Canadian Immigration Glossary

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A

Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR)

An Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) is issued to an applicant (or their representative, if applicable) once their application for permanent residence has passed the completeness check. The letter is issued by the Centralized Intake Office. If the application was submitted electronically, this letter is sent to the applicant via their MyCIC account; otherwise, the letter is sent by mail. This letter may be used to support a bridging open work permit if all other requirements are met.

Read more: Family Class Immigration

Appeal

When a person makes an appeal, they are asking a higher court to determine whether a lower court or tribunal made mistakes in their application of the law when making an initial decision. The higher court may affirm, vary, or reverse the original decision.

Read more: Legal Options

B

Background Check

A Canadian Immigration Officer will conduct a background check in order to verify an applicant's personal history, credentials, and education among other things. The goal is to confirm that the information in the application is true. It may take several weeks to several months to complete.

Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)

The Bridging Open Work Permit provides applicants who have received positive eligibility decisions and whose work permits are approaching expiration, more flexibility in order to maintain status considering an imminent decision on their permanent residency application is upcoming.

Eligibility requires that the following conditions must be satisfied:

The foreign national is currently in Canada;
They have valid status on a work permit that is due to expire within four months;
They are the principal applicant on an application for permanent residency under the FSWP, the CEC, the FSTP, or the PNP;
They have received a positive eligibility assessment on their permanent residency application under one of the Economic Class programs above; and
They have applied for an open work permit.

Business Class

Permanent residence is granted in this class based on the applicant’s ability to become economically established in Canada. Applicants can apply under one of three classes: entrepreneurs, investors, and those that are self-employed. Each class has certain criteria that must be met in order to qualify.

C

Canadian Citizen

A Canadian citizen is either someone who was born in Canada, or who was granted citizenship by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Read more: Canadian Citizenship

Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP)

The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) is a Canadian standardized test that assesses proficiency in English for immigration and citizenship purposes. While it consists of two different tests, only the “CELPIP-General Test” is accepted as part of an immigration application. It has four test components, listening, reading, writing, and speaking, and a score of M (Minimal proficiency or insufficient information to assess) or of 3-12 is given. The CELPIP General Test is completed computer-delivered.

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

This class is for temporary workers who have at least one year of experience in Canada or graduates from a Canadian post-secondary school who have at least one year of work experience in Canada, and who want to apply for permanent residency. Applicants applying in this class should also have good English or French skills and be used to Canadian society.

Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)

Canada has its own system for describing language proficiency according to Canadian standards. Language proficiency is ranked according to Canadian Language Benchmarks or CLBs. There are 12 CLBs that cover the range from the most basic ability (CLB 1) to complete fluency (CLB 12). Candidates for Canadian immigration through a federal economic immigration program are required to demonstrate their proficiency in either English or French by way of a standardized test recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Results of tests have a corresponding CLB for each of the four language components that are assessed: Speaking, Reading, Writing, Listening.

Certified True Copy

It is a copy or photocopy of an original document that has been officially certified as legitimate by the document issuer or the authority of the country or territory that issued the document. The verifier must provide its seal and original signature in order for the certified true copy of a document to be valid.

Citizenship

Unlike nationality, citizenship is a legal status that is recognized by a state. It is generally accompanied by duties, rights, and privileges such as the right to vote or own land.

Read more: Canadian Citizenship

Citizenship Ceremony

The citizenship ceremony is the final step in becoming a Canadian citizen. During this ceremony, candidates for citizenship aged 14 and over take the oath of citizenship, after which all new citizens receive their citizenship certificate.

Citizenship Officer

A citizenship officer examines citizenship applications, conducts interviews, holds citizenship ceremonies, and grants or refuses citizenship to applicants.

Read more: Canadian Citizenship

Citizenship Revocation

The Canadian Government has the power to revoke a person’s Canadian citizenship. Someone can have his or her citizenship revoked if he or she has obtained citizenship through fraud, false representation, or knowingly concealing material circumstances. The latter can include knowingly concealing information that could have affected eligibility for citizenship or permanent residency.

Read more: Canadian Citizenship

Committing an "Act"

Criminal inadmissibility applies to individuals who have committed a criminal act outside of Canada. Committing a criminal act is distinguished from being convicted for a criminal act, and applies to individuals who are suspected of criminal activity outside of Canada but have not yet been tried in a court of law.

However, those who have not been convicted as a result of a court finding them not guilty of committing a criminal act are still admissible to Canada.

Common-Law Partner

Common-law partners are those who are in a conjugal relationship and have been living with a partner of the same or opposite sex for one continuous year. A conjugal relationship means more than a physical relationship where the partners depend on each other, it is essentially permanent, and there is a level of commitment similar to a marriage (See the Conjugal Partner definition below for more detail). Short absences from the one-year period are allowed, but only for business or family reasons. Finally, an applicant will need proof that he or she has combined his or her affairs with his or her partner and that they have set up a household together.

Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)

The CRS is used in order to determine a candidate’s position within the Express Entry pool among other applicants. The pool rank for prospective skilled applicants is determined by weighing factors such as work experience, language ability, level of education, age, and other factors that contribute to the candidate's potential to become established in Canada.

D

Danger to Public Health or Safety

Individuals wishing to enter Canada either permanently or temporarily as visitors may not be allowed into Canada if they have a medical condition that could endanger public health or safety. A medical officer who is assessing the foreign national's health condition should consider whether the foreign national carries a contagious disease and the impact it may have on others living in Canada. With regards to public safety, an officer must assess the risk that a foreign national will behave violently or unpredictably and that these behaviours might create a danger to the health or safety of those living in Canada.

Read more: Legal Options

Dependent Child

A dependent child, in relation to a parent who is applying for residency in Canada, is either the biological or adopted child of the parent, who is under 22 years of age and is neither married nor in a common-law relationship. Children who are 22 years and older but who are unable to support themselves because they suffer from a mental or physical condition are also considered dependents.

Read more: Legal Options

Designated Medical Practitioner

Now: Panel Physicians

Panel Physicians, formerly known as Designated Medical Practitioners, perform medical examinations to determine whether prospective immigrants pose a health risk to Canadians. All prospective immigrants must have a medical exam before coming to Canada.

E

Education

A maximum of 25 points can be awarded for education under the Federal Skilled Worker selection criteria. Points in this category are awarded based on the type of degree attained and the length of time spent studying. Canadian diplomas and certificates or foreign education deemed equivalent could earn points in this category.

Read more: Education

Educational Credential

An educational credential is any degree, diploma, apprenticeship, or trade credential issued on the completion of a program at an educational or training institution. In order to immigrate as a Federal Skilled Worker, to work in certain jobs in Canada or a trade, and to study in Canada, foreign nationals must get their credentials assessed. An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is designed to verify the validity of foreign degrees, diplomas, certificates, or other proof of credentials and whether they are equal to a completed credential in Canada.

Read more: Education

Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)

An Educational Credential Assessment, or ECA, is a report issued by an organization designated by the Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship that verifies the authenticity of a foreign diploma, certificate or credential, and assesses its equivalence to a Canadian educational credential.

Read more: Education

Eligible Relative

In order to sponsor a relative, the sponsor must be at least 18 years old, a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, meet income guidelines and agree in writing to support the relative for up to 10 years.

The sponsored relative must be the sponsor’s:

Spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner; or
Parent or grandparent; or
Dependent child; or
Brother, sister, nephew, niece, or grandchild who is orphaned, under 18, and unmarried or in a common-law relationship; or
Other relative if the sponsor has no relative who could be sponsored as a member of the family class

Read more: Family Class Immigration

Essential Needs

Essential needs are defined as:

Food, clothing, shelter, and other basic requirements of everyday living
Dental and eye care and other health needs not covered by public health services available to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents

Read more: Legal Options

Express Entry

Express Entry is the new electronic management application system for immigration to Canada. It is not a new immigration program. Rather, it facilitates the selection and processing of Canada’s economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, the Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs. Applicants make an "expression of interest" (EOI) in immigrating to Canada and, if they are eligible for at least one of the aforementioned programs, they then enter the Express Entry pool. The federal government and provincial governments, as well as Canadian employers, are then able to select candidates from this pool who will then receive an Invitation To Apply (ITA) for immigration to Canada under one of the programs.Express Entry aims to fast track the processing of skilled immigrants deemed most likely to succeed in Canada.

F

Family Class

Under the Family Class, citizens or permanent residents of Canada who are at least 18 years old can sponsor a spouse, conjugal or common-law partner, dependent child, or other eligible relative to come to Canada. Of course, to sponsor a relative, the sponsor must meet the sponsorship requirements.

Read more: Family Class Immigration

Family Members

For immigration purposes, a person's family member means a:

Spouse or common-law partner;
Dependent child;
Spouse's or common law partner's dependent child; and
Dependent child of a dependent child

Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC)

Formerly: Federal Skilled Trades Program

This category allows immigrants to be chosen based on their potential to become economically established in Canada. The FSTC allows individuals with job offers or appropriate certification to work in certain occupations to obtain Canadian permanent residence in any Canadian province or territory other than Quebec. Eligible candidates must make an expression of interest in immigrating to Canada through the Express Entry selection system.

Read more: Education

Full-Time Study

A study schedule with a minimum of 15 hours of instruction per week during the academic year, including any period of training in the workplace that is part of the student’s studies. Full-time requirements can also vary depending on the institution; therefore, students should contact their school regarding any additional full-time requirements.

Read more: Education

Full-Time Equivalent

Part-time or accelerated studies will be considered equivalent to full-time studies if they are equal to the total amount of time required to complete those studies on a full-time basis.

Read more: Education

Full-Time Work

“Full-time work” means working at least 30 hours over a period of one week, where work refers to an activity for which wages are paid or commission is earned.

For applications in the Federal Skilled Worker Class, working the equivalent amount of time through part-time paid work experience will satisfy the work experience requirement as long as more than one part-time job is held simultaneously or one or more part-time jobs are held over the equivalent of at least one year of full-time work. The part-time job or jobs have to be held over a continuous period.

G

General Draw

Each draw will contain a set of instructions. In the event that the draw does not pertain to a specific program, stated in the instructions, the draw will apply to all candidates meeting the specified rank according to the CRS.

H

Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds

Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds is an option of last resort for applicants who would not otherwise be eligible for permanent residence in Canada (and it can only be requested if the individual is applying for permanent resident status). It can only be argued in exceptional circumstances and each case is reviewed on an individual basis. Factors that are taken into account, among others, are the best interests of children involved, family in Canada, and how settled the person is in Canada.

Read more: Legal Options

Hybrid Offence

A hybrid offence is an offence that may be prosecuted in Canada either by way of indictment or summary conviction. The prosecution decides how the offence will be prosecuted.

A conviction for an act outside Canada that is equivalent to a hybrid offence in Canada will be considered an indictable offence for immigration purposes. Even if the conviction was a summary conviction in the location where it occurred, it will still be considered an indictable offence by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as long as the offence is equivalent to a hybrid offence in Canada.

I

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

It is an administrative tribunal that consists of the Immigration Division, Immigration Appeals Division, Refugee Protection Division, and the Refugee Appeals Division. It makes important decisions on immigration and refugee matters ranging from sponsorships to removal orders.

Immigration Medical Examination

In order to satisfy the medical requirements for permanent residency, applicants and their dependents must undergo medical examinations from a designated medical practitioner. The medical examinations must be medically valid at the time permanent residency is granted.

J

Job Bank

The job bank is an electronic database of job postings by employers across Canada. Registration with the job bank is required for those candidates who do not have a job offer in order to submit their Express Entry profile. The registered candidates’ skills, knowledge, and expertise can be linked to corresponding potential Canadian employers.

K

L

Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)

Formerly: Labour Market Opinion (LMO)

The Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a process in which Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) verifies and evaluates a job offer to make sure a foreign worker’s employment will not have a negative impact on the Canadian labor market. It is the employer’s job to describe the position for which they are looking to hire a foreign worker. ESDC will take into account a number of factors when deciding to issue an LMIA including whether the foreign worker’s salary will be consistent with the average for that occupation and whether hiring the foreign worker will help create jobs for Canadians or allow Canadians to keep the jobs they currently have.

Language Skills

A maximum of 28 points can be awarded for Language Skills under the Federal Skilled Worker selection criteria. Points in this category are awarded based on writing, speaking, reading, and listening proficiency in either English or French. To get points, the applicant must provide his or her results from a language test approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for each language (see Approved Testing Organizations), and both languages must be submitted at the same time if the applicant would like to get points for both.

M

Medical Inadmissibility

Individuals wishing to enter Canada, either permanently or temporarily as visitors, foreign workers, and international students, may be denied entry if they or their dependents are deemed medically inadmissible.

A person may be considered inadmissible if he or she:

Is a danger to public health or safety; or
Would cause excessive demand on health or social services in Canada

N

National Occupational Classification (NOC)

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is the official Canadian government classification system of occupations. The NOC groups occupations in the Canadian economy by skill type and level based on the necessary tasks, duties, and responsibilities and each occupation is given an NOC code in the form of a four digit number. Since May 4, 2013, applications received in the Federal Skilled Worker Class are assessed using the 2011 edition of the NOC.

Non-Accompanying Family Members

Canadian immigration requirements apply to applicants and their dependents regardless of whether those dependent family members are accompanying them or not. Non-accompanying family members must still:

Pass examinations to show they are medically admissible to Canada; and
Not be criminally inadmissible to Canada; and
Have a sponsor who has the financial ability to provide for both accompanying and non-accompanying family members

O

Open Work Permit

An Open Work Permit is a permit that is not dependent on a job and no job offer is required for the permit to be granted. A Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is not required since the Open Work Permit does not require a job offer. Open Work Permits may be applied for by the spouses/common-law partners of foreign temporary workers or foreign students and by international students who have graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution.

P

Panel Physician

Formerly: Designated Medical Practitioner

Read more: Family Class Immigration

Processing Times

Processing times refers to the expected time it may take to process an application to immigrate to, work in, study in, or visit Canada.

Program Integrity

In order to ensure program integrity, a Canadian Immigration Visa Office may transfer a file to another Canadian Immigration Visa Office. It will do so, for example, if it believes that another Visa Office is better suited to effectively evaluate documents. Knowledge of local security and criminality environments or familiarity with business practices and procedures are some reasons why one Visa Office might be better suited than another to evaluate documents.

Program-Specific Draw

Each draw will contain a set of instructions. A Program-Specific draw applies only to candidates holding the specified rank, as well as those qualifying based on the eligibility requirements of the specified program.

Q

Qualifying Business

Entrepreneur and investor applicants have to meet certain business experience requirements, one of which is to manage and have equity in a qualifying business. A qualifying business is one in which the percentage of the business controlled by the applicant meets at least two of the following thresholds in one year:

The percentage of equity multiplied by the number of full-time job equivalents is equal to or greater than two full-time job equivalents per year;
The percentage of equity multiplied by the total annual sales is equal to or greater than $500,000;
The percentage of equity multiplied by the net income in the year is equal to or greater than $50,000; and
The percentage of equity multiplied by the net assets at the end of the year is equal to or greater than $125,000.

Qualifying Canadian Business

A business operated in Canada by an entrepreneur (other than a business operated primarily for the purpose of deriving investment income, such as interest, dividends, or capital gains) for which there is in any year, within the period of three years after the day the entrepreneur becomes a permanent resident, documentary evidence of any two of the following:

The percentage of equity multiplied by the number of full-time job equivalents is equal to or greater than two full-time job equivalents per year;
The percentage of equity multiplied by the total annual sales is equal to or greater than $250,000;
The percentage of equity multiplied by the net income in the year is equal to or greater than $25,000; and
The percentage of equity multiplied by the net assets at the end of the year is equal to or greater than $125,000.

Qualifying Offer of Arranged Employment

A qualifying offer of arranged employment, within the Express Entry immigration selection system, means that the candidate holds a job offer supported by a valid Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from a Canadian employer.

R

Rehabilitation Factors

Rehabilitation factors are the characteristics looked at to decide whether someone qualifies for individual rehabilitation from criminal activity. A person can apply for rehabilitation when five years have passed since the criminal act was committed and all criminal sentences have been completed. An individual must be judged to no longer present a risk of criminality. Factors taken into account include:

A stable lifestyle
Community ties
Social and vocational skills
That the criminal offence was an isolated event

Read more: Legal Options

Restricted Occupations

Restricted occupations cannot be used to satisfy the minimum requirements for Skilled Workers, nor can points be awarded for work experience in a restricted occupation. Restricted occupations are defined by the government and differ over time.

S

Selection Criteria

An applicant to the Federal Skilled Worker Class must be capable of becoming economically established in Canada. In order to demonstrate that this is the case, a Canadian Immigration Officer will assess applicants based on six selection criteria once their applications have met all the minimum requirements:

Education
Language Skills
Work Experience
Age
Arranged Employment
Adaptability

Read more: Family Class Immigration

Sponsored Person

A sponsored person is a prospective immigrant who has applied for permanent residency under the Family Sponsorship category, meets the requirements of the category, and has an eligible Canadian sponsor.

Read more: Family Class Immigration

Sponsorship Requirements

In addition to being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, a sponsor must:

Demonstrate a financial ability to meet the essential needs of the sponsored person and their dependents; and
Enter into a sponsorship agreement with the sponsored person and the government of Canada
Have physical residency in Canada

In addition, the sponsor must be: at least 18 years old; not in prison; not bankrupt; not under a removal order if a permanent resident; and not charged with a serious offence.

T

Temporary Entry

Prospective immigrants can overcome inadmissibility and be permitted to enter Canada for a limited period of time. In order to decide whether to grant temporary entry, a Canadian immigration officer will weigh the need to enter Canada, considering things such as family ties and the purpose of the person’s presence in Canada, and the risk of entering, including health risks, risks of criminal activity, and the risk that the foreign national will not leave at the end of the approved stay.

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) allows foreign workers to come to Canada and work for employers who cannot find qualified Canadian workers. Foreign workers can only work for a limited period of time in Canada through this program. The program’s goal is to fill labour needs in the country while making sure that Canadians are not displaced as a result, so employers must prove that Canadian workers cannot fill their job openings prior to hiring foreign workers.

Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)

A Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) may be granted to a foreign national who is otherwise inadmissible, but has a reason to travel to Canada that is justified in the circumstances. It allows a foreign national to come to Canada for a limited period of time. To be eligible for a TRP, the applicant’s need to enter or stay in Canada must outweigh the health or safety risks to Canadian society, as determined by an immigration or a border services officer. A TRP is only valid for the length of the visit to Canada so the foreign national must leave Canada by the expiry date of the permit, or get a new permit before the first one expires.

Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)

Unless they are citizens of a visa-exempt country, individuals who wish to enter Canada for a temporary purpose, such as tourists, temporary foreign workers, and international students must apply for and be granted a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). The TRV is a document issued by a Canadian Immigration Visa Office outside Canada, showing that the holder has satisfied the requirements for admission to Canada as a visitor. TRVs may be for single entry or multiple entry. As a general rule, tourists are admitted for a period of six months. Temporary foreign workers and international students are admitted for varying periods of time, as determined on a case-by-case basis.

U

V

W

Work Experience

A maximum of 15 points can be awarded for Work Experience under the Skilled Worker selection criteria. Points are awarded for the number of years the applicant has spent in full-time paid work, which is at least 30 hours per week, or an equal amount of part-time work. To be valid, work experience:

Must be at least one year of full-time or part-time work in the same occupation that amounts to 1,560 hours
Must be paid;
Has to have occurred in the past 10 years;
Has to be classified at skill type 0, or skill levels A or B of the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC).

Finally, the duties performed must match those described in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC. This included all the essential duties and most of the main duties that are listed.

Canadian Immigration Glossary

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