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The Canada List and The Canada Coffee Club are owned and managed by Penny Nelson All content copyright P Nelson. |
An easy 10-point guide to getting the ball rolling 1 Make sure you have enough points and money to qualify for a Canadian permanent residence visa. The Pretoria High Commission's web site has a really useful points assessment form (please note this is for Southern Africans only). Don't forget to check out the NOC and GOL to be sure you apply under the correct occupational category for maximum points. If you're not sure you've worked out your points correctly, or think you don't have enough, you can meet with an emigration consultant - they have to assess your points before accepting you as a client. Usually this will be free, but you may have to pay a nominal fee to attend a session. You can decide later whether to make use of their service [see also Consultant or not?]. You can also consult an emigration attorney, but this may cost you upfront. Some law firms will assess your suitability online for free - try KAM International, a Toronto-based law firm. 2 Decide whether or not you are going to use an attorney or consultant. The best way to make this decision is to talk to others who have been through the process. Use this web site to post messages and chat. 3 Get the application forms - they're available online from CHC Pretoria's web site, or they will mail them to you. If you are using consultants or an attorney, they will provide all this. 4 Gather all the necessary documents. Unless you're completely unusual and actually have all your UNABRIDGED birth certificates, marriage certificates etc, this is probably the most annoying part of the entire process. You get to deal with Home Affairs and queue a lot. Keep your mind on your final goal (emigration) and just do it. It's not that bad, especially if you're not in a particular hurry... Just make sure everything is provided in absolutely accurate detail with proof, eg you need to prove where and when you worked for whomever. You'll get a check list with your forms - follow it to the last dot. NB Send certified copies only with your application - once you have all the papers, your local police station can certify them for you. Your consultant/attorney may assist with this doccie-gathering exercise - ours arranged the birth certificates and police clearance, although of course we had to do part of the legwork here by filling in the forms and getting finger-printed. If you're using a consultant, this is the part of the process where they are of most value, because if your application is incomplete, it will be sent back, which is a huge waste of time. At worst, it could reflect badly on you. If you've decided to go it alone without a consultant, you may have a lot of questions about what is acceptable as proof (eg) of employment. If you have a question, why not post a message on this site - many of us have been through the process already and can share the info! 5 Fill in the application forms. Be honest and make sure all the areas are filled in properly. 6 Write your covering letter. Approach this as you would when applying for a job you really want... you need to be positive and motivate your application strongly. Make sure it looks professional - get someone to check for typos and spelling mistakes! If you are using an attorney/consultant, they will write this all-important letter on your behalf. Ask to see it before it gets mailed - ours had errors in it. 7 Choose the office where you will lodge your application. Processing times are usually the deciding factor here. Just remember that if you lodge outside of SA and are called to an interview, you will need to attend the interview where you lodged. If you are using a consultant, another factor to consider is where your consultant has the strongest relationship, and whether or not he is recognised by the office where you wish to lodge. Sometimes it's better to apply in Pretoria, as they are au fait with South African circumstances such as military service. 8 Arrange a bank draft to pay your processing fees. These MUST accompany your application and are not refundable [the CHC Pretoria web site explains fees]. You do not need to pay ROLF (right of landing fees) until later, but you can include them at this stage. ROLF are refundable if for some strange reason you are not accepted into Canada. 9 Courier your entire application to the CHC office where you are lodging. After spending weeks gathering the thing together, you do NOT want to rely on the SA Post Office to get your (very thick) envelope there safely and promptly. Remember to keep a copy of your entire application. You never know. 10 Join the Big Wait - there is nothing more you can do! This is positively and absolutely the WORST & LONGEST part of the entire process, but it goes by and, in the end, it will all be worth it. Join The Canada List to help you through this time, take part in our online chats and gatherings in various cities, and use our message board if you have questions or bad moments. Remember, you are not alone! |
Got a question? |
Got a question? |
An easy 10-point guide to getting the ball rolling 1 Make sure you have enough points and money to qualify for a Canadian permanent residence visa. The Pretoria High Commission's web site has a really useful points assessment form (please note this is for Southern Africans only). Don't forget to check out the NOC and GOL to be sure you apply under the correct occupational category for maximum points. If you're not sure you've worked out your points correctly, or think you don't have enough, you can meet with an emigration consultant - they have to assess your points before accepting you as a client. Usually this will be free, but you may have to pay a nominal fee to attend a session. You can decide later whether to make use of their service [see also Consultant or not?]. You can also consult an emigration attorney, but this may cost you upfront. Some law firms will assess your suitability online for free - try KAM International, a Toronto-based law firm. 2 Decide whether or not you are going to use an attorney or consultant. The best way to make this decision is to talk to others who have been through the process. Use this web site to post messages and chat. 3 Get the application forms - they're available online from CHC Pretoria's web site, or they will mail them to you. If you are using consultants or an attorney, they will provide all this. 4 Gather all the necessary documents. Unless you're completely unusual and actually have all your UNABRIDGED birth certificates, marriage certificates etc, this is probably the most annoying part of the entire process. You get to deal with Home Affairs and queue a lot. Keep your mind on your final goal (emigration) and just do it. It's not that bad, especially if you're not in a particular hurry... Just make sure everything is provided in absolutely accurate detail with proof, eg you need to prove where and when you worked for whomever. You'll get a check list with your forms - follow it to the last dot. NB Send certified copies only with your application - once you have all the papers, your local police station can certify them for you. Your consultant/attorney may assist with this doccie-gathering exercise - ours arranged the birth certificates and police clearance, although of course we had to do part of the legwork here by filling in the forms and getting finger-printed. If you're using a consultant, this is the part of the process where they are of most value, because if your application is incomplete, it will be sent back, which is a huge waste of time. At worst, it could reflect badly on you. If you've decided to go it alone without a consultant, you may have a lot of questions about what is acceptable as proof (eg) of employment. If you have a question, why not post a message on this site - many of us have been through the process already and can share the info! 5 Fill in the application forms. Be honest and make sure all the areas are filled in properly. 6 Write your covering letter. Approach this as you would when applying for a job you really want... you need to be positive and motivate your application strongly. Make sure it looks professional - get someone to check for typos and spelling mistakes! If you are using an attorney/consultant, they will write this all-important letter on your behalf. Ask to see it before it gets mailed - ours had errors in it. 7 Choose the office where you will lodge your application. Processing times are usually the deciding factor here. Just remember that if you lodge outside of SA and are called to an interview, you will need to attend the interview where you lodged. If you are using a consultant, another factor to consider is where your consultant has the strongest relationship, and whether or not he is recognised by the office where you wish to lodge. Sometimes it's better to apply in Pretoria, as they are au fait with South African circumstances such as military service. 8 Arrange a bank draft to pay your processing fees. These MUST accompany your application and are not refundable [the CHC Pretoria web site explains fees]. You do not need to pay ROLF (right of landing fees) until later, but you can include them at this stage. ROLF are refundable if for some strange reason you are not accepted into Canada. 9 Courier your entire application to the CHC office where you are lodging. After spending weeks gathering the thing together, you do NOT want to rely on the SA Post Office to get your (very thick) envelope there safely and promptly. Remember to keep a copy of your entire application. You never know. 10 Join the Big Wait - there is nothing more you can do! This is positively and absolutely the WORST & LONGEST part of the entire process, but it goes by and, in the end, it will all be worth it. Join The Canada List to help you through this time, take part in our online chats and gatherings in various cities, and use our message board if you have questions or bad moments. Remember, you are not alone! |
Page last updated: 30 June, 2001
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The Canada List and The Canada Coffee Club are owned and managed by Penny Nelson All content copyright P Nelson. |
Got a question? |