FAQ

How is your company different from other immigration firms?

Do you offer any guarantees?

Do you offer flexible payment schedules?

What documents are necessary to start an immigration case?

How do I contact you during the immigration process and send all necessary documents?

How do we choose the principal applicant?

Which relatives are defined as “family members”? Which members of our family can be included in the application for permanent residence in Canada?

Is it possible to extend the validity of the immigration visa?

How much money should I have prior to arrival to Canada?

After the immigration visas are issued, can one family member enter Canada first, while others follow some time later?

Will anyone meet me at the airport when I arrive to Canada?

What status will I have after I immigrate to Canada?

How much time has to pass before I obtain Canadian citizenship?

Am I allowed to have dual citizenship?

If I need to leave Canada, how long can I be away?

Which countries do not require entrance visas for Canadian citizens?

How realistic is it to obtain a refugee status in Canada?

How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Toronto?

What is considered to be an average salary in Canada?

Can I use an international driver’s license issued in my home country?

Can my children attend kindergarten?

How much is college/university tuition in Canada?

Is investment a requirement under the business immigrant category?

How do I demonstrate availability of funds necessary to start a business in Canada, under the “Business Immigrant – entrepreneur” category?

How do I plan and organize a Canadian business in advance if I do not know anything about business practices in Canada?

Can I come to Canada with a business visitor visa to familiarize myself with the Canadian economy?

Where can I study English after arrival in Canada?

Which school will my children attend in Canada?


How is your company different from other immigration firms?

One of the divisions of our company is a successful employment agency CMS. It is a government-licensed agency with two departments; the first deals with IT specialists and the second takes care of other types of professions in various industries. Therefore, after your immigration process is finalized and you safely arrive in Canada, we will assist you with finding employment. It is common practice in our company – we find employment for all immigrants who applied for permanent residence in Canada through us.

Currently, there are many immigration companies offering their services. However, very few of them deal with employment in Canada. First, only a handful of agencies have the appropriate license. Second, most companies do not deal with employment themselves, but refer clients to other agencies, which for the most part prefer to place people who already have work experience in Canada. We, on the other hand, directly deal with employment and provide adequate job options to immigrants.

Do you offer any guarantees?

Our experience, derived from many years of productive work in the field, allows us to present your case to the immigration authorities in accordance with all official requirements and deal with the intricacies of each embassy’s conditions. Furthermore, out consultants always conduct an in-depth preliminary case analysis, allowing us to only take on cases with realistic chances of success.

During the preparation of the necessary documentation, we take into account the fact that various visa offices have different requirements and approaches to conducting immigration interviews. Therefore, we recommend the most appropriate and well-founded methodology. All this minimizes the chances of receiving a refusal to an immigration application. In the case that a negative decision is reached due to a mistake on our part, we guarantee you a refund.

Do you offer flexible payment schedules?

TIMS INTERNATIONAL, LTD. does not have an opportunity to provide services prior to receiving payment. In order to guarantee supreme standards of service, we only work with highly qualified professionals; none of such experts, and especially lawyers, would charge for the result, but as commonly accepted here – for work performed.

What documents are necessary to start an immigration case?

You should prepare the following documents:

  • Copies of birth certificates and passports

  • Copies of diplomas

  • Documents confirming work experience

How do I contact you during the immigration process and send all necessary documents?

All documents are sent to us by mail (courier or registered, at your discretion). To discuss your case, you may contact us by telephone, fax, and email or use a form provided on our website. Your immigration process is a confidential matter. For this reason, and in accordance with Privacy Laws, we are only able to discuss the immigration case with the client.

How do we choose the principal applicant?

In order to receive an approval of a permanent residence application, it is necessary to accumulate a certain number of points. At this time the minimum passing score is 67. Hence, the principal applicant is chosen on the basis of education, work experience and a multitude of other factors. Making a correct choice will enable your family to obtain the maximum total score.

Which relatives are defined as “family members”? Which members of our family can be included in the application for permanent residence in Canada?

Family members are considered to be the spouse and children (younger 22 years of age) of the principal applicant. Children who are older than 22 can only be included in the application if they are full-time students at a post-secondary institution or are dependent on their parents for other reasons. Other family members such as parents cannot be included in your application. After your arrival to Canada you can sponsor them provided that you have worked in the country for at least one year.

Is it possible to extend validity of the immigration visa?

An immigration visa cannot be extended. If you were unable to enter Canada before the expiration of the visa, you have to start the immigration process from the beginning.

How much money should I have prior to arrival to Canada?

Persons immigrating under the Skilled Worker category must present $10,000 CAD for the principal applicant and additional $2,000 CAD for every accompanying family member. These funds are necessary to cover the living expenses and help during the adaptation period during the first six months in the country.

After the immigration visas are issued, can one family member enter Canada first, while others follow some time later?

Yes. However, the principal applicant must be the first to enter Canada. Other family members can cross the border any time after that, while the immigration visa is still valid.

Will anyone meet me at the airport when I arrive to Canada?

All our clients who have requested the adaptation package are met at the airport and taken to a place where they can stay (a hotel, rented apartment/house, etc). We also assist you with obtaining all necessary Canadian documents (SIN, OHIP, etc). You can find detailed information about the settlement services offered by TIMS INTERNATIONAL, LTD. on our website.

What status will I have after I immigrate to Canada?

After you receive the immigration visas and enter Canada with your family you become “permanent residents of Canada”. This status gives you the same rights that citizens of Canada enjoy, except for the right to vote or be elected, as well as makes you eligible for social benefits.

How much time has to pass before I obtain Canadian citizenship?

Permanent residents can apply for Canadian citizenship after three years in the country. Applying for citizenship is not complicated. The candidate must take the citizenship test, where correct answers to some questions are mandatory. The test is conducted in English or French. After successfully passing the test you will be invited to a citizenship ceremony where you will take an oath of loyalty to Canada and Queen Elizabeth II.

Am I allowed to have dual citizenship?

Canada recognizes dual citizenships; however, you need to verify whether the laws of your home country recognize it as well.

If I need to leave Canada, how long can I be away?

You must be present in Canada for at least two out of five consecutive years. Otherwise you will lose you permanent resident status.

Which countries do not require entrance visas for Canadian citizens?

These countries include members of the British Commonwealth, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Israel, Spain, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, Mexico, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, USA, Finland, France, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan as well as many “third world countries”, such as Korea and Venezuela.

How realistic is it to obtain a refugee status in Canada?

Refugees are defined as individuals who are being persecuted because of their race, religion, nationality, political views or belonging to a specific social group. In order to apply for a refugee status, the applicant must first enter Canada. Applying for this status outside of the country is not viable.

Our company renders legal assistance to individuals who have entered Canada and intend to apply for refugee status. In the vast majority of cases we are able to achieve a positive result thanks to our lawyers’ experience and extensive knowledge of immigration law complexities.

How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Toronto?

Rent of a one-bedroom apartment (in Canada, the number of bedrooms determines the size of accommodation) is approximately $800 CAD per month, a two-bedroom apartment - $900 CAD. The same apartments in a condominium would cost $1400 CAD per month or more. A house can be rented starting from approximately $1300 per month. The mentioned prices may vary depending on the neighbourhood. In any case, our company will find suitable accommodation for you and take you there straight from the airport.

What is considered to be an average salary in Canada?

Just like in any other country, in Canada salaries depend on sphere of activity, professional qualifications, language proficiency, etc. Therefore, a salary can range anywhere from the minimum wage – approximately $8 per hour to $40-50 per hour and more (a computer programmer, for example can earn from $40,000 to $90,000 per year).

Can I use an international driver’s license issued in my home country?

Yes, but only for the first two months. After that you will need to take a driving theory test as well as a driving test to obtain a Canadian driver’s license.

Can my children attend kindergarten?

Yes. There are many public and private kindergartens in Canada, usually with small classes/groups of 5-7 people.

How much is college/university tuition in Canada?

This depends on where and what program you study. Tuition fees may vary from $1,500 to $5,000 per year. All kinds of government subsidies, bursaries and loans are available covering up to 80% of fees.

Is investment a requirement under the business immigrant category?

Only if you are applying under the “investor” category.

How do I demonstrate availability of funds necessary to start a business in Canada, under the “Business Immigrant – entrepreneur” category?

Proof of funds can be presented in the form of documents (certificates, official appraisals, purchase agreements) outlining the market value of your property (house, apartment, vehicle, garage, cottage), cost of your business, securities/stocks as well as funds stored in your bank account (bank statement). Any realtor in your city/town can appraise your property and provide you with a report, while the value of your stocks can be confirmed by any investment fund.

How do I plan and organize a Canadian business in advance if I do not know anything about business practices in Canada?

Our specialists will conduct a complex market research project for you, based on the type of business you were running in your home country. Based on the results of this research, we will prepare a business plan for your approval, and submit it to the immigration authorities.

Can I come to Canada with a business visitor visa to familiarize myself with the Canadian economy?

This practice is encouraged by the immigration authorities of Canada. We will assist you with the necessary formalities and organize meetings with potential business partners and government officials dealing with matters of business immigration.

Where can I study English after arrival in Canada?

There are many free as well as paid English courses.

Which school will my children attend in Canada?

Your children will attend a public school. Upon admission to the school, children undergo English testing to determine their level of proficiency. If necessary, they are places in an intensive language-enhancement course. Apart from that, there are also many private schools.