Campbell, Cohen

Documentation Guide

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The present Guide is a general list of documentation usually required in support of an immigration
application. Please start collecting the original documents outlined hereunder.
1.
ORIGINAL SIGNED FORMS
We are currently working together to complete the forms on our on-line form builder system. It is very
important to mention that it is your responsibility to be sure that information provided is consistent
and complete. This means that the information on your documents must match your forms, and that
your forms match each other.
2.
PASSPORTS/PERMITS
PASSPORTS: Gather valid passports, for you, your spouse/common law partner and all dependents.
Regular passports only (no diplomatic, official, service or public affairs passports).
VISAS/PERMITS: If you are living in a country other than the one in which you hold citizenship, gather
your visas, residency permit and any entry/exit stamps in your passport.
3.
IDENTITY AND CIVIL STATUS DOCUMENTS
Prepare the following, for you, your spouse/common law partner, and all dependants (whether they are
accompanying you or not):
Birth certificates (or adoption certificates), if applicable.
o Birth Certificates must be long form, which means that they should contain the names
of both parents.
Marriage certificates (for all marriages)
Divorce certificates (for all former marriages)
Death certificates of former spouses/common law partners (if applicable)
Legal documents showing name changes (if applicable)
National IDs/Family registry books (if applicable)
If you are unable to obtain any of the above documents, contact your Document Specialist immediately.
For Common-Law Spouses:
Complete the form IMM 5409 Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (if applicable, please
please contact your Document Specialist)
In order to prove cohabitation for the last 12 months you must collect the following documents
listing both your names:
o Joint bank account statements;
o Leases;
o Utility bills, etc.

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Documentation Guide

4.

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PROOF OF LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

The Principal Applicant must submit sufficient language test results with their application. Language test
results must not be older than two (2) years upon date of receipt at the Centralized Intake Office (CIO).
IMPORTANT: Up to five (5) additional points can be earned if the spouse/common law partner also
submits language testing results.
ENGLISH TESTS:
You and/or your spouse/common law partner must submit one of the following official test results for
your English language proficiency:
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): General IELTS Test Results (only GENERAL
TESTING results will be accepted; ACADEMIC IELTS will not be accepted)
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP): CELPIP General Test Results
(Only GENERAL TESTING results will be accepted)
We recommend that you register for your English language test as soon as possible. Information about
testing centers, test dates, and more can be found on the following websites:
www.ielts.org
http://www.celpiptest.ca/about-celpip-g/
Please email your document specialist your IELTS/CELPIP examination results as soon as they become
available to you. Please note that the original IELTS/ CELPIP certificate will be required upon submission
of your documents to our office.
FRENCH TESTS:
You and/or your spouse/common law partner must submit the following official test results for your
French language proficiency:
Test dEvaluation de Franais (TEF)
We recommend that you register for your French language test as soon as possible. Information about
testing centers, test dates, and more can be found on the following websites:
http://www.francais.ccip.fr/liste-des-centres-agrees/ To find a testing center you need to pick
your country of residence in French from the drop-down menu, e.g. Etats-Unis for USA.
You need to register for both parts of the TEF, the mandatory and the optional one. Please email your
Document Specialist your TEF examination results as soon as they become available to you. Please note
that the original TEF certificate(s) will be required upon submission of your documents to our office.

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Documentation Guide

5.

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WORK EXPERIENCE DOCUMENTS

Please gather documents supporting your employment history for the past 10 years. For each position
that you have held from ten years prior to your application date, up through to the present, you will
need to collect the following:
Letters of Reference: All reference letters must be written on company letterhead (with
company contact information) and be signed by a superior. The letters should contain ALL of the
following information:
o The exact start date (and end date if applicable)
o All positions held in the company/job titles
o Specify the number of hours you work(ed) per week
o A DETAILED list of your everyday duties or responsibilities
o Your annual salary plus benefits

Every effort should be made to collect a reference letter containing all of the above information for
every position you have held over the last 10 years. If you are unable to obtain a letter which meets
these requirements, contact your document specialist or case manager immediately.
Other Helpful Documents (Optional but highly recommended):
o Pay slips,
o Copies of work contracts,
o Income tax statements,
o Appointment/promotion letters,
o Performance evaluations/year-end reviews.
If you or your spouse/common-law partner has worked in Canada for at least one (1) year in the last 10
years, please collect the following:
o Reference letter in the above format;
o Any T4s, if available;
o Employment authorization.
6.

EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTS

Only the Principal Applicant is required to submit educational documents. The Principal Applicant must
gather the following:
Transcripts (mark sheets) for all post-secondary degrees;
Diplomas for all post-secondary degrees. These include any university, college, vocational,
technical, and professional programs.

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Documentation Guide

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As noted previously Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has not yet designated an official agency
to conduct educational credential assessments, which will be required under the new regulations for the
Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC). We will inform you as soon as any updates are provided by the
government in this regard.
It is, however, expected that the official evaluator might be one of the agencies member of the Alliance
of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada. The majority of agencies require the following documents
for evaluation of your credentials:

Certified true copies of all your post-secondary diplomas and transcripts.

o

A certified true copy is a photocopy of the original document certified true to the
original by the issuing educational institution. As a minimum a stamp or seal and
signature on each sheet of paper is required by the institution.

IMPORTANT: You may be eligible for up to five (5) additional points if you and/or your spouse/common
law partner previously studied in Canada full time, in a program of at least two year duration (including
secondary school), please provide proof of successful completion of the required credits for the two
years of study.

7.

PROOF OF RELATIVE

You may be eligible for up to five (5) additional points if you have a relative who is a Canadian citizen or
permanent resident over the age of 18 and who is currently residing in Canada.
In order to obtain these points, the relative must meet the following characteristics:

Be a Mother/Father, Daughter/Son, Sister/ Brother, Spouse/Common-Law Partner, Niece/

Nephew, GRAND-mother/father, GRAND-daughter/son, Aunt/Uncle

Be over 18 years of age

Be currently residing in Canada

Be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident

The following documents must be gathered:

Proof of Status: Their record of landing, Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)
Permanent Residence card, Canadian passport or citizenship card; AND
Proof of residency: Lease agreements, Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency,
an employers letter, or credit card invoices, utility bills and bank statements; AND

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Documentation Guide

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Proof of familial relation: Birth certificate and/or marriage certificates. As you are claiming
points for your XXX, you must provide a copy of your XXX birth certificate and your mothers
birth certificate.
8.
PROOF OF FUNDS
You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family members after you
arrive in Canada. The amount of money you need to support your family is determined by the size of
your family:
Number of
Family Members

Funds Required
(in Canadian dollars)

$11,115

$13,837

$17,011

$20,654

$23,425

$26,419

7 or more

$29,414

NOTE: these amounts are updated every year. Check our website or contact your Document Specialist to
make sure you have the most recent information.
The funds should be in your name or your Spouses name. You must provide proof that your funds are
liquid, transferable and unencumbered (i.e. free of debt).
Bank statements from a deposit account are recommended. However, any of the following will be
accepted.
Bank statements showing a savings balance (we recommend that you provide at least 3 months
of bank statements); AND/OR
Letter from the bank; AND/OR
Evidence of fixed or time deposit statements
NOTE: Any large deposits must have clearly documented provenance or source to show the funds are
yours. Automobiles, land evaluations, jewelry and private stocks & bonds will not be accepted as proof
of funds.

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Documentation Guide

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If you have any difficulties in establishing your proof of funds, contact your Document Specialist
immediately.

9.

POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATES

Police clearances must be submitted for all family members over 18 years of age, from every country
they have resided in for more than six (6) months since the age of 18.
Police clearances usually have a limited validity, so we strongly encourage you to enquire about the
procedures to undertake for each clearance that you and your family members must collect in order to
be ready to request them once we tell you so.
The following should be enquired about:
Police certificates for yourself, your spouse/common-law partner (if married or partnered), and
any dependants (children) aged 18 or older.
Please consult the CICs website at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/policecert/index.asp for specific information on how to obtain police certificates from different countries.
Note: Police Clearances from Canada are not needed unless specifically requested by the Visa Office.
If you have any difficulties in obtaining information about police clearance certificates, contact your
Document Specialist immediately.

10.

PHOTOS
Provide six (6) photos each for you, your spouse/common law partner, and each dependant
child, taken within the last six (6) months prior to the date of submission of your application.
On the back of five (5) of the photos write the name and date of birth of the person depicted,
and the date the picture was taken, and leave the sixth (6th) photo blank.

The photos must:

show a full front view of the persons head and shoulders showing full face centered in the
middle of the photograph;
have a plain white background;
be identical (black and white or color) produced from the same untouched negative, or exposed
simultaneously by a split-image or multi-lens camera;

The photos must:

measure between 25 mm and 30 mm (1and 1 3/8) from chin to crown;

have a 35 mm x 45 mm (1 3/8 x 1 3/4) finished size.

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Documentation Guide

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Please refer to the following diagram when approaching the photographer:

11.

FEE PAYMENT

There are two (2) types of fees:

Government Processing Fees required upon application submission to:

Family member

Processing fee

Principal applicant

550 CAD

Each family member age 22 or older

550 CAD

Each family member under age 22 who is

married or in a common-law relationship

550 CAD

Each family member under age 22 who is

unmarried and not in a common-law
relationship

150 CAD

The Right of Permanent Residence fee required at a later stage:

Family member

Processing fee

Principal applicant

490 CAD

Spouse or common-law partner

490 CAD

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Documentation Guide

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Family member
Dependent children are exempt

Processing fee
N/A

FINAL NOTES
As already mentioned, at this time, please collect all your originals and do not send any documentation
to our office in hardcopy.
Please kindly note that the above list is not exhaustive or final and may be subject to change. Kindly
note that any document that is not in English or French must be accompanied by a Certified Translation.
Once CIC formally releases the new FSW program Application Guide we will be able to finalize your
personalized checklist.
We look forward to receiving the copies of required documents by email of fax for review.