^I love Canada. I love Toronto. And Vancouver and Montreal. I love it when half of your neighbors don’t speak English. I have relatives there in Vancouver and another in Montreal. They speak almost as good French than I can speak Niponggo. And she had only been in-country 2016. If given the chance and opportunity to migrate, which is difficult for us 50 years above, I’d choose Niagara as my retirement home. That way I can shuffle between Canada and the US and drive to NY and Virginia to visit my daughter. And along the way I get to meet Americans who can’t speak French and who always ask you “Are you from Chinatown?”
Do I need a letter of invitation from a Canadian resident (citizen ba dapat?) when applying for a Visitor Visa?
Not required but as I recall, not a requirement but your chances of getting rejected is greater. If you can get an invitation letter from a resident then it should be a no brainer. Also if you are applying for permanent residency, your chances of getting a tourist visa will be affected.
It’s actually easier to get a Canadian tourist visa than a US visa. There’s no requirement for an invitation to get one, but is required if you travel to that country for official business. On the other hand, if you already possess a US tourist visa, it’s a no-brainer they will give you one provided you have all the minimum requirements complied with.
Ok, I'm confused (maybe I'm a no brainer, hehe). But I guess having a letter of invitation is the best approach. Next stupid question: If the letter comes from a relative or friend based in, say, Vancouver or Toronto, does it mean those places need to be on my travel itinerary? BTW, I'm not applying for PR. Just wanted to visit Canada before my Oz visa expires and while my US visa is still valid. Thanks for the replies @hitme64 and @wem272!
Mm..I think your chances of getting a Canadian visitor’s visa are excellent: your US and Australian visas scream “Welcome to Canada.”
You are correct! Just got our passports back from the Canada Visa Assistance Centre with the visitor visa stamped!! The journey continues....
I hate to break it to you amigo, but unless that 40 year old already has a Masters degree (big points booster) and pretty much gotten the highest marks on his / her IELTS, the chances are probably none... unless that person would go by way of an entrepreneurial stream, though that would require having a net worth of at least $800,000 CDN (around P31M) to even be considered. https://www.ontario.ca/page/oinp-entrepreneur-stream#section-2 If one were to consider migrating here, the latest age I think one ought to be processing his/her documents would probably be around 27 years old because as soon as one hits 30, the points just keep dropping every year. I haven't checked with the other provinces though... but if I were already 40, I'd probably pin my hopes on applying through New Brunswick. Problem is, they do not have as big of an allocation in as far as accepting applicants is concerned, but NB is most definitely a viable option outside of ON.
^ Age is just a max of 12 points, I mean if you can get your boatload of points from the other categories then your chances are still good. Passing is 67 I think https://www.immigration.ca/who-qualifies-for-canadian-permanent-residence-skilled-worker-immigration
"just" might be a bit of an understatement here. There was an article somewhere comparing the CRS score of say a 40 - 50 year old rocket scientist vs. a 25 year cook who's been working consistently at the same restaurant for at least 2 years. Guess who had the higher chance of being chosen in the federal draw? Unless one's occupation is so technically unique that no one in Canada can fulfill such a task and there is a crucial demand for it, being offered employment is out of the question since employers know it entails a lot of paperwork just to get that person here. In as far as securing a provincial nomination is concerned, I think a good basic approach to this would be going through the following steps/links for clarity and to be guided accordingly. Step 1: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-express-entry-human-capital-priorities-stream#section-2 In this step, you will come across the FSWP link that will point you to... Step 2: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...ntry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.html This I think is where most of us would qualify under. Step 3: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...election-factors-federal-skilled-workers.html The selection factor point grid. Here's where the race to 67 begins. A vast majority will get zero on some of the qualifiers thus it is imperative for one to apply at a relatively young age (25-30) and if one is already at around 35 or older, having a Masters degree and a near perfect IELTS score (might be easy for a select few but very difficult for most) is a must have to counter the age point deduction. Not to mention having worked at a specific job relative to their prescribed NOC list for at least 24 months. Step 4: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/crs-tool.asp The CRS calculator. Here's where being young pays off even without having a Masters degree or nailing a near perfect score on the IELTS. Nailing at least a score of 439 here (as of the most recent Ontario draw) gives one a sliver of hope of being identified in the pool to receive a Notification of Interest (NOI) --- basically an invitation to apply under the province's banner. Step 5: https://www.ontario.ca/page/oinp-express-entry-notifications-interest This provides the most recent draw date/s in the province of Ontario. --- showing the CRS score range that which has been drawn to give one an idea whether his/her score will or might not make the cut. Note: Please correct me if I'm wrong or if I missed something. It's been a year since I applied and there most probably have been many changes since.
Just my 2 cents worth, everything pochiman said is accurate. during my time 2004, I computed that past 30 plus, your age works against you. So you must have made the choice to leave somewhere around your 20s. I am not going to reiterate what he has already stated and just my own experience on the matter. Some options that you can try, I have a cousin who is in Calgary and works as a pharmacist in shoppers drug and she says it’s easier to apply for a visa outside the major population centers. There is a doco that spells all the major occupations in demand with the equivalent points, that’s how I started my journey. Also you may want to consider other exciting places like Singapore, Australia or even the Middle East. Depending on what stage of life your in and your goals, some places might be more aligned to your goals than Canada. Good luck.
Australia is a good alternative. So is New Zealand. Singapore doesn't have a good pathway to residency or citizenship. Middle East... the cultural difference might be a hindrance to a good life. I chose Canada because of their openness to immigration ideals. That could change over time, of course, but it is a federation so i take comfort in the fact that each province has its own stance on things (i.e., BC could be liberal while AB could be conservative). I agree getting a PR is difficult as a person ages and now that more people around the world are vying for the slots. Starting out as a student, albeit extremely costly, is a good alternative pathway. We're 4 months in so it's still too early to tell for us if this works out. But others made it so we should be able to. On another note, due to Trudeau's recent political fiasco the liberals may lose their hold of Canada's politics. That may change the country's immigration policies if/when a conservative gov't takes over. Purely speculative but might be of consideration as well.
Hi amigos, I just checked New Brunswick and unfortunately, this would be a no go since one of their requirements is that an applicant is currently living and working in New Brunswick, and a letter of employment from the employer must be included with one's expression of interest (EOI). https://welcomenb.ca/content/wel-bi...owToImmigrate/NBProvincialNomineeProgram.html I did check Saskatchewan though. This province may just offer a very small sliver of hope for a select few here fortunate enough to already be working in an industry mirroring credentials and experiences outlined in their In-Demand Occupation List. I'm sorry, I forgot what the difference/s between the two below were since they're pretty similar at first glance. Nonetheless, both are worth checking out. https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residen...nal-skilled-worker-saskatchewan-express-entry https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residen...national-skilled-worker-occupations-in-demand Over in British Columbia, though requiring at least a one-year (365 days) in length full-time job offer (365 days), this might be worth a look. Your unique skillset might just be enticing enough to secure a job offer. https://www.welcomebc.ca/Immigrate-to-B-C/B-C-Provincial-Nominee-Program/BC-PNP-Tech-Pilot Over in Manitoba, going through the Manitoba Invitation route just might be an option for you. http://www.immigratemanitoba.com/immigrate-to-manitoba/swo/swo-eligibility/ Alberta seems to have loosened up in relation to their Express Entry Stream. Reason I say that is, from being a hard requirement before, having a standing job offer now has been relegated from being a must to that of a nice-to-have in the prerequisite list. And as one of their qualifiers to possibly receiving a Notification of Interest letter, one needs a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 300. This is a relatively low barrier to entry since back when I applied, Ontario had theirs at 400. Likewise, they're worth checking out. https://www.alberta.ca/ainp-selection-criteria.aspx#toc-2 And similar to @p.pipster and what @wem272 mentioned, I understand the allure that the other countries listed above offer for the aspiring traveler. Personally, here's how I saw them back when I was applying: Canada Pros: I love the cold. People here wonder how come I prefer wearing a simple jacket when everyone else around wore parkas. I just say I'm still unloading 30+ years worth of heat from the tropics. It's relative proximity to the US and the EU is a plus for when one decides to do a fair amount of traveling later on. Cons: Honestly, I can't really think of any. Living in downtown Toronto is pretty expensive though but that's something I learned to live with and have adjusted to. It sure is worth it since majority of the job opportunities are located here akin to how we have it in Ayala, Makati, the BGC or Ortigas and Libis, QC. Australia Pros: This would've been my choice if things didn't pan out as I hoped it would with Canada. This works especially if you love weather similar if not better than how we have, heat-wise it in Manila. Cons: Correct me if I'm wrong, living here feels like being isolated from the rest of the world what with it being its own separate continent. I hear overseas deliveries are quite expensive due to that. New Zealand Pros: Pretty much tied / similar to what I mentioned above except I believe this has a cooler climate and vast swathes of farmland / greenery which I prefer. Cons: Likewise above. Singapore Pros: I used to consider this country back when I was in my 20s due to the slew of IT opportunities they have there. I don't have anything against the relatively strict environment, in fact I believe it's what got them in a really good place right now; it just kinda makes me feel uneasy. Cons: I like me a bit of nature tripping whenever I can spare the time. Forgive me for being ignorant but I don't think SG offers this as much as how the first three mentioned above can. Whenever I imagine SG, all I can picture are skyscrapers, lights and again, skyscrapers. Middle East Pros: If you're up for an Arabian nights extravaganza, this one's for you. I'd probably rock this if I were in my early 20s if only to save as much as I can since some of these places offer nearly tax-free salaries. But yes, I'd still bolt for the first three mentioned above once I've saved enough. I did enjoy my time there whilst visiting my sister on occasion back when she was still working as an Emirates stewardess. Good times. Cons: I'd probably grow tired of the heat and seeing countless oceans of sand eventually.
^My subjective opinion about living in Australia: Pros: The weather is just perfect (at least in Sydney, at least for me). You got the 4 seasons - winter is not too harsh, summer is obviously hot but the beaches are great so that's a win! Spring and Autumn are just lovely. Lots of places to meander about, too. And road trips are so therapeutic with great coastal views, and through national parks and forests. Banking is efficient -- paying bills can be done on a mobile app, including transferring funds to other people's accounts, food delivery, car parking, purchasing train/bus tickets, etc. The Con you mentioned about it being isolated and remote only affects shipping costs -- expensive to order and ship goods from the US. But Australia has its own online merchants who can provide almost anything you need. You only feel separated from the rest of the world if you depend on the rest of the world for most things. As for gaining PR status, it's not as easy as it once was. They've become a bit more strict with their selection process. And immigration policies constantly change. The list of skilled occupations that they need have shrunk in the past 2 years. But there is a push to encourage immigrants to apply in regional areas -- like the Northern Territories -- where there are less people but big industries (agri/mining etc) that require low-skilled hard labor. Forget about applying to the popular cities like Sydney or Melbourne. The age limit used to be 50 years old about 4 years ago so we thought we had a shot. But they reduced it recently to 45. The wife and I are going to miss Sydney terribly....
I agree it gets harder and harder to get in with every government revision. Just take that into account when choosing where you want to go. Other things that come to mind on what I liked about Sydney and Toronto, the people are all work oriented ( people go to work and respect that you are working as well) but still having that value of family during the weekends. ( sa Canada they would go to “cottage country” which is another word of going outside the city. ). You leave all your problems at work. Everything is well managed. (In contrast Philippines, a lot of public services are a compareable mess and you have to worry about everything crime, traffic even foreign exchange). Everything just works and people take their work seriously. The people are provided a living wage to feed their family and live in reasonable comfort. It’s no wonder why a lot of hardworking intellectual Filipinos thrive and succeed.
I know, @Ejaxene. I have checked and researched that as well but it seems like it's a bit more challenging to find work there. Most of the immigration agents I spoke with suggest going the student pathway, but I can't see myself taking a PhD which is the only option I have since I already have a masters. Even if the age limit is 55, most employers will still want to prioritise younger candidates. Not much different than Australia.
