Landed!

My day trip to Burlington finished successfully - I landed at the St-Armand border post at around 2pm on February 12th. It was a breeze, took about 15 minutes, nothing special to report about. I even managed to get a SIN later during the day. On Monday, I should be able to apply for a carte soleil (health insurance card) and will probably get it around May 1st. The immigration officer at the border told me that I will be getting the PR card in about 3 weeks.

All in all, from the first letter to get a CSQ to the landing procedure, it took exactly 8 months. It could have been 7 months in all if they didn't suddenly require a new document (proof that I passed my PhD qualifying exam) in order to give me a CSQ and maybe even 6 months if I had all the police certificates right after I got my CSQ. In any case, I cannot complain, as it was much faster than I had expected.

In any case, the journey is now over! Btw, today my eCas was updated: "You entered Canada at the Saint-Armand office on February 12, 2009 and became a Permanent Resident."

Passport, CORP and visa received!

Yey, the voyage is almost over! Fedex delivered the envelope containing and passport+visa and the Confirmation of Permanent Residence. The visa's all shiny and new, albeit a bit crooked :)

The COPR is an official document which I will have to sign in the presence of an immigration officer when doing the landing. I plan on landing in Philipsburg / Highgate Springs, on the way back from a sightseeing tour of Burlington (VT). Tomorrow :)

The wait is almost over!

eCas updated

Two new lines have appeared on my eCas:

Medical results have been received.
A decision has been made on your application. The office will contact you concerning this decision.

The first one is usually there once the PPR is ready and the second one is supposedly there once the visa itself is issued (i.e. once the case is finalized). No sign of the return Fedex envelope.

PS: Btw, I had written a small script in Python/twill that would log itself automatically to eCas once every 30 minutes (at 10 past and 40 past) to check what's written in the eCas file. The update happened between 6:40am and 7:10am today (Monday, February 9th). So Mondays at 7am seems like a good candidate for when eCas updates itself!

How long does it take to get the passport back?

According to the reply to my email inquiry: "Once a passport is received, a visa will be issued in 2 to 3 days, and the passport mailed out within 4 to 5 days later".

My passport's been there for 2 business days, so I'm still waiting. Fedex tracking shows no sign of the return envelope being posted so I guess they're still printing that visa :)

Passport Fedexed

Barring weather delays, it should be there by 10:30am tomorrow. (January 30th). It's impossible to know how long it will take Detroit to stamp the visa, but hopefully not more than 10 days (which is what it takes if you go there and leave the passport, even though it seems that a lot of people have done it in just one day).

I included a return envelope as well, with Fedex and my account number on it (including a completed airway bill that has my address and phone number if the From and To fields). The waiting game still continues, but I suppose it's not that bad anymore.

EDIT (January 30): Passports were received by the reception at 9:31am today.

Passport and Photos Request!

The journey is almost over - I just got the Passport and Photos Request (PPR) today! Dated January 21st, it says that my visa is ready for issuance. I need to get a $490 money order, couple of photos and send the envelope ASAP to Detroit (all can be done in one morning, thankfully).

Figuring out how to get the envelope via Fedex is a bit too much trouble. I think I'll just let Canada Post deliver my passport. Mail seems to have about 6-7 days to come from Detroit, it's not really as bad as they make it sound. Hopefully my passport won't be lost anywhere :)

CAIPS notes, revisited

So I got the second part of the CAIPS notes today and it doesn't say anything interesting in there. The reason is probably because they are dated January 5, the date at which the Montreal office processed my query. However, somewhere in there it does say:

RCMP NAME CHK SENT
RCVD: RESULTS RCMP NAME CHK - NR/SUBJ

As far as I can say, they checked the RCMP database for anyone that matched my name and got a result saying "NR/SUBJ". Presumably this means "no record / negative result on subject", but I can't know for sure. If that is the case, it probably means that they won't need a fingerprint check on me.

They also acknowledge the fact that I did my medicals upfront, but don't contain the actual medical results (cause by that time they had not received them; they confirmed it receipt by email though). Also, the BFD date is still 19.12.2008 and that has to have changed since my file has been transferred since then.

In any case, in a few days from now I should receive the Initial Assessment letter from Detroit. I'm basing this on the totally unfounded generalization - that one guy one some forum, who got his transfer letter a week before me (and who applied a week before me to Buffalo), got the IA letter on the 21st of January. Maybe I'll get a nice gift in the mail on Wednesday (my birthday :) ).

File transfer to Detroit

As predicted, my file was transferred to the Canadian Consulate General in Detroit "to expedite the processing of your application" (that's what the CAIPS notes / bring forward date suggested). I got a letter to this end today, dated January 13th, 2009. Choice quotes:

• "[Detroit] will complete the analysis of your application and determine if a personal interview with a visa officer is required."
• "Do not request the status of your file within ninety (90) days of the date of this letter". (I fully intend to ignore this piece of advice if I don't hear anything from them within the next 2-3 weeks, cause the initial assessment should be done by then!)

Anyhoo, I'm happy that things are moving in the right direction! eCas status has not changed yet, but should soon (my bet - Monday).

EDIT (Monday, Jan 19th): eCas now says "We transferred your application to the Detroit office on January 13, 2009. The Detroit office may contact you"

Medical results received by Buffalo, CAIPS notes

Happy New Year and all that! Several things today:

• I got an email reply from Buffalo indicating that my medical results have been received by the consulate. About a month ago (on December 12th, 2008) they had replied negatively to the same question. Ottawa got the package on November 5, so it took anywhere between 5 and 8 weeks for them to be processed and uploaded to Buffalo. The oh-so-reliable eCas does not show any change (anecdotally, if it does show "Medical results received" it means that the file is almost done with processing).
  
• I had ordered the CAIPS notes by sending a fax of the required form to the Montreal office. They sent them to me ultra fast (considering the holidays) via courier (!). However, they were basically a waste of time since they contained very little actual information, apart from my name, DOB and such. The cover letter said that "some sections were removed and referred to our office in Ottawa... we trust that the office will reply to your request promptly" (NB: they have 30 days, by law).
  
• I should have been less of a smart ass and followed the normal route, as described here (short version for those that don't speak legalese: if you're in Canada and you want your CAIPS notes only, and only for yourself, it's free. Just fill out the form and mail it or fax it to Ottawa).
  
• The one thing that was interesting on those notes was the "PAPER FILE SENT TO: WL, BRING FORWARD TO: DET ON 19-12-2008" notice on each page. Some Google-fu revelead that WL is either the name of the officer that processed the paper file or the name of the "depot" that holds it and DET either stands for Detroit or for the initials of the immigration officer that would have looked at my life on December 19th (though the newly redesigned Buffalo consulate page---that has a pretty hot Canadian girl on it---does not list anyone whose name fits such initials, neither DET nor WL).
• For those that are not "in the know" - the mythical "bring forward date" is apparently some sort of internal "deadline" - if by that date no changes have been made to a file (medical results or other documents received, file completed, background check complete etc) the file is supposedly "queued" on the "todo list" of some immigration officer that would look at it and decide whether some action is needed. This is what I understood from the variety of forum posts on this issue, but there is of course nothing official about what I just heard (only third-hand "processing" by me).
  
• For now, there's nothing but waiting. Several things should happen this month: I should get the full CAIPS notes from Ottawa in the next few weeks, I should also get another letter from Buffalo stating that my file is complete and that I need to pay the "Right of Permanent Residence Fee" ($490), or a letter stating that my file is missing something (either of these would be called an "Initial Assessment" letter) and/or a letter that my file was transferred to some other consulate (Detroit or NYC, cause they are closest to me).
  
• Either way, things should move this month, as opposed to the dry spell in December. Hopefully no silly one-year background check will apply to me (not because I have something to hide, but because I don't want to wait that long).
  

Acknowledgement of Receipt... received!

Dated November 19th, 2008, the AOR + receipt for $465USD paid + change of information sheet. Summary:

1. It has my file number
   
2. I will get an Initial Assessment which will tell me if/when I need to go to an interview
3. I did not get the medical instructions, which means they're OK with me having done them already

I can now check the status of my application online on eCas, using either the file number OR the Client ID from the study permit.

Buffalo was pretty fast, I have to admit it - it took them exactly two weeks from receipt to send me the AOR!

Packages received at Buffalo and Ottawa; cheque cashed

Three news bits:

1. The Express package to Buffalo, containing my application for PR was received on November 4
2. The Express package to Ottawa, sent by my DMP, was received on November 5
3. The cashier's check for US$465 (processing fee) was cashed by the consulate on November 7. Bank of America provides a tracing service for such items.

The last bit is especially good, since it theoretically means that my application passed the very initial "completeness check", i.e. I seem to have included the right documentation and answered all he questions. Of course, there is nothing that prevents them from asking for more documents once the file goes for more advanced screening, but in all likelihood it won't be returned to me because I screwed something very simple (like forgetting to put some "N/A" somewhere).

With a bit of luck, I should get the AOR with the visa file number sometime soon.

Papers sent to Buffalo

My package with the Permanent Residence application was sent to Buffalo today. It should arrive on Monday, November 3rd, before 3pm (guaranteed). Fingers cross and hoping that I filled out everything and that all the documents are in order.

I should hear from them in at least 2 weeks (but more like 5).

Medical exam passed today

I passed my medical examination today. The exam itself is pretty routine, at least for someone young and in relatively good shape like me :). It took two hours, but that includes all the waiting. The actual time spent examining me was less than 20 minutes (I'm being generous).

Basically:

• Physical: height, weight, blood pressure, some checking of the belly
• Urine sample
• Blood sample (for HIV/Syphilis/etc)
• Chest X-Ray

Results from the different labs will come to the DMP over the next couple of days and will be sent to Ottawa sometime next week. The DMP was nice enough to give me the tracking number of the envelope which he'll use to send the results in.

Provided I get the German police certificate sometime soon, and get it translated sometime soon as well, the envelope with the PR application will be on its way to Buffalo sometime next week too.

Landing in Canada

Good news!

I just discovered that it is now possible for all temporary residents to "land" in Canada as a permanent resident, without going to a Port of Entry. Previously, the law allowed this only for those with a valid work permit and who have been working under said permit for at least one year. Now, to quote the official source, "these regulatory changes apply to all foreign nationals in the Economic and Family classes who have valid temporary resident status in Canada (i.e., workers, students or visitors)."

The law now states:

1. A foreign national who is a member of a class referred to in subsection 70(2) and is outside Canada must, to become a permanent resident, present their permanent resident visa to an officer at a port of entry;
2. A foreign national who is a member of a class referred to in paragraph 70(2)(a) or (b) and who is a temporary resident in Canada must, to become a permanent resident, present their permanent resident visa to an officer at a port of entry or at an office of the Department in Canada.

It is unclear whether this means that someone can just move in with a visitor's visa several months in advance of the presumed issuance of their PR visa and land on the spot when they have it (which is an interesting "loophole"). But for those of us who have a student visa this removes the hassle of going to the US border, and the hassle of getting a denied entry because of the need for a US visa.

The procedure is simple: contact the CIC hotline and schedule an appointment at the local CIC office (most big cities have one). Let's hope this doesn't get repealed by the time I get a PR visa...

What happens after the CSQ application

If the previous post, I talked about the point system and how it could affect the result of your application. Basically, there are several things that could happen to your file after you submit the application, explained very well on the MICC website:

• You'll get an acknowledgment of receipt (AOR). This contains your file number and tells you what the next steps might be.
  
• Things are missing from your application. You'll get a letter asking you to mail things within 60 days or the date on the letter. Note that the turnaround time is quite long - if your letter arrives at the MICC on, say, September 1, they won't process it until maybe a month later (cause of the number of letters that they get). But the 60 days refer to the postmark date anyway.
• You will get an invitation for an interview. This could happen because of a variety of things, but mostly because you either don't have enough points, or the officer is not convinced of your educational credentials, or of your language skills.
• You can get a CSQ without an interview if the number of points is sufficient.
  
• You might get an "intent of refusal" letter. You would then have to mail in additional documents that would solidify your case, within 60 days or so.

To oversimplify, if you're single with no dependents, like me, you need 59 points or more (before the interview) to get a CSQ without an interview. If you have 53-58 points, you'll probably be asked to come for an interview (to get the "adaptibilité" points). If you have 51-52, you'll probably be asked to provide more documents to support your file. Below 50 you're on your own :)

I got the CSQ without an interview. When I sent my application to MICC, I've also attached a copy of my completed application for permanent residence (federal level). In the envelope with the CSQ, I also received:

• The completed application for permanent residence (federal level) stamped with the date on which I applied for the CSQ (so it will be treated at Buffalo as if I sent them my application on June 16, 2008).
• Instructions to go to a Designated Medical Professional (DMP) and undetake my medical exam.
  
• A blank IMM1017 - Section A that I should take to the DMP. It has a big bold "Quebec" stamp on it.
• A form that I should complete after the medical exam, where I specify the DMP, the CSQ number and the details of the exam. I am supposed to attach this to my file that is sent to Buffalo so that they know that I already undertook the medical exam and so that they don't send IMM 1017 - Section A again.
  

This is NOT the usual way of doing things. Normally, the procedure is: one gets the CSQ, sends the application to Buffalo, and gets the medical instructions from Buffalo. As it was explained to me at the information session and over the phone, MICC and Buffalo have an agreement whereby they send the medical instructions upfront with the CSQ to all people who get the CSQ in Montreal. This should in principle accelerate the procedure and cut a month or so from the total time it takes to get permanent residence.

My DMP was suspicious about the blank IMM 1017, but said that as long as I am fine with whatever procedure was described to me, he will take the money for the exam gladly :). See this thread on immigration.ca for experiences of people who took the exam upfront and those that did it after applying to Buffalo. Both ways seem to work, though it's not clear that there are real time-saving opportunities in the option suggested by the MICC.

Application for a Certificat de Selection

Introduction

So you decided to make your stay in Quebec a bit more permanent. The process for doing so is a bit involved, but nothing that someone with a high-school diploma cannot manage to do. Remember though that if you have the money you can always choose to hire a law-firm to fill out the forms for you. You gain their experience, you lose some money, but you should always remember that your application will never get preferential treatment because of that.

Enough ranting, let's get to business.

Before you apply:

1. Evaluate your chances of being selected by Quebec using the official tool for doing so. Don't be silly and pay anything to those websites that will "evaluate your file" for a "small fee".
2. If you want to know the details or want to compute your "score", there exists an official document (the law, in French) that is behind the official website. To answer question 1.3, you will also need the liste des domaines de formation, which contains the number of points that Quebec awards for each type of specialization that you have. Otherwise, the calculation of your score is pretty straighforward. Just be realistic in your estimation of your language skills.
3. Depending on the number of points that you get, you'll either be rejected, will be invited for an interview, or given a CSQ straight away. See the next step for more on how the number of points influences your "path".
   
4. If you're a foreign student studying in Quebec, there are special rules applicable to you. For one, you can actually apply in Montreal (instead of your home country). Secondly, you can apply before finishing your studies (up to 12 months before, to be precise). Also

   "The requirement that workers should be available to enter the job market will be deemed met if, at the time of your application, you are within 12 months of completing your program of study."

5. What this means is that you don't need to show work experience in order to qualify as a skilled worker! But having the work experience won't hurt you either.
   
6. If you're a PhD student, the rules get a bit more special, because PhD programs can "last forever" (in their words) . You can apply for a CSQ anytime after you're done with the coursework required for your program, but not earlier than 12 months after you started your PhD. Note that qualifying exams (called "predoc" at University of Montreal) count as "coursework", as I found out during the process. Basically, you can apply when you're an "all but dissertation" PhD student.
7. You won't find the rules applicable to PhD students anywhere on the website. I got this information by attending a session organized by the Ministere at my school and by confirming this information over email with the Ministere. You don't have to take my word for it, just email or call them to verify that you can apply. In fact, it is a really good idea to do so, it'll save you some trouble (and, possibly, $390).

The application for a Certificat de Selection du Quebec (CSQ):

1. Fill out the application form. Be smart, avoid the ink and fill it out on your computer. The linked pdf is fillable: just save it somewhere on your computer and fill it out by opening it from there (don't fill it out in your browser). One can actually save intermediate versions of the pdf, which is nice.
2. The form itself is very straightforward. Be realistic about your language skills. It might bite you later on if you overestimate your knowledge of either languages (if you have to go to an interview). Underestimating is also not recommended, as you might end up needlessly at an interview. Ask your friends to give you an honest opinion.
3. If you have no friends :), you can use the official guides for that: in English and in French.
   
4. Attach all the required forms and documents. The page is very detailed and well-done, so I don't have that many comments about it. In my case, I attached a letter saying that I did my undergrad in English and my grad studies in French, as supporting documents for my self-evaluation of language skills. This seems to have done the trick, they didn't ask for more.
   
5. Be sure to sign the Contrat relatif a la capacite financiere, as it's an important piece of paper. I made the mistake of filling out Section C and I was asked to send another copy, but with Section B filled out instead, so be careful.
6. Attach payment. I paid by credit card, it allowed me to see when they started processing my file (this is when they charge the card).
   
7. Be sure to have certified copies of everything that's not an original and translated versions of documents that are not in French or English. See notes below for help on both issues, if you're in Quebec.
   
8. In principle, if you have doubts about the completeness of your application, contact Immigration Quebec. There are many ways: in person, phone, email, fax, snail mail. If you're a foreign student in Quebec, you can also try to schedule an appointment with the Service aux etudiants etrangers who, in principle, could look at your file and tell you if anything's missing. The lady (a certain Ms. Quan) who's supposedly doing this was always unreachable and never answered any of her messages, so take this info for what it's worth...
9. Send your application with a traceable service (registered mail, xpresspost, or courier) so that you know it arrived safely. Make photocopies of everything you send.
   

Additional (potentially time-saving) tip

At one of the information sessions that the MICC organized at our school, they also mentioned that one can do the following trick when applying for a CSQ. You can complete the whole Application for Permanent Residence (IMM 0008 and the required schedules) and send it with your application for a CSQ. What the MICC will do is it will stamp your PR application with the date of receipt by the MICC. This is so that when you send the application to Buffalo, it gets into the queue as if it was sent to them on the day you applied to the CSQ. Neat, eh?

I'm pretty sure though that the MICC send this so-called "lock-in" date directly to Buffalo, but it won't hurt doing the above anyway.

How do I get certified copies of documents in Quebec?

Getting certified copies of (basically) anything is easy and cheap in Quebec. In this province, they have these so-called commissaires a l'assermentation (commissioners for oaths), who can certify copies of documents. The easiest way to find them is to go to your local Town Hall (Hotel de Ville) and ask if they offer these services. Call ahead to be sure that someone is there. You will need

• to bring the originals,
• the copies,
  
• an ID,
• proof of residence,
• to be sane (they have to check that you're not deranged :)),
  
• and be prepared to pay up to $5 per document/sheet of paper.
  

My Town Hall (Town of Mount-Royal) does this for free for its residents, but I know that other boroughs in Montreal do charge for this service. Another option is your university, who might do it for cheaper (University of Montreal charges $2 per copy).

How do I find a translator in Quebec?

The Quebec ordre des traducteurs has tool for that. Their search engine / directory is pretty self-explanatory. Expect to pay $25-30 for simple one-page documents, and $5 or so for each additional copy.

Overview of the process

Here are the general steps that you'll need to follow in order to become a Permanent Resident (PR):

I. File an application for a Certificat de Selection du Quebec (CSQ) at the Montréal office of the Québec ministry of immigration (MICC):

1. You will need the application itself, supporting forms, documents showing your language skills, certified copies of everything (identity proof, education, work experience etc), proof of status in Quebec and Canada, as well as translations of documents.
2. You will receive an acknowledgment of receipt, followed by instructions to send extra documents (if missing), followed optionally by an invitation for an interview and finishing with the receipt of the CSQ itself.
3. This can last anywhere from 2 to 6 months, with the current average being around 3.5-4 months (from start to finish).
   

II. File an Application for Permanent Residence at the Consulate General in Buffalo, NY:

1. You will need the application itself, supporting forms, documents showing your identity, birth certificate, original police certificates, proof of status in Canada, the CSQ, as well as translations and certified copies of all of documents.
2. Be sure to answer ALL QUESTIONS in the application, even those that do not apply to you (just put "N/A" for those). The Buffalo consulate is known for being very quick at returning incomplete applications.
   
3. You will receive an Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR), with, perhaps, medical instructions, and information on whether you're required to provide a Canadian RCMP criminal record or whether you are invited for an interview. You might also get an Initial Assessment (IA) which states that your file is complete and is waiting for the background check to complete.
4. Your file might get transferred to another consulate, for speedier processing.
   
5. After the background check is cleared, the medical results are in and everything is in order, you'll get an invitation to pick up the visa or to send in the passport. Be sure to follow the instructions of the particular consulate or embassy, since they are quite picky about the mailing instructions.
6. Complete applications that are in order and that don't require any special treatment (no suspicious background, no severe medical conditions etc) are usually dealt with in 4-8 months at Buffalo, from start to end.
   

III. "Land" at a Canadian Port of Entry. This can either be done by:

1. Going to the US border, entering the US (you might need a visa), making a U-turn and "landing" at the Canadian border. You don't need to go to the US, you can go anywhere else as long as you get out of Canada.
   
2. If and only if you have a work permit valid for at least one year, have been working for at least one year under that permit (in Canada) you can "land" without going out of Canada by going to an office of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). There's one in Montreal. (This has changed now, anyone can land in Canada if they're already legally in Canada)
   

The sections that describe these steps in more detail also contains references to the statements that I just made.

Who should read this blog

The information on this website will be useful to people who:

1. Have been legally admitted to Canada for a period of at least 1 (one) year.
   
2. Have a valid student permit or a work permit (if you're a refugee, the process is very different), which is, again, valid for at least one year. You can apply anytime during the validity of this permit, but it probably makes sense to allow yourself at least 6 months (if you want to stay in Canada during the application).
   
3. Reside in Quebec and wish to immigrate there.
   
4. Will be under the Skilled Worker / Economic class / Quebec-selected immigrants category (not the business or investor categories)
   
5. Will submit their immigration documents to Montréal and then Buffalo.
   

The information in these posts could be applicable to other categories of immigrants to Canada, but I don't guarantee it will. By their nature, the rules and regulations tend to change - you should always check with the Federal and Provincial authorities before starting your application. I am obviously not responsible for any erroneous information on these pages.