Immigration Glossary

An organization that: · is incorporated under Canadian or provincial law and has an ongoing operation in Canada, or · has an ongoing operation in Canada that can generate revenue, is run for profit, and has a majority of voting or ownership interests held by Canadian citizens, permanent residents or Canadian businesses, or · was created by the laws of Canada or a province.

A person described as a citizen under the Citizenship Act. This means a person who: · is Canadian by birth (either born in Canada or born outside Canada to a Canadian citizen who was themselves either born in Canada or granted citizenship) or · has applied for a grant of citizenship and has received Canadian citizenship (naturalization).

An immigration category that allows temporary foreign workers or recently graduated international students working in Canada to apply for permanent residence.

The Canadian standard used to describe, measure and recognize English language ability of adult immigrants and prospective immigrants who plan to live and work in Canada. The Niveaux de classification linguistique canadiens (NCLC) is used to assess abilities in the French language.

A CIC office in Canada that receives citizenship and immigration applications. There are CPCs in Sydney (Nova Scotia), Mississauga (Ontario) and Vegreville (Alberta). They are not open to the public.

In Quebec, an educational institution that offers pre-university classes (two years) taken between secondary school and university, or technical career programs (three years) that prepare students to enter the job market.

A CIC office in Sydney, Nova Scotia. This office receives applications from several permanent immigration programs, like federal skilled workers and immigrant investors. Office staff check applications to make sure they are complete. They then forward them to the visa office responsible for the applicants’ home country to be processed.

A document from Quebec’s Ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles (MICC) that: · a temporary worker must apply for the CAQ with MICC before coming to Quebec to work, or · a foreign student must apply for the CAQ with MICC before coming to study in Quebec.

A Canadian citizenship certificate is a document that proves that a person is a Canadian citizen. The citizenship certificate is an 8½ x 11 paper size certificate that contains: · your certificate number · your Unique Client Identifier · your name · your date of birth · your gender · your effective date of Canadian citizenship

A certificate issued by a province or territory that recommends a foreign national for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee Program.

A document issued by the Government of Canada that confirms someone is no longer a citizen of Canada because they have willingly given up their Canadian citizenship.

To have a copy certified, an authorized person must compare the original document to the photocopy and must print the following on the photocopy: · "I certify that this is a true copy of the original document" · the name of the original document · the date of the certification · his or her name · his or her official position or title and · his or her signature

A photocopy of an original document. It must be readable and certified as a true copy of the original by an authorized person. The person compares the documents and marks on the photocopy: their name and signature · their position or title · the name of the original document · the date they certified the document · the phrase “I certify that this is a true copy of the original document.”

A member in good standing of a provincial or territorial organization of translators and interpreters in Canada.

To be a citizen of a country means that a person was either born in that country (in most cases) or has been granted citizenship by that country.

State-recognized nationality and the duties, rights, responsibilities and privileges that come with it.

The final step in becoming a Canadian citizen. During the citizenship ceremony, candidates for citizenship aged 14 and over must take the oath of citizenship. After taking the oath, new citizens receive their citizenship certificate.

The administrative body that consists of all citizenship judges working across Canada.

An interview with a citizenship judge to assess whether an applicant meets the requirements for a grant of citizenship.

An independent, quasi-judicial decision maker who makes legal decisions on adult citizenship applications, administers the oath of Canadian citizenship, and presides over citizenship ceremonies.

A person who is authorized by the Minister under the Citizenship Act to perform the duties of a citizenship officer prescribed by the Citizenship Regulations such as: · reviewing applications to see whether a person meets the requirements for Canadian citizenship, · planning interviews, tests, hearings and citizenship ceremonies and · grant citizenship to applicants.

A test that applicants aged 18 to 54 must pass to in order to meet the knowledge requirement for Canadian citizenship. The test is usually written, but is sometimes taken orally with a citizenship judge. The test assesses: · knowledge of Canada, and · knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship.

A Client Identification Number (Client ID), also referred to as a Unique Client Identifier Number (UCI), can be found on any official document issued by a Citizenship and Immigration Canada office, Case Processing Centre or a Canadian visa office outside Canada. A Client ID consists of four numbers, a hyphen (-) and four (4) more numbers (example: 0000-0000). A person who has never dealt with Citizenship and Immigration Canada before will not have a Client Identification Number.

Foreign students who wish to participate in a co-op or internship program in a Canadian institution must apply for a work permit as well as a study permit. To be eligible for the co-op/internship work permit program, you must meet the following conditions: · You must have a valid study permit or apply for the work permit in conjunction with a study permit. · Your intended employment must be an essential and integral part of your program of study in Canada. · Your employment must be certified as part of your academic program, by a letter from a responsible academic official of the institution. · Your co-op or internship employment cannot form more than 50 percent of the total program of study.

A person or organization that partners with a private sponsor to share in the delivery of settlement assistance and support to privately sponsored refugees. Co-sponsors can be family members of the sponsored refugee living in Canada.

A stage of higher education that comes after high school. Colleges offer one- to three-year diploma programs in academic or technical subjects.

A certificate of commitment issued to an applicant by a designated private sector business, confirming their agreement.

A person who has been living with another person in a conjugal relationship for at least one year. The term refers to opposite-sex and same-sex relationships.

An organization that sponsors refugees but has not signed a formal agreement with CIC. A community sponsor would normally sponsor fewer refugees than a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH).

An official document issued to a person when they arrive in Canada as a permanent resident. Before June 28, 2002, the document issued was called the Record of Landing (IMM 1000).

A person outside Canada who has had a binding relationship with a sponsor for at least one year but could not live with their partner. The term refers to both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships.

A group authorized in writing by a sponsorship agreement holder (SAH) to sponsor refugees under the SAH’ssponsorship agreement. An example of a Constituent Group is a local congregation or chapter of a national church or organization that is a SAH.

A Government of Canada office, located in a major city other than a national capital, which provides services to Canadian citizens abroad. It may or may not provide immigration services.

A person’s name, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address and fax number, if any.

A person who is outside of their home country or country where they normally live and fears returning to that country because of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.

A conviction occurs when a person is found guilty of an offence by a court of law or a tribunal.

A country of which a person is a citizen. A person may be a citizen of more than one country.

Your country of nationality is your country of citizenship.

The country a person is living in. A person’s country of residence may be different from their country or countries of citizenship.

Free French language training programs for adult newcomers to Canada. They are funded by the federal government and delivered by school boards, colleges and local organizations that provide services to newcomers.

When a person is not allowed to enter or stay in Canada because they have committed or been convicted of a crime for which they have not received a record suspension (formerly known as a pardon) or been rehabilitated under theImmigration and Refugee Protection Act. The crime could have been committed and/or the conviction rendered in or outside Canada.

This term refers to an application process that allows a person who has committed or been convicted of a crime outside Canada to enter or stay in Canada. “Rehabilitation”, in this context, under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, means that the person is no longer considered inadmissible to Canada for a particular criminal offence. A person can apply for rehabilitation if at least five years have passed since the act was committed and all criminal sentences have been completed. In order to be approved for rehabilitation the applicant must show that they lead a stable life and are not likely to commit more crimes.