2012 Quebec Inland Applicants

[jg84]

We cobbled together a conversation, and I *think* she said I am ineligible for the full-time program until I get PR, but I will be eligible for part-time courses once the hubby is approved as my sponsor. I think.

I just wanted to verify about studying in Canada without a study permit. In some cases you do not require a study permit.

To study academic courses you need to have the Approval in Principal and the CSQ for the sponsorship application, that is when you can study... You are then free to study what you want. Before that though you can actually do some studying. (I'll explain)[/b]


Official information:

In some cases, you do not require a study permit to go to school in Canada.

If you wish to study in a short-term course or program

You do not need a study permit if you plan to take a course or program in Canada that lasts six months or less. You must complete the course or program within the period authorized for your stay in Canada. (It is really to stop people coming on work or visitor visas but then spend their all time studying, short term is OK though).

Here is the Canadian Government Website:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/study-who.asp

You could always as well phone the CIC to ask about your eligibility for short term study before doing any.

 

[jg84]

Thanks for that info! I've bookmarked the page. What the MICC representative told me makes sense, then. The full-time french program for immigrants is a year-long program, so I would need PR before I am eligible for admission to that one. But there's a shorter, part-time course, as well, so I can apply for that one after AIP. We're waiting on the CSQ from MICC now, so perhaps it won't be that long.

Thanks again, jg84!

If you want to do a short French course, you would have to wait for the AIP and CSQ. The law does actually allow you to do it sooner but try telling that to them... I bet they wouldn't allow you to, even though you are eligible! (Although it wouldn't be free). It is only free after you get the AIP and CSQ.

You could study something else now though if you wanted, as long as it is less than 6 months and it doesn't finish after your visitor visa expires. Online courses are fine as well.

Also to pay Quebec fees instead of international fees for courses, you get that privilege when you get PR. (You can get it sooner but that means applying for a study permit, then get a letter that you've applied to be a Permanent Resident and the CSQ).

 

[jg84]

The one thing I am not sure about is: after you get the CSQ and AIP, if you take a short French course provided by the government, it would be free of charge. But if you then wanted to do the year long course, do the Quebec government provide 2 courses free or is it just 1? I thought they only funded 1 course free.

I would check up on that before you do the short French course. If they don't, you could do a short French course from another organisation (there are a lot which offer French courses), when I checked the short French courses, they are $100 to $150, or just do the year long one when you get PR.

All I'm trying to say is just be careful not to lose the 1 year free government funded course.

(I don't know if this is still the same but the Quebec government use to provide quite a few benefits for doing the 1 year French course). Such as free travel, lots of trips out to use your French, etc! As far as I'm aware, they still do. I know someone who took the course a couple of years ago.

 

[QuebecOkie]

Appreciate the info! From what I understand, there is a cap on the total number of hours of free language courses Quebec will provide. One is eligible for up to 1800 hours of french instruction from MICC, I believe. Not sure if it would be free or not if I'm not a PR yet. I don't even intend to look into it any further until I have AIP, and then I may contact the MICC again about it and ask some more questions. I am definitely MOST interested in the full-time course. And yes, I hear great things about it, with the outings and whatnot. One of my friends up here is a naturalized Canadian from China. She immigrated as an adult, and she took a comparable english program in Alberta. She's quite fluently conversational in english now. She's actually the one who told me about Quebec's program and encouraged me to look into it.

For now, I take classes (twice a week, 2.5 hours a day, 12 weeks) from the military family resources center, since I'm a military spouse. It's helpful, but I really need some more intensive learning/instruction. I started pretty much from zero and have a loooooong way to go.

 

[jg84]

Appreciate the info! From what I understand, there is a cap on the total number of hours of free language courses Quebec will provide. One is eligible for up to 1800 hours of french instruction from MICC, I believe. Not sure if it would be free or not if I'm not a PR yet.

For now, I take classes (twice a week, 2.5 hours a day, 12 weeks) from the military family resources center, since I'm a military spouse. It's helpful, but I really need some more intensive learning/instruction. I started pretty much from zero and have a loooooong way to go.

Ok that makes sense, so 1800 hours. I don't speak French at all, well I know some but no way can I pronounce it. I know quite a few words as I did it in high school for 5 years and I use to go to France for 5 weeks every year in the summer holidays. So I have at least got a start. Speaking it though is another matter...

It is good that your getting some classes now, at least it will help for later. I saw about the military thing, being eligible for courses. I guess that is better than nothing at the moment.

I don't go to church or even like church but for some reason some churches provide free French classes! A useless bit of info there for you but there is no way I am going to go to church a few times, just to get the French classes free.

I thought that having the CSQ and AIP though makes you eligible for any French course, not just the short ones. You don't need to wait for the PR? Also having the CSQ and PR, the French courses are free.

 

[wilsonsdad]

Hello to all,
I have a question about SIN # for taxes.

We just discovered to complete our taxes, I need a SIN #.
Does CIC assign an SIN # while your still in the process?
We would be thankful for any information.

 

[QuebecOkie]

A quick search found this:

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/about/publication/soc_ins_num_eng.shtml
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/about/reports/sin/applying.shtml

But it looks like maybe you can only get a SIN once you're authorized to work or study? You can definitely get one with a PR card, but I know that's a ways off yet. You're American, right? Which means you're a temporary resident for now.

If you are a temporary resident, provide one of the following:

Work Permit;
Study Permit and a contract of employment;
Visitor Record indicating eligibility for work in Canada;
Diplomatic Identity and a note of permission of employment.

It doesn't appear you'd be eligible for a SIN right now.

 

[jg84]

Hello to all,
I have a question about SIN # for taxes.

We just discovered to complete our taxes, I need a SIN #.
Does CIC assign an SIN # while your still in the process?
We would be thankful for any information.

No they don't assign a SIN. If you applied for a open work permit along side your sponsorship application, once you receive your AIP, they also give you the open work permit. You can then apply for the SIN.

If you didn't apply for an open work permit, when you get the AIP, on the letter it advises that you can at that stage apply for one. (Probably not worth it though). Just file your taxes late, as long as you don't owe them any money, they don't charge you any fees.

If you didn't apply for an open work permit with your sponsorship, then you have to wait to get PR status before you can get a SIN. I believe the PR letter is not enough, you need the PR card to get the SIN.

 

[jg84]

This is the exact stages for the Quebec process. It is correct as it is from the manual!!!

The CSQ does not affect the 2 stages of processing! ​

In Short Form​

Once the CIC have your CSQ, they then do the initial evaluation of the Permanent Residency (stage 2) - the sponsorship requirement (stage 1) has already been approved and is written on the system.​

They then send you the Approval In Principal.​

In More Detail​

1. The CIC approve your sponsorship, the decision is written on the electronic record for your file.

2. The CIC then list your application for background checks and advise the sponsor of the referral to the MICC and the suspension of your file.

3. The file is then put on hold until the CSQ is approved, (you can consider the CSQ as a stage of its own). Stage 1 is complete before the referral to the MICC and Stage 2 doesn't start until the CSQ is approved.

4. When the MICC approves the sponsor, from their requirements, they send the CSQ to the CIC, the CIC then begins the initial evaluation procedures on the application for Permanent Residence (stage 2) and assesses the applicant against eligibility and admissibility requirements (also stage 2).

5. Once the initial evaluation for permanent residence is complete, the CIC officer then updates the electronic record with their decision and then advises the sponsor and applicant of the initial decision for the application. If approved they send you the Approval In Principal.​

 

[Chickadee]

Thank you very much, Jg!!!

 

[jg84]

Thank you very much, Jg!!!

Lol yw, so it is just the evaluation stage for the PR stage 2 they have to do. We'll see how long that takes them. I phoned the CIC again and they say my CSQ is on the system.

Now I know what they to do... I can't imagine it taking to long. I understand now how they can actually make a final decision when they do the initial evaluation. Some people get AIP and Final Decision at the same time.

 

[sbea026]

I am currently studying French 3-hrs 3-times a week at the adult education centre in Saint Georges, at first they wanted to charge me $5 an hour but after showing my work visa and a "job offer" (I used a pay slip) and lots of broken french, its now free. My visa does state that I cant study but it does not apply to Language courses that aren't part of a qualification. My problem is I want to go back to school full time however I can't do this without PR or a Study Visa and if i apply for the study visa I will loose my OWP.

 

[QuebecOkie]

Congrats on getting into a course, at least! I'm grateful for the family courses offered by the military. They're not always that organized, and it's just a few hours a week, but it's a heck of a lot better than nothing.

 

[kanadskazena]

jg, what should it say online when you check your status after you've been asked to apply for the CSQ? I applied to sponsor my husband on November 26 and got email confirmation of this (AOR) on Jan. 16. On Feb. 6, I was asked to submit the undertaking application to the MICC. When I check my status on the website, it says:

Sponsorship Application Process: In Process

Permanent Residence Application Process: Application Received

It just seems very fast for them to have already decided that my application was approved, but this is inconsistent with the manual! Just wondering what you thought. Thanks.

kanadskazena

 

[jg84]

jg, what should it say online when you check your status after you've been asked to apply for the CSQ? I applied to sponsor my husband on November 26 and got email confirmation of this (AOR) on Jan. 16. On Feb. 6, I was asked to submit the undertaking application to the MICC. When I check my status on the website, it says:

Sponsorship Application Process: In Process

Permanent Residence Application Process: Application Received

It just seems very fast for them to have already decided that my application was approved, but this is inconsistent with the manual! Just wondering what you thought. Thanks.

kanadskazena

Yep the reason it says in process, which is correct, is because the sponsorship is a 2-part process. So the federal, CIC, you have been approved. The MICC then check their part of the sponsorship (different requirements). You don't pass the full sponsorship until the MICC issue the CSQ. Which is why it shows in process.

Checking my status online is not useful as the officer doing my file hasn't updated it.
My ecas still shows received for the sponsorship and the permenant residence. Even though my CSQ has been issued.

The interesting thing is after you get the CSQ, if they wanted they could send you a notification that the sponsorship has been approved, although they do not. They do an initial check on the sponsored person first before giving you any notification.

Stage 1 is checking the sponsor. (6 months on average but that isn't only Quebec applications). Doing the CSQ defintley slows stage 1 down). When they send you the referral to the MICC, all other provinces they start on stage 2 at that point. For Quebec they wait for the CSQ to be issued.

Stage 2 is checking the sponsored person. (This stage is interesting, when they do the initial evaluation, they do actually check everything to do with the sponsored person). They can actually issue the final decision at the same time as the AIP. If everything they check is ok. (Or very close after the AIP is issued).

The thing to remember about stage 2 is, some people have criminal records or they do not meet the medical requirements etc. This is why they allow 8 months for this stage.