Points from Foreign Experience

[movecanada2019]

Perfect. Thanks for clarifying.

Now, my spouse and I are done with IELTS exam and education evaluation, prerequisites for creating express entry profile. Our scores are also above the latest draw cutoff 440.

As next steps after getting an ITA, I realize that I would need experience letter, police clearance, medical examination and other docs within 60 days of getting an ITA. I don't have any of documents yet.

Not sure how long it might take for police clearance from US and India? Experience letter can be arranged within a week. Medical exam appointments are available in middle of next month.

Would you recommend transmitting the Express entry profile now or first get any of the above listed/ any other documents first?

Thank you.

 

[Peacekeeper87]

Perfect. Thanks for clarifying.

Now, my spouse and I are done with IELTS exam and education evaluation, prerequisites for creating express entry profile. Our scores are also above the latest draw cutoff 440.

As next steps after getting an ITA, I realize that I would need experience letter, police clearance, medical examination and other docs within 60 days of getting an ITA. I don't have any of documents yet.

Not sure how long it might take for police clearance from US and India? Experience letter can be arranged within a week. Medical exam appointments are available in middle of next month.

Would you recommend transmitting the Express entry profile now or first get any of the above listed/ any other documents first?

Thank you.

Because you have IELTS and ECA done, you can go ahead and create profile now and enter the pool. Because you have a good score, expect ITA in the next draw, which should happen next week. Yes go ahead and secure your ITA, and get your other documents after. You'll indeed have 60 days to submit, that should be enough based on your situation. Just be sure you can secure medicals, reference letter in time...
US FBI police clearance is very quick. Whole process should take no more than a week, easy. I don't know how long for India though...
However, just do your medical as close as possible to eAPR. Because it's valid for one year and you need to land in Canada before it expires, that'll give you some wiggle room and give you the option to land later than if you did your medical say tomorrow... So, knowing you'll get ITA next week, book medicals, and commit to submitting PR application like the next day. That's what we did.

This being said however, over the next few days, I would STRONGLY suggest working on both your travel, personal, and address history "for the last 10 years or since the age of 18, whichever comes first". Depending on your situation, it can be quite a piece of work to open up those passports and go through all travel stamps. Or even enter exact addresses of where you lived in the last 10 years...
Work hard on making sure you leave no gaps in personal history, and identify exact dates for travel history because the system asks for MM/DD/YYY for that.

 

[movecanada2019]

Yes that makes sense to secure an ITA ASAP. I’ll reserve a medical exam appointment for the week right before I plan to submit my application.

If I plan to submit my complete application in January 2019, would you recommend getting my current employer reference letter now? Does it have to be latest like max 30 days old or I can take it now and attach later?

Also in terms of entering Canada once PR process is completed, you mentioned we have an year from the date of medical exam. Once we arrive, how long do we have to stay in Canada to get the PR card? I think there are different time durations to get the PR card and medical insurance.

Please advice. Thank you

 

[Peacekeeper87]

If it's current employer, it's common practice to provide a reference letter that's no more than 6 months old.
If you're absolutely sure you can secure it in one week like you said, then you can wait till December/January to get. That way you're sure it stays new all through the process. If you think you won't be able to get one later or something, then sure you can grab it now for when you submit application in January.

Once you land in Canada, the official processing time frame is 3 months to get PR card. But a lot of newly landed PRs get it in 60 days or so. If you leave Canada before you get your PR card, and want to re-enter Canada by plane or boat, you'll need a PRTD (Permanent Resident Travel Document).
For medical insurance, that's another different process. It depends on the province. For some it's right away, and a few months for others.

I cannot give you fully reliable information regarding medical insurance, as I haven't landed yet, so don't want to send you in a wrong direction.

 

[movecanada2019]

Thanks for clarifying on the employee letter. I'll work on the timing. I believe the content of the letter is important too.
Do you've a format that you followed while submitting your request? Also, the job duties need to align with the NOC description, is that correct? I was reading online and some people said it doesn't have to be an exact match but should match 70% of it.

I'm little confused in the process after getting the PR application submitted. Does it impact the PR status if we enter Canada and leave before getting the card? Can't I give a family or friend address for the card delivery and have it sent out to me in US? How complicated is it to get PRTD?

My timing of arriving in Canada permanently hasn't been decided yet. I'm not sure what would be the best way to get PR card fastest while continuing to work in the US for sometime.

Thanks again.

 

[Peacekeeper87]

The content of reference letter is not only important, but it's fundamental to your application. It's only fair, as the core of the FSW program is based on making sure candidates have the necessary experience in their NOC. Yes the job duties in your reference need to match with job duties in NOC description. It SHOULDN'T be an exact replica, as that will probably have your application rejected. It should match based on some keywords, and list a substantial number of duties, meaning at least 50%.
Format is quite standard. You can use this:
http://prpilots.com/format-reference-letter-canadian-pr-application/

No, leaving Canada before getting PR card doesn't affect your PR status at all, as you are officially a permanent resident as soon as CBSA officer declares you as PR at the airport upon landing. PR card will then be your document to prove your PR status at immigration when coming back. But in your case, you just gave an important piece of information. You appear to live in the US! So, if you arrive at Canada immigration at a border crossing by car/foot/bus, you can use your CoPR (Confirmation of Permanent Resident) to re-enter Canada if you still haven't received your PR Card. If you fly, you'll have to show the airline that you have regular status in Canada for them to let you board. That's when PRTD comes in.

It's not hard to get per se, but it has its own process where you have apply for it online and provide documents that show you are officially a permanent resident.
More info here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/pr-travel-document/how-to-apply.html

For PR Card, from what i read/hear, some people have reported CBSA officers didn't accept a friend's address, but never heard any problems when its family. But you cannot, under no circumstance, have your PR card delivered outside Canada.

So what you can do, is do your first landing, get PR Status confirmed, leave Canada to continue your job while having your PR Card delivered at your family address, and come back to Canada by car by showing CoPR. And then you pick up your PR Card at your family's.

 

[movecanada2019]

I think I'm set for reference letter. I'll work on the details with my employer. Thank you! I also got the difference between PR card and PRTD. We have a Canadian tourist visa for next few years, so entering Canada back will never be an issue for us. I hope so.

However I don't have an immediate family living in Canada, nobody who I have a blood relation with. I think thats how family relation is defined?
My spouse has a second cousin, cousin's cousin, living in Toronto area. Does that relationship work for the delivery of PR card? If yes, then do I have to list them as part of my Express Entry profile?
or I can provide friends address as my temporary address where I might stay for a while after entering first time, what do you suggest?
I was planning on getting friend or family to ship me the card not the CIC. I hope thats okay?

Another thing, I believe while arriving at Canada FIRST time post PR do we've to come mandatory by air to meet the officer? Or by land/ sea is an option?

Thanks!

 

[cansha]

We have a Canadian tourist visa for next few years, so entering Canada back will never be an issue for us. I hope so.

Your tourist visa ceases to be valid once you become PR. Once you are PR you can enter Canada by applying for PRTD in case you don't have your PR card with you.

 

[Peacekeeper87]

I think I'm set for reference letter. I'll work on the details with my employer. Thank you! I also got the difference between PR card and PRTD. We have a Canadian tourist visa for next few years, so entering Canada back will never be an issue for us. I hope so.

However I don't have an immediate family living in Canada, nobody who I have a blood relation with. I think thats how family relation is defined?
My spouse has a second cousin, cousin's cousin, living in Toronto area. Does that relationship work for the delivery of PR card? If yes, then do I have to list them as part of my Express Entry profile?
or I can provide friends address as my temporary address where I might stay for a while after entering first time, what do you suggest?
I was planning on getting friend or family to ship me the card not the CIC. I hope thats okay?

Another thing, I believe while arriving at Canada FIRST time post PR do we've to come mandatory by air to meet the officer? Or by land/ sea is an option?

Thanks!

Once you validate your PR status upon first landing, like @cansha said I highly doubt you can use your tourist visa to come back in. That wouldn't make sense at all to be able to do that... That means you'd be a tourist at the country where you actually live/reside. Would be risky to bet on that horse.

Cousin's cousin would be fine, and no, you don't include them in EE profile, as it only asks for immediate family members. Refer to the drop down menu there to see what they mean, and what are the valid options. You can also suggest a friend's address upon landing, but it depends on the officer whether he/she will accept it or not. In any case, whether it's family or friend, yes they can ship the card to you, but you run the risk of it being lost in the mail...

You can come to Canada at any border (except Quebec for the first landing) whether it's by air or land or sea, whether it's your first initial arrival or second or third. You can come through Quebec only if you already validated your PR statuts at your first landing.

 

[movecanada2019]

Thank you guys for all the responses. I'll work on getting my profile submitted ASAP. It seems like today there was a draw and next one would be in couple of weeks.

 

[movecanada2019]

Hi Guys,

I've received the ITA and have been working on getting the documents. I just have few questions from the application and it will be great if you can share your opinion on it.

1. It says to share travel history in last 10 years of countries other than place of birth or residence. Currently, country of residence is US, birth is India and I've traveled several times between the two countries. Do I need to detail and mention all these trips in my application?

2. Do I need get financial letters from all the banks where I've my accounts or just one institution where funds are enough to support the threshold needed as mentioned on CIC?

3. My sibling doesn't have a last name on her passport. Is it okay to put N/A or Not applicable there? Both first name and last name are mandatory fields.

4. As part of the employee details, is there a need to provide paystubs for the last N months? I've got the reference letter with job duties from my current employer where I have spent more than 3 years. Not sure if anything else is necessary.

5. Should I merge all the relevant documents for each category before attaching them? For instance, I've a bachelor and master degree that have been evaluated by WES canada. Should I attach the report or scan both the degrees and merge them in one document?


Thanks!