – not just my “niche”.

A first aid at work course run by the St Johns ambulance will only cost 2 days of your time and around $150.00 and will instantly make you slightly more attractive to any employer – most Provinces have Laws requiring employers to train their staff. Being computer literate with a variety of applications is almost imperative. Anything that makes you stand out and will reduce the cost and time needed to train you, will be a massive boost to your Resume. Also, employers are the same the world over – everyone prefers people who are keen to self improve and make themselves more employable.

The first step is to decide which Province you wish to settle in as each has its own educational assessment agencies and occupational regulators. The Federal application for skilled trades bases your trade on the National Occupation Classification (NOC) list. However, some “Red Seal” trades are regulated in such ways that they transfer between Provinces, but the majority of trades and professions do not, which means recertification if you ever move. Once you have an idea whereabouts in Canada you want to settle, contact the agency that will carryout your educational assessment and follow their instructions. Once you know what your qualifications equate to you will have a good point from which to start. Then using the PROVINCIAL regulators find out exactly where you stand with regards your intended field of expertise.

The International Credential Assessment Service (ICAS) in Ontario provides a service that evaluates educational documents to provide a Canadian equivalent that can be used for employment, immigration or further education. ICAS also has information and advisory services for all types and levels of education - elementary, secondary, postsecondary and technical. I would definitely recommend contacting them well in advance for some professional advice. You can find the contact details on our website “Job search” and “Ontario Immigration assistance” pages on our site.

If you only need to complete a few exams or courses to change over to the Canadian system then great, if not, make plans so that you can support yourselves during the time it takes to recertify. Also, try to make sure that there will be a good chance of employment available once you’ve qualified. Definitely have a back up career chosen or identify anything you could easily cross over into as things rarely work out as you intend. If you read the “Our Story” page on our Canadian Immigration information website, you’ll see that events transpired that meant my Plan A and Plan B both went wrong. Luckily some earlier research paid off and I managed to “the right job” within 6 weeks.

To close this article, DO NOT rely on your settling funds to last – I would thoroughly recommend working anywhere to start with – our budget gave us 6 months without work but in reality we’d have been in trouble in 4!!!! A servers or Bar job can be very lucrative but even $1,000 a month means that your money will last longer or help with retraining costs. My wife, Andie, worked in the local movie store almost straight away and apart from the money it means you meet people and start making contacts. As the saying goes “it’s not what you know it’s who you know”. Whatever you decide about your Canadian Immigration adventure, please ensure you fully research your employability – Onestopimmigration-canada.com is packed full of great FREE information about Canadian Immigration and if it’s not on the site, there’ll be a link to the relevant authority. GOOD LUCK Dave Lympany

About the Author: The author immigrated to Canada in 2003 and has constructed a free information website http://www.onestopimmigration-canada.com about Canadian Immigration based on his family’s experiences. This ever expanding resource covers all aspects of settlement and life in Canada.

How Can an Immigration Lawyer Help You?

By Michael Russell

You may have heard the term immigration lawyer and although you may possess a general idea of what such a lawyer does, you may not know exactly what the job entails. An immigration lawyer is someone who is schooled in the various laws pertaining to immigration. An immigration lawyer is a legal representative that is completely familiarized with the way that immigration laws operate and can help people that want to become citizens to do so.

An immigration lawyer directory can help you find the kind of lawyer you are looking for. In some instances, you can search for a lawyer by state. You may be able to find such a lawyer in the directory of a telephone book, but you will have a far better chance of locating such an attorney through the use of various Internet search engines. Becoming a citizen is not necessarily an easy process and there is a lot of red tape and documentation one must get through before you can become a citizen of a country. Conversely, with the assistance of an attorney the process becomes a bit easier because you will have a skilled legal professional working on your behalf to help you become a citizen.

To become a citizen of the United States you will need to understand what is required of you. A lawyer will be familiar with the Naturalization Act of 1906, Sec 4 which indicates that an immigrant can only become a citizen after fulfilling certain legal obligations. There are certain time requirements, documents, and oaths that are required before one can become a citizen and a lawyer can help you identify your responsibilities and can advise you how to go about fulfilling them. Moreover, an immigration lawyer can assist you in such a way that you do not encounter any problems or difficulties with the laws of the country.

Although you do not necessarily need a lawyer to become a citizen, it certainly can't hurt. If you are lacking in the understanding of various immigration laws, a lawyer can assist you with such difficulties and clarify your situation for you. When you have questions you may want somewhere to turn for answers and someone possessing an understanding of the law may be particularly helpful in questions pertaining to immigration. Moreover, the complicated application process can be made an easier task when you have a competent and reputable lawyer to assist you with filling out your required applications for a student visa, visa, and/or citizenship.

If you are really serious about becoming a citizen, you may feel far more comfortable with a legal representative on your side working on your behalf. Without a lawyer to assist you, any immigration dilemmas that arise may prove to be frustrating. Ultimately, the more serious you are about being a citizen, the more seriously you will consider your options. Keep an open mind about your options and consider hiring a competent lawyer to assist you in your citizenship endeavors.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Immigration Lawyers

Tips For Finding A U.S. Immigration Attorney

By: Peter Sterling

Each year, millions of individuals want to migrate to the U.S. They are admitted into the United States because mainly of their legal preferences, individual qualifications and absolute determination in working through with the U.S. Immigration law requirements.

U.S. immigration law by far, is very complex comprised of regulations, formal laws, previous decisions as well as other unstable information providing set patterns and guidance.
Since there is so much information on U.S. Immigration law to cover, you can either pass through that puzzle yourself or save considerable time and disappointment by hiring an immigration attorney so to help you get through the way.

It is very practical to hire the services of an immigration attorney for three main reasons:
Immigration U.S. law is in fact a complicated area of U.S. law that comes second to U.S. tax law in complexity.

It is constantly changing and hard to follow even for a number of immigration lawyers.
Immigration lawyers will be very helpful in ensuring that your immigration application get through the immigration bureaucracy quickly and smoothly.

The most excellent way to hire a good and reputable immigration attorney is research carefully before deciding.

Here are tips for finding a U.S. immigration attorney:

1. Make certain that your prospect lawyer is an American Immigration Lawyers Association or AILA member. An AILA lawyer will guarantee you that he or she has access or way in to the remarkable flow of necessary information to follow through on the continuous change in U.S. immigration law.

2. Ask how your immigration attorney will charge you. If he or she charges hourly, what is your attorneys estimate of her professional fees so to do your case? If she charges a flat rate, ask what precisely does that exclude or include?
For instance, if your original request is denied and your attorney needs to file an appeal, will this be incorporated in her flat rate?

3. Ask how much work experience does your immigration attorney have?
Like other lawyers, immigration attorneys also specialize. Some in asylum, matters in business immigration or removal cases. Never hire an immigration lawyer who is specializing in asylum cases to handle his first business visa application at your expense.

4. Check your attorneys MartindaleHubbell rating. Note that MartindaleHubbell generally rates attorneys basing on ethical standards and legal ability. Their highest rating is the AV rating.

5. Call the attorney for an interview. If she is reluctant to take time the time to have a talk with you, therefore she is not likely to respond to questions that you might want clear answers and to any of your problems when dealing with your case.

6. Consult your attorneys website or directly ask him what percentage in his years of practice is solely devoted to immigration matters.

7. Ask your attorney for recommendations from contented clients. Call her clients in order that you can consult with them how the attorney handled their case and whether or not they are pleased with her service.

A note to keep in mind, generally the best attorneys are busy individuals, because they are attending to a lot of clients and their attention usually first goes to their clients legal needs.

Expect that you should pay your lawyer for his knowledge, experience, training and for his time as he listens to the information of any situation that you convey to him as well as for his advices.
Like any other profession, note that the best attorney generally charge the biggest fee, whether it be flat rate or hourly fee. Of course, an attorneys rate must not be the only criteria or gauge in determining whether you are hiring the right or the best attorney.

More importantly, you need an attorney whom you are very comfortable or at ease working with as well as whom you believe will handle your immigration case with diligence and expertise.

About the Author:
For more great immigration related articles and resources check out http://weknowimmigration.info

immigration attorney , immigration law , immigration experience

How Important Is It To Choose The Right Immigration Lawyer For Your Case?

By: George Royal

If you do not choose the right immigration lawyer you could find yourself getting thrown out of the country, whatever country that may be. In order to be allowed to stay you need to have a good immigration lawyer on your side.

This may sound scary and daunting but the good news is that it is easier than ever to get in touch with a good immigration lawyer. The internet makes it so easy to find and interview all kinds of immigration lawyers. This is a very important step when it comes to finding the perfect lawyer. You need to interview each and every immigration lawyer that you are considering in order to get a feel for whether or not the lawyer is the right one for you.

Your immigration lawyer needs to be someone that you feel you can trust and someone who has your best interests at heart. If you are unsure of this then you need to move onto another candidate.

An immigration lawyer is going to cost you a pretty penny but the best way to look at it is like an investment in your future and that of your family. Sure, you may have to put out a lot of money but you will be able to stay in the country and your family will be able to continue living the life they have come to love. If you cannot find the money to help you pay for your immigration lawyer then you may need to look to other ways to get an immigration lawyer.

There are services that can help you to find and obtain the services of a good immigration lawyer for an affordable price. Some of these services are specific to where you are from while others are simply concerned with the fact that you do not have the money to pay for an immigration lawyer.

The sooner you can get an immigration lawyer the better. You need to be able to give your immigration lawyer time enough to plan a good strategy. There are many facts that need to be checked and double checked by your immigration lawyer and you cannot afford him or her to cut any corners if you want to be able to stay where you are. The immigration lawyer that you choose is going to mean the difference between you succeeding in your case and failing.

Even if you cannot afford to pay for an immigration lawyer you need to at least meet with one and get some much needed advice. Getting the proper advice is absolutely vital to your success. If your family wants to stay where they are you are going to need to get as much information from your immigration lawyer as you can afford. This is easy to do and if you have not yet met with an immigration lawyer you need to do it today.

About the Author:
Lawyers HQ: everything you need to know about finding the right lawyer.

immigration lawyer , immigration attorney , immigration law

Tips For Finding A U.S. Immigration Attorney

by Peter Sterling


Each year, millions of individuals want to migrate to the U.S. They are admitted into the United States because mainly of their legal preferences, individual qualifications and absolute determination in working through with the U.S. Immigration law requirements.

U.S. immigration law by far, is very complex comprised of regulations, formal laws, previous decisions as well as other unstable information providing set patterns and guidance.

Since there is so much information on U.S. Immigration law to cover, you can either pass through that puzzle yourself or save considerable time and disappointment by hiring an immigration attorney so to help you get through the way.

It is very practical to hire the services of an immigration attorney for three main reasons:

Immigration U.S. law is in fact a complicated area of U.S. law that comes second to U.S. tax law in complexity.

It is constantly changing and hard to follow even for a number of immigration lawyers.

Immigration lawyers will be very helpful in ensuring that your immigration application get through the immigration bureaucracy quickly and smoothly.

The most excellent way to hire a good and reputable immigration attorney is research carefully before deciding.

Here are tips for finding a U.S. immigration attorney:

1. Make certain that your prospect lawyer is an American Immigration Lawyers Association or AILA member. An AILA lawyer will guarantee you that he or she has access or way in to the remarkable flow of necessary information to follow through on the continuous change in U.S. immigration law.

2. Ask how your immigration attorney will charge you. If he or she charges hourly, what is your attorneys estimate of her professional fees so to do your case? If she charges a flat rate, ask what precisely does that exclude or include?

For instance, if your original request is denied and your attorney needs to file an appeal, will this be incorporated in her flat rate?

3. Ask how much work experience does your immigration attorney have?

Like other lawyers, immigration attorneys also specialize. Some in asylum, matters in business immigration or removal cases. Never hire an immigration lawyer who is specializing in asylum cases to handle his first business visa application at your expense.

4. Check your attorneys MartindaleHubbell rating. Note that MartindaleHubbell generally rates attorneys basing on ethical standards and legal ability. Their highest rating is the AV rating.

5. Call the attorney for an interview. If she is reluctant to take time the time to have a talk with you, therefore she is not likely to respond to questions that you might want clear answers and to any of your problems when dealing with your case.

6. Consult your attorneys website or directly ask him what percentage in his years of practice is solely devoted to immigration matters.

7. Ask your attorney for recommendations from contented clients. Call her clients in order that you can consult with them how the attorney handled their case and whether or not they are pleased with her service.

A note to keep in mind, generally the best attorneys are busy individuals, because they are attending to a lot of clients and their attention usually first goes to their clients legal needs.

Expect that you should pay your lawyer for his knowledge, experience, training and for his time as he listens to the information of any situation that you convey to him as well as for his advices.

Like any other profession, note that the best attorney generally charge the biggest fee, whether it be flat rate or hourly fee. Of course, an attorneys rate must not be the only criteria or gauge in determining whether you are hiring the right or the best attorney.

More importantly, you need an attorney whom you are very comfortable or at ease working with as well as whom you believe will handle your immigration case with diligence and expertise.


About the Author
For more great immigration related articles and resources check out http://weknowimmigration.info