tugrularas/irccfaq huggingface dataset:
Question: If I’m transferring through different countries at the airport, or by car or train, do I need to record it in my travel journal?
Answer: If you don’t leave the airport during your stop, then you don’t need to record that country in your travel journal.
If you leave the airport, even if it’s only for a couple of hours, you should record the date and destination in the travel journal.
If you’re traveling by car or train, you’ll need to record dates and destinations of the countries you passed through.
Question: How do I get more copies of the travel journal?
Answer: You can print more copies of the travel journal.
Question: When will I receive my immigration loan statement?
Answer: You will get your first immigration loan statement during your first year in Canada either by email or mail. This statement explains the details of your loan.
A statement of account will be sent to you each month until your loan is paid in full.
Please contact us to provide your current details if you haven’t already.
Telephone
Toll free: 1-800-667-7301
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm (Eastern Standard time)
Please have your loan documents on hand when you call.
Email: collection@cic.gc.ca
Question: When do I have to make my first immigration loan payment?
Answer: The first payment is due one year and one month after you arrive in Canada.
For example, if your arrival date is April 15th, 2018, then your first payment will be due on May 15th, 2019.
Question: How do I change my GCKey password?
Answer: You can change your password after you sign in using GCKey. To change your password, you need to enter your current password and then create and confirm a new password.
Your password must:

be between 8 and 16 characters
have at least
      
1 upper case letter
1 lower case letter
1 number


not have 3 or more consecutive characters from your username

You can also change your password if you forgot it.
Question: What are the rules for creating a username or password?
Answer: Your username must:

be between 8 and 16 characters
have letters and numbers
not have
  
more than 7 numbers
any special characters (for example: %, #, @)



Your password must:

be between 8 and 16 characters
have at least
  
1 upper case letter
1 lower case letter
1 number


not have 3 or more consecutive characters from your username
Question: What if I no longer want to use my GCKey?
Answer: If you no longer want to use your GCKey, you can revoke it:

Sign into your account
Choose the “Revoke your GCKey” button in the options menu
Enter your current password to confirm that you want to revoke your GCKey 

Remember: When you revoke your GCKey, you will not be able to use it for any Government of Canada service.
Question: There’s a specific employment location on my co-op or post-graduation work permit. Can I work somewhere else?
Answer: It depends on where the employment location information is on your work permit.
If the location is under Additional Information
You can work in any location across Canada. You don’t need to apply to change your work permit. If you have a co-op work permit, your work must be required to complete your study program.


Figure 1. Employment location information under the “Additional Information” section of a sample work permit.


If the location is under Conditions or Remarks/Observations
You must work at the location on your permit. You must apply to change the conditions of your work permit if you want to work in a different location. To do this, you’ll need to apply for a new work permit from within Canada. Select “Inside Canada” to find out how you can apply for your new permit. Include a letter explaining why you need the condition removed from your work permit with your application.


Figure 2. Employment location information under the “Conditions” section of a sample work permit.
Question: There’s a specific occupation on my co-op or post-graduation work permit. Can I work in a different field?
Answer: It depends on where the occupation information is on your work permit.
If the occupation is under Additional Information
You can work in any field. You don’t need to apply to change your work permit. If you have a co-op work permit, your work must be required to complete your study program.


Figure 1. Occupation information under the “Additional Information” section of a sample work permit.


If the occupation is under Conditions or Remarks/Observations
You must work in the field listed on your permit. You must apply to change the conditions of your work permit if you want to work in a different occupation. To do this, you’ll need to apply for a new work permit from within Canada. Select “Inside Canada” to find out how you can apply for your new permit. Include a letter explaining why you need the condition removed from your work permit with your application.


Figure 2. Occupation information under the “Conditions” section of a sample work permit.
Question: If my visa or permit application is refused, will I have to give biometrics for my next application?
Answer: No, when you give your biometrics as part of a visitor visa or work or study permit application, they're valid for 10 years, even if your application is refused.
What to do if your biometrics are about to expire
If your biometrics are about to expire, you can choose to give them again when you apply for temporary residence.
Check the status of your biometrics to find out if they're still valid and when they expire.
Question: Under the International Mobility Program, can I reuse an offer of employment number if the matched work permit application was refused?
Answer: No.
When you submit an offer of employment in the  Employer Portal, an offer of employment number is generated. We match this  number to the worker’s work permit application.
Once an officer makes a decision on the work  permit application, that offer of employment number can’t be reused for any other  work permit application. If a new work permit application needs to be  submitted, you must submit a new offer of employment (along with the fee).
Question: If I’m asked to give my biometrics, does that mean my application is approved?
Answer: No. Giving your biometrics is one of the steps you need to do before we can process your application. Once you give us your biometrics, we’ll use them to assess your application.
Question: How much does it cost to attend the Destination Canada event?
Answer: There is no fee, but we need to invite you to participate. 
Find out how to participate as

a candidate
an employer
an organization
Question: Who participates in the Destination Canada event?
Answer: Many Canadian provinces and territories will attend. Francophone community organizations will also attend.
The public employment services specialized in international mobility will provide information on how to prepare your move to Canada.
The visa offices of the Embassy of Canada in Paris and other Canadian missions will host webinars and participate in roundtable discussions to guide participants and employers through different steps. Find out how to participate as

a candidate
an employer
an organization
Question: Can I participate in the Destination Canada event even if no job postings match my profile?
Answer: If there are no job postings that match your profile, we can invite you to attend the Destination Canada Mobility Forum as an information and networking event. All candidates with an Express Entry profile will receive an invitation.
Question: Do I have to attend an information session before attending the Destination Canada event?
Answer: It isn’t mandatory, but you’re encouraged to attend an information session before attending the Destination Canada Mobility Forum. This will help you better understand the Canadian labour market, your employment prospects and the different programs for temporary and permanent residence.
If you’re invited to participate, you’ll receive links to videos you can watch before the forum.
Question: How do I get more information about the Destination Canada event?
Answer: If we approve your participation, you’ll receive an invitation and details by email.
Contact us if you have any questions about  the Destination Canada Mobility Forum.
For more  updates, sign up for our newsletter.
Question: How do I hire a candidate through Destination Canada for a temporary or permanent position?
Answer: The Destination Canada Mobility Forum gives you access to a pool of skilled candidates from around the world. You need to register in advance. 
Hiring a temporary worker
To hire workers temporarily, you need to either

get a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada
submit an offer of employment to IRCC

Many candidates in the forum may be eligible for LMIA exemptions, such as Mobilité Francophone.
Find out how to hire a temporary foreign worker once you have a candidate.
Hiring a permanent worker
To hire workers permanently, you can make a job offer to an Express Entry candidate. This increases a candidate’s chances of being invited to apply for permanent residence.
There are other options to hire workers under the

Provincial Nominee Program (non-Express Entry option) 
Atlantic Immigration Program
Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
Question: What does the progress bar in my application status mean?
Answer: The progress bar shows how long it may take to process your application. The bar and estimated dates are based on the date we received your application and our processing times. It isn’t based on your application’s progress.
If our processing times change, so will the bar and dates. Processing times can change because of the number of applications currently being processed and other factors.
Question: Why isn’t there a progress bar for my application?
Answer: At the moment, the progress bar is only available for these types of applications:


Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
Atlantic Immigration Program
Caregivers – High Medical Needs
provincial nominee
self-employed (federal)
Quebec-selected business class (includes investors, self-employed people and entrepreneurs)
Quebec-selected skilled worker
start-up visa
In-Canada protected person or Convention refugee

We’ll be expanding the progress bar to include other applications soon. We’ll contact you if a progress bar becomes available for your application type.
The progress bar is available only in your online account. If you submitted a paper application, you need to link it to your online account.
Question: Why is there a difference between my progress bar and my application progress?
Answer: The bar and estimated dates are based on the date we received your application and our processing times. Some applications take us longer than usual to process.
About 20% of our applications are more complex to process. They take us longer due to things like how easily we can verify information, how well and how quickly you answer our requests and whether the application is complete.
Question: How much income do I need to sponsor my parents and grandparents?
Answer: You, the sponsor (and your co-signer, if you have one), must have enough money to support all the people you’ll be financially responsible for once you become a sponsor, including yourself. We call this your “family size.”
To show that you have enough money, you’ll have to prove that you meet the income requirements for each of the 3 tax years before the date you apply.
For the 2024 intake, we’ll assess sponsors and co-signers on their income for tax years 2023, 2022 and 2021.
We canâ€™t assess whether you meet the income requirements until you apply (if youâ€™re invited).
This table applies to you, as a sponsor and co-signer, if you live in any province or territory except Quebec. If you live in Quebec, the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) will assess your income.
We can’t assess whether you meet the income requirements until you apply (if you’re invited).
Income required for the 3 tax years before the date you apply (if you’re applying for the 2024 intake)




Family size
2023Footnote 1
2022Footnote 1
2021Footnote 1




2 people
$44,530
$43,082
$32,898


3 people
$54,743
$52,965
$40,444


4 people
$66,466
$64,306
$49,106


5 people
$75,384
$72,935
$55,694


6 people
$85,020
$82,259
$62,814


7 people
$94,658
$91,582
$69,934


If more than 7 people, for each additional person, add:
$9,636
$9,324
$7,120




The sponsor and the co-signer (if there is one) must each submit 3 notices of assessment, or equivalent documents, issued by the minister of National Revenue. The assessments must be for the 3 tax years immediately before the date we receive the application.
If you (or your co-signer, if you have one) don’t submit 3 years of notices of assessment, you won’t meet the requirements to sponsor.
Income requirement for the 2021 tax year
Since many sponsors and co-signers may have been affected financially by the COVID-19 pandemic, the income requirement for the 2021 tax year was reduced to the minimum necessary income, instead of the minimum necessary income plus 30%.
Sponsors and co-signers can also count these benefits in their income calculation for the 2021 tax year:

regular Employment Insurance benefits (rather than just special Employment Insurance benefits)
any Canada Emergency Response Benefits issued under the
    
Employment Insurance Act or
Canadian Emergency Response Benefit Act


other temporary COVID-19 related benefits
    
as long as they’re not part of provincial or territorial social assistance programs



Note: This doesn’t apply to the income requirement for the 2023 or 2022 tax years, which is the minimum necessary income plus 30%.

Footnote

Footnote 1

To prove you, as the sponsor and co-signer, meet the income requirements, you must include your notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the last 3 tax years before you apply (2023, 2022 and 2021 for the 2024 intake). The easiest way to prove your income is to give us permission to get your notices of assessment directly from the CRA.
 Return to footnote 1 referrer
Question: How do I make an electronic copy of my passport or proof of status in Canada document?
Answer: To make an electronic copy, you can use a scanner, your phone or a digital camera. Scan or take a picture of your document.
You can only submit 1 file with your interest to sponsor form. If you have to submit both sides of your passport or status in Canada document, save both sides into 1 file. If you don’t have photo editing software, the easiest way to do this is to save both images into a Word document.
If your file is bigger than 2 MB, you need to reduce the size to upload your document and submit the interest to sponsor form. The maximum file size is 2 MB.
We accept these file formats:

PDF (portable document)
JPG, TIFF, or PNG (image)
DOC or DOCX (Microsoft Word document)

The file name can only contain letters from the English or French alphabets, numbers, spaces, hyphens and these characters: / & , . - : \ ( ) * # ; @
Write down the name you give the file and where you save it so you can easily find the file later.
Documents we accept as proof of your status in Canada
Submit one of these proof of status documents:

permanent resident card (both sides)
    
combine both sides into 1 image or file


record of landing (IMM 1000) (only if you didn’t get a permanent resident card)
Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688)
Canadian Citizenship Certificate or card (both sides)
    
combine both sides into in 1 image or file


Canadian birth certificate
    
If you were born in Quebec, we only accept a birth certificate from the Directeur de l’état civil.


Your passport (pages showing passport number, date of issue and expiration, photo, name, surname, place and date of birth)
Secure certificate of Indian status

We accept expired documents. You don’t need to renew your document to complete the interest to sponsor form or to submit your sponsorship application, if you’re invited to apply.
Prepare your copy ahead of time and know where to find it on your computer or mobile device.
If you’re invited to apply, make sure you upload the same status in Canada document that you submitted when you completed your interest to sponsor form under the section “Supporting documents” in your online application.
Question: What does it mean if I’m medically inadmissible for excessive demand reasons?
Answer: It means you won’t be allowed to enter or stay in Canada because your health condition might cause an excessive demand on health or social services.
This can mean:

the need for health services to treat your condition would negatively affect medical service wait times in Canada
the services to treat and manage your condition would likely cost more than the Canadian average for health and social services (per person)
Question: How do immigration officers decide if I’m medically inadmissible for excessive demand reasons?
Answer: There is no specific health condition that automatically leads to inadmissibility based on excessive demand on health or social services. We assess each applicant individually.
We make a decision by looking at the results of your immigration medical exam.
We consider:

the current state of your health condition(s)
the likely prognosis
the cost of health and social services that you’ll need over the next 5 to 10 years
the effect that your medical care will have on wait lists for health and social services in Canada
Question: Does medical inadmissibility based on excessive demand reasons apply to everyone?
Answer: Excessive demand on health or social services applies to most foreign nationals.
It doesn’t apply to:

refugees
protected persons
certain persons being sponsored as members of the family class, including dependent children, spouses and common-law partners
Question: Why didn’t I receive an invitation to submit a mitigation plan?
Answer: If you don’t need social services or outpatient prescription medications, we won’t invite you to submit a mitigation plan.
You can’t opt out of publicly-funded health services, except for outpatient prescription medication in some provinces or territories. So you can’t submit a mitigation plan to cover the cost of health services.
Question: What’s the difference between a visitor visa and a visitor record?
Answer: A visitor visa (also known as a temporary resident visa) is an official document citizens from visa-required countries need to get to travel to and enter Canada as a visitor for up to 6 months.

We stick the visitor visa in your passport.
    
It shows that you meet the requirements to enter Canada.


It includes the date by which you must arrive in Canada.
    
The date is not an expiry date for your stay in Canada.


If you apply for a study or work permit for the first time, you’ll automatically get a visitor visa when we approve your application.

A visitor record is a document that a border services officer may issue to you to extend or restrict your stay in Canada. If you want to stay in Canada for more than 6 months, you have to tell the border services officer.
You may also get a visitor record after we approve your application to extend your stay or restore your status. A visitor record is issued either by the Canada Border Services Agency or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

You need to apply for a visitor record when:
    
you first arrive at the port of entry and you know you want to stay longer than 6 months; or
you’re in Canada and decide you want to stay longer.
        
You must apply at least 30 days before your authorized stay in Canada expires.




It’s an independent document (not placed in your passport).
It includes an expiry date for your stay in Canada.
    
That’s the date by which you must leave Canada.





Image of a visitor visa


  




Image of a visitor record
Question: Do I need to apply for both a visitor visa and an eTA?
Answer: No. If you plan to travel to Canada, you need a valid visitor visa OR a valid eTA.
The one you need depends on:

the type of travel document you will travel with;
the country that issued your travel document;
your nationality; and
how you will travel to Canada.

Before you apply, answer a few questions to find out what you need to travel to Canada.

If you already have a valid Canadian visitor visa you don’t need to apply for an eTA – even if you’re eligible for an eTA. You can travel with your visa until it expires.

If you apply for an initial work or study permit before you travel to Canada, you’ll get a visa or an eTA automatically once your work or study permit application is approved. You don’t need to apply for a visa or an eTA, or pay extra fees.

If we issue you a visa, we’ll stick in your passport.
If we issue you an eTA, your eTA number will be included in the letter of introduction we will send you when your study or work permit is approved. Keep this number in case you need to contact us about your eTA.



Travel documents



passport
alien’s passport for stateless persons
permit to re-enter the U.S. (I-327)
U.S. refugee travel document (I-571)
other refugee travel document for non-citizens
Question: Can I bring my child to the in-person citizenship test?
Answer: We’re now inviting applicants to take the citizenship test online.
In-person tests may also be available if you need an accommodation.
For the latest instructions, wait for and check your invitation.
No, only the person scheduled for the test can be in the testing room. 
If you need accommodation, contact the office that sent your invitation to explain your situation. They will let you know if they can accommodate your child. For example, you may be able to bring someone to supervise your child in the waiting room of the test location.
Question: Can I bring my child to the citizenship ceremony?
Answer: If your child is not becoming a Canadian citizen at the ceremony
This can be because your child is

not a Canadian citizenship applicant or
scheduled to attend a different citizenship ceremony (not with you)

Follow the instructions below based on the type of ceremony you’ll attend.




Ceremony type
Can your child attend the ceremony?




Video oath ceremony (virtual citizenship ceremony)
Yes, they may attend the ceremony virtually with you.


In person ceremony
It depends on your ceremony’s venue or location. Check your invitation to make sure you can bring your child.




If your child is an  applicant who’s becoming a Canadian citizen at the same ceremony as you
Follow the instructions below based on the age of your child.




Age of the child
Do they have to attend the ceremony?




Between 14 and 17 years old
Yes


13 years old or younger
No, but they’re welcome to attend in most cases. To be sure, check your ceremony invitation.




Find out who must attend the ceremony
Question: What happens if my PR card expires?
Answer: When your permanent resident (PR) card expires, you still have your PR status and can stay in Canada. You may still need your valid PR card for some services in your province.
If you leave the country, you’ll need a valid PR card to return to Canada by commercial vehicle. If you want to travel outside Canada and don’t have a valid PR card, you can apply to renew or replace your card.
Question: Can I travel outside Canada without my PR card?
Answer: It depends on how you’re traveling.
If you’re traveling in a private vehicle, you can use other documents to return to Canada.
If you’re traveling in a commercial vehicle, you need a valid permanent resident (PR) card to return to Canada. If your PR card expires when you’re travelling, renew your PR card before you leave. You can only renew your PR card when you’re in Canada. If you’re outside Canada and don’t have a valid PR card, you need a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) to return to Canada. You can only apply for a PRTD from outside Canada.