Our Procedure

Initial Consultation

Our first objective is to determine whether you qualify for Canadian immigration. We will analyze and assess your case.

Since we follow the same guidelines as visa officers, our analysis and assessment of your case is necessary. You may request a free assessment online, by telephone, by fax, or in person.

This free assessment is part of our initial consultation.

After the initial consultation, you will have a good understanding of how Canadian immigration works, what options you have, and what exactly you need to apply. On our end, we will have a good understanding of your individual case (your education, work experience, life goals, etc.).

The initial consultation will provide mutual understanding. We will specify, simplify, and clarify all the information you need to know. In exchange, we will understand you better.

After we have assessed your case, and you meet the minimum criteria, we can proceed to the next step.

Application

If you meet the necessary requirements, you can apply for Canadian immigration. Building your application is precisely the next step. We will help you build the strongest possible application.

When you decide to proceed, we will assign you a specific representative. Your representative will guide you in gathering key information and presenting it in the best possible way.

We will ensure your application is accurate, strong, and polished prior to submission.

Once ready, we will file your application and serve as your Canadian representative.

Although most of our past clients were not interviewed as part of the application process, if an interview is required, we will prepare you for it in advance.

Please note that every case is different, hence our service fees vary. Our approach to immigration consulting and facilitation is case-by-case. We analyze and assess your unique situation and qualifications, then help you choose the best path forward.

As you’ll see below, there are different paths you can take to immigrate to Canada. Certain factors in your case, along with the path of immigration you choose or qualify for, will determine our service fees for you. If you are not successful in gaining permanent residency, we will refund prepaid fees. We will explain our refund policy to you in detail when you become our client.

Once your application is filed, we must wait for the Government of Canada to assess it. We will take care of all correspondence with the Canadian government regarding your application.

If the information in your application is clear and concise, the Canadian government can process it efficiently:

When lawyers and consultants present their clients’ cases in a clear and concise manner, processing is expedited and simplified.

Canadian Embassy in Moscow’s Guidelines for Representatives. October 28, 1996.

The problem, however, is that most immigration lawyers and consultants do not tell their clients what they do with their cases. Clients are hence deprived of key information and remain clueless throughout the process. These consultants and lawyers do not fully inform their clients simply because they do not want them to know everything—all the laws, regulations, requirements, steps, and possibilities.

But we at Scotia Consultants believe you have a right to know all the key information, including what your Canadian Representative does. You have a right to learn the law, the process, and your options, in plain language, directly from your consultant. You are free and encouraged to ask questions, and you deserve complete and reliable answers.

We will be with you every step of the way. Our promise is to support you until you settle down in your new home in Canada. Our vision is help you realize yours.

Paths to Permanent Residency in Canada

Skilled Worker Class

The skilled worker immigration program was designed to promote the Canadian economy by bringing educated and skilled workers into Canada. Within this general program, applicants are assessed on 6 factors:

1. EDUCATION
2. EXPERIENCE
3. OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ABILITY
4. AGE
5. ARRANGED EMPLOYMENT
6. ADAPTABILITY

Each criterion is assigned a specific number of points. Generally, an applicant must have at least 67 points to be selected as an Independent Immigrant.

However, a visa officer has a general discretion to issue an immigrant visa to an applicant with less than 67 points, provided that the applicant can show that he has the potential—work experience, proven ability, funds, and so on— to become a successful worker in Canada. At minimum, an applicant must have one year of work experience in a skilled occupation and proof of adequate transferable funds.

Business Class

Investor (Federal and Quebec)

Note: The Federal Immigrant Investor Program is now closed.

To qualify as an investor under the Quebec Investor Immigration Program (QIIP) for the Province of Quebec, there are 3 conditions you must meet:

1. You must have business ownership or business management experience of at least 2 years.
2. You must have a legally obtained net worth of at least $2 Million CAD.
3. You must invest $1.2 Million CAD in Quebec without interest for 5 years.

Many banks will lend you money to invest in the fund, such that you just need a down payment of about $350,000 CAD.

Also, you must satisfy the minimum number of points (35) demanded on the Points Assessment Grid for all investors and entrepreneurs applying for QIIP:

Entrepreneur Immigration

Note: CIC has temporarily stopped accepting applications for the federal entrepreneur program. Only applications received before July 1, 2011, will be processed. This suspension will continue until further notice. However, the provincial entrepreneur program is still open.

To qualify as an entrepreneur, you must show that:

1. You have business management experience of at least 2 years.
2. You have a legally earned net worth of $300,000 CAN.
3. You agree in writing that for one year in the first 3 years after you arrive in Canada, you will:
   • invest in and control at least 33⅓% of a qualifying Canadian business;
   • provide active and ongoing management of the qualifying Canadian business, and
   • create at least one additional full-time job in that business for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, besides you and your family

In addition, entrepreneurs must obtain at least 35 points on the Points Assessment Grid for investors and entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs will also have to report to CIC of their efforts to comply with their conditions. Family members will have to comply with the conditions as well.

Self-Employed Immigration

The self-employed category has been redefined in order to only include immigrants who can make an artistic or cultural contribution, farmers and world-class athletes.

According to the new regulations, a self-employed immigrant is one who is:

1. able to and intends to create a new employment opportunity for oneself and therein contribute to the cultural and/or artistic life of Canada, or …
2. able to and intends to establish or purchase an agricultural business in Canada and turn it into a new employment opportunity.

Please review this business class comparison chart for details (pdf document, requires Acrobat reader).

USA EB-5 IMMIGRANT INVESTOR VISA PROGRAM

Eligibility Criteria and Qualifications

To initially qualify, an investor must do the following:

• Prove the origin of the investment amount ($500,000) and costs ($65,000). Documentation supporting the legal source, path of funds, and method of accumulation will be required.
• Make an investment of $500,000, plus costs of $65,000. This amount will be held in trust and returned, without deduction or interest, if the applicant is refused a United States permanent resident visa.
• Maintain his investment for a period of five years.
• Accept that the government prohibits a guaranteed investment return or guarantees that eliminate all investment risk.
• Have no prior criminal convictions or immigration violations.
• Have no major health issues, and pass a standard medical test.
• Intend to spend a minimum of 90 days per year in the United States (required to maintain residency status).

Once a US attorney has received all the necessary signed forms and documents, his/her team of experienced lawyers will complete the immigration process within approximately nine to twelve months.

Federal Start Up Visa (SUV) Program

Scotia Consultants has one of the most comprehensive and successful Start Up Visa programs with Angel Investors that will lead you to Permanent Residence in Canada.

SUV is the fastest and easiest way to get immigration now under Business programs. Contact us today for more details about the SUV program.

Family Class

Canadian citizens and permanent residents living in Canada, 18 years of age or older, may sponsor family members or close relatives who want to become permanent residents of Canada.

Here are family members or relatives from abroad that you can sponsor:

• Spouse, common-law or conjugal partners 16 years of age or older
• Parents and grandparents
• Dependent children including adopted children
• Children under 18 years of age whom you intend to adopt
• Brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces or grandchildren who are orphans, under the age of 18 and not married or in a common-law relationship
• Any other relative if you have none of the above, either in Canada or abroad

Immigration with Scotia | Full Procedure

Below is the entire procedure of immigrating to Canada with Scotia.

We stay with you from beginning to end. We do everything we can to ensure that you begin your new journey in Canada. We stay committed to your success and satisfaction, Canadian immigration law, and our core values.

1. Once you contact us directly or through our authorized representatives about your desire to immigrate to Canada, you will be asked provide a detailed resume explaining your job responsibilities, educational background, and proof of English/French language proficiency. You can also fill out the free assessment form on our website.
2. We review your qualifications and determine which category of immigration will suit you best, such that if you apply, you will have a maximal chance of being accepted.
3. Once we are convinced that you have an outright chance to qualify in one of the categories, we officially let you know our decision and inform you of your present status as it relates to Canadian immigration, based on scores. At this point, we encourage you to apply for the immigration.
4. We provide you with all the terms and conditions including the retainer’s agreement and fees chargeable for our services to you, all for your review.
5. If you decide to retain our services for the purpose of immigration, you must sign and date the retainer’s agreement and send it back to us. You will get a copy of the agreement. At this time, the first instalment of our fees is due.
6. You will be issued a receipt for the payment and a package consisting of all the guidelines including application forms, documents checklist, govt. fees and related instruction, things to do before we submit your application, etc.
7. When we receive all the required documents, we start preparing your application. All necessary documents should accompany your application at the time of initial submission to the visa post. Therefore, you are requested to provide us with all documents before we can submit your file.
8. Once we complete your application and have it ready for submission, we will send you a copy along with the original application forms for your review. If any correction needs to be made on your file, you must inform us at this point. If all information is accurate, you and your dependent (if applicable) need to sign and date it.
9. We submit your file in the visa office responsible for your region with a cover letter explaining your qualification in details. A copy of the final submission is sent to you for your record.
10. Within 6-8 weeks, you can expect to receive an Acknowledgement Letter including your file number from the concerned visa office. It assures you that your application was submitted perfectly and accepted after initial screening by the visa office. At this time, the second instalment of our fees is due.
11. During the time when your application is being processed, we will update you frequently about your status and we will also guide you to upgrade your skills to adjust with the Canadian system. Any query from your end will be answered within 24 hrs. We guarantee you accessibility at any time. We also take a friendly, down-to-earth approach in our communication with clients.
12. Make sure you let us know any changes that occur in your personal or professional life during the course of processing your application so that we can immediately notify those at the visa office.
13. Processing time varies from 8-24 months depending on which visa office is dealing with your case. Once the processing is over, you will be called for a personal interview with the visa officer, or medical papers will be issued in your favour if no interview is required. Everything will be notified to you through us. At this time, the third instalment of our fees is due.
14. After your successful interview with the visa officer or completion of medical checks by the authorized physician in your city, it takes roughly 4-6 months to have your immigrant visa issued. You should receive your immigrant visa and Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) within that span of time. Now, the fourth and final instalment of our fees is due.
15. You should make travel arrangements to become a landed immigrant in Canada. Your visa is valid for 1 year from the date of the medical examination. Immigrant visa cannot be extended.
16. From the day you land in Canada, we will be with you in every step of the way, easing your initial settlement in Canada. We will ensure that you settle in Canada as swiftly and comfortably as possible. You will be content to call Canada your new home.