A single mistake can cause your immigration application to hit the rejection pile.
Did you know? Canada is predicted to have welcomed around 1 million Canadian immigrants between the years 2018-2020. And yet, there are millions of prospective immigrants who never make the final cut. That’s because they unwillingly make a mistake or two during their application process.
What kind of mistakes would that be? Most people believe that immigration applications get rejected on the basis of big issues.You know a thing like criminal history, unauthorized job experience and what not. However, the majority of the Canadian immigration applications actually get rejected on the basis of very silly mistakes. Some of them could have been avoided if the applicant had proofread their forms. Others occurred due to lack of knowledge about the Canadian immigration system.
The list of mistakes is endless and keeps on increasing each year. But what prospective immigrants can do is make a checklist of sorts to prevent themselves from following the same faulty pattern.
What kind of things should be included in this list?
We’ve created our own list to give you an idea on all the immigration mistakes you need to avoid when you apply to Canada.
Forgetting to sign your application is a pretty common mistake.
Let’s have a look:
1. Covering the Basics
First and foremost, you need to go through your immigration form with a fine tooth comb. The immigration process is intricate in nature so it is likely that you may miss out on a few details if you don’t do your proper research.
Here are a few things to consider:
- Government Fees: The government fee for each immigration program varies significantly. So it’s crucial for you to send the correct amount.
- IRCC Checklist: Always tally the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) checklist to ensure that you submit relevant documents with the application.
- Country-Centric Rules: Make sure you know which supplementary documents are required for your country.
- Criminal history: Did you know? DUIs are now seen as a criminal offense. So make sure that your criminal record is completely clean before you apply to Canada.
- Ineligible Sponsorship:Selecting ineligible dependants for sponsorship programs (e.g. parents, siblings, cousins or other relatives)
- Falsified Information: Submitting inaccurate information like lying about your educational background, job experience or faking test scores.
The list can go on forever. So the main idea is to make sure that you’ve covered everything before you send in your application.
2. Lost in Translation
Statistics reveal that Asian immigrants lead the pack in Canada’s immigrant demographic. It is believed that people from countries like India, China,and Philipines choose Canada as their first option for immigration.
But we don’t want to bore you with statistics. Our point is that most of these countries don’t have English as an official language. So it’s pretty likely that the most important pieces of documentation (e.g. birth certificate, marriage papers and divorce decree) are written in another language. These essential papers are mandatory requirements for various Canadian immigration programs. Unless stated otherwise,all supporting documents are supposed to be submitted in either English or French.
What if your documents aren’t in English/French?
As a thumb rule, all supporting documents are to be submitted in English or French,
Your documents should be sent with:
- Sent with proper English/French translations
- An affidavit from the translator you used
- An authorized photocopy of the original document
The important thing to note is that incomplete and incomprehensible translations won’t be accepted by the Canadian government. This is why it’s essential to hire a certified translator for the first leg of paperwork.
3. The Missing Pieces
We admit that immigrating to Canada involves a lot of paperwork. But it is your responsibility to be meticulous and diligent during the application process.
That’s because one single misspelled word/name could disqualify you as an applicant. So it’s essential for you to proofread and double check all the documents before submitting them.
Here are a few mistakes that you should lookout for:
- Write all the names of the applicants, sponsors and other parties correctly
- Avoid listing down addresses of old residence locations
- Make sure to address every required detail in the form
- Don’t forget to sign the legal documents
- All details entered in the form must be tallied and verified
- Remember to attach the all supplementary documents required from you
- Choose the correct format and size of the photographs you need to submit
What if you need more time to complete some paperwork?
You should never falsify information or send in incomplete paperwork.That’s because unfinished submissions automatically lead to eligibility issues.
Always consult a professional immigration company when you’re stuck in paperwork. They might be able to assist you in the process. Don’t ever send incomplete paperwork without explaining the reason for the missing information.
4. Down to the Deadline
Have you ever read a book or article on ‘How to Immigrate to Canada’?
They must have mentioned that tardiness is a big misstep on your journey to Canada. Time is of the essence for Canadian immigration programs. That’s because you are one of the million people who apply to the country in a given time.
So naturally, they can’t accommodate any dilly dallying on your account when there are thousands of applicants behind you.
Therefore, we suggest that you properly chart your immigration to Canada. From submitting documents, interview dates, tests to getting a call―each and every important date must be noted down. Then make it a habit of consulting the dates a week prior to submission or setting alarms/reminders.
These things will ensure that you send in the submissions on time.
Another factor to consider is the renewal dates. You must renew the immigration documents and visit visa before it expires. That’s because the failure to renew these documents will result invalidity issues for your visa. The visa holder is then dubbed as ‘out of status ‘until their documents are renewed.
Pro tip: Try to acquire all documents from third parties (e.g. school and offices) a few days before the submission date. That’s because leaving these things to the last moment may result in unwanted delays.
5. Misinterpreting Rules
Everyone agrees that immigrating to another country isn’t easy. There are a lot of rules and details that you must abide by. The thing that mystifies newcomers about Canada is the fact that we’ve got over 80 Canadian immigration programs. So to say that you’ve got lots of options is an understatement. Professional consultants help clients to choose a program that fits their needs. This is observed, to make the transition process slightly easier for most immigrants.
The only catch is that many of these programs have different rules and criteria. So what works for one won’t necessarily be relevant for another program. That’s why it is crucial for you to read the fine print and apply according to the rules.
Let’s look at some frequent immigration mistakes you should avoid regarding the programs:
- Mailing the application forms to the wrong immigration office
- Signing the online application forms in an incorrect manner
- Don’t mix up departments when you call for an inquiry
- Be sure that you clear your Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and IELTS (International English Language Test Scores) according to program requirements
- Learn the required Canadian immigration points for each program
6. Lack of Assistance
Do you know why people make all these mistakes?
To put it simply, most of the issues are caused by a lack of awareness and the ability to interpret complex immigration acts & regulations. We’ve noticed that most applicants don’t really understand how the immigration system works. They also face a lot of problems when immigration rules change.
This, in turn, leads to a series of errors that could have been avoided with professional help. That’s why most immigrant workers advise applicants to hire immigration consultants.
With proper help, you can avoid mistakes, prevent delays and occasionally speed up the process. Best of all is the feasibility. When you weigh in all the factors you’ll realize that hiring consultations is cheaper than rectifying some of these mistakes. The rule of thumb is to select consultation services that are licensed and authorized by Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council(ICCRC).
That’s because most of them could have been avoided if you had approached them first. At other times, it becomes difficult to get proper representation when eligibility issues crop up. This delays the immigration process because you’re not qualified to represent yourself in front of the immigration office.
Let’s Sum It Up…
In the end, nobody really blames you for making these minute details. We understand that an individual feels a lot of pressure when they are applying for such an important thing. That’s why you must enlist the help of a consultancy agency as a precautionary measure.
As the saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Are you looking for an immigration consultant?
Elaar Immigration Consulting Inc. is a regulated immigration consultant company licensed by Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) that provides consulting services for clients moving to Canada. We don’t just handle your paperwork and ensure that you stay on top of those elusive deadlines. Rather you can count on us to offer customized and simplified solutions for all your immigration problems. Rest assured, we won’t rest until your immigration is finalized.
