Important Definitions

Applicant #

In the context of Canadian immigration, an applicant is the person who is seeking to immigrate to Canada temporarily or permanently. When a family is applying together, one member of the family becomes the principal applicant and other members become dependents.

Dependent #

In Canadian immigration applications, a dependent is generally defined as:

Your spouse or common-law partner: This includes same-sex and opposite-sex relationships. The person must be at least 18 years old and the relationship must be genuine and not entered into primarily for the purpose of gaining any type of immigration benefit.

Your child or your spouse’s child: Who is under 22 years old, and is single (not married and not in a common-law relationship).

A child above the age of 22: If they meet both these conditions: they have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22, and they are unable to financially support themselves because of a mental or physical condition.

Sponsor #

The sponsor can be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, a Canadian organization, or a Canadian province or territory. The sponsor’s role is to support the applicant’s application for immigration by providing financial support, a place to live, or a job offer, depending on the immigration program.

In family class sponsorship, the sponsor is the Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is sponsoring the family member. In the case of a temporary foreign worker program, the sponsor is the Canadian employer who wants to hire the foreign worker.

In the case of a business immigration program, the sponsor can be the Canadian organization that is investing in the business or providing support for the entrepreneur.

In short, the applicant is the person seeking to immigrate to Canada, while the sponsor is the person or organization that is helping to make that happen by providing support and meeting certain requirements.

Host #

A host usually refers to an individual or a family who agrees to accommodate and support an applicant. This could be in the form of sponsoring them for visas, providing shelter, helping them adapt to the new environment, or assisting them with day-to-day tasks as they settle in.

For some specific immigration programs like the Super Visa program, hosts can be a child or grandchild who provides a letter of invitation for their parents or grandparents. They should meet certain income requirements to prove that they are capable of supporting the visitors during their stay in Canada.

Understanding Visa and Immigration Status #

It is important to understand the difference between visa and immigration status in Canada, as they have different implications and requirements. While a visa allows temporary entry into Canada, immigration status determines the individual’s long-term legal status in the country.

Visa #

A visa is an official document issued by the Canadian government that allows foreign nationals to enter Canada for a specific purpose and duration. It is a temporary authorization that grants individuals the right to travel to Canada and seek entry at a port of entry, such as an airport or a land border crossing.

Visas are typically required for individuals who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents. They are issued based on the purpose of the visit, such as tourism, business, study, or work. Each type of visa has specific requirements and conditions that must be met.

Visas are usually valid for a limited period depending on the purpose of the visit. It is important to note that having a visa does not guarantee entry into Canada. The final decision on admission is made by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at the port of entry.

Immigration Status #

Immigration status refers to the legal status of an individual in Canada, which determines their rights and privileges in the country. It is the official designation given to foreign nationals who have been granted permission to live and work in Canada on a permanent or temporary basis.

There are different categories of immigration status in Canada, including:

Permanent Resident: a permanent resident is an individual who has been granted permanent resident status by the Canadian government. They have the right to live, work, study, and access social benefits in Canada. Permanent residents are issued a Permanent Resident Card (PR Card) as proof of their status.

Temporary Resident: a temporary resident is an individual who has been authorized to stay in Canada for a limited period. This includes individuals with temporary visas, such as tourists, students, and temporary foreign workers. Temporary residents must comply with the conditions of their visa and leave Canada before their authorized stay expires.

Refugee: a refugee is an individual who has fled their home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Refugees are granted protection in Canada and are eligible for permanent resident status.

Canadian Citizen: a Canadian citizen is an individual who was either born in Canada or has gone through the process of becoming a citizen. Canadian citizens have the most rights and privileges in Canada, including the right to vote and hold a Canadian passport.

Reconsideration and Resubmission #

A reconsideration is an unofficial process to request a review of an application again, with the hope of obtaining a different outcome.  A reconsideration can be requested in situations where an application has been rejected or refused by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The applicant may believe that there was an error made in the processing of their application. When the Applicant wants to submit new information or evidence, we recommend reapplication instead of reconsideration.  To request a reconsideration, we must submit a written request to IRCC or CBSA, explaining the reasons why we believe their application should be reconsidered. The request should also include any explanation pointing to the information or documentation already included in the application. If you are submitting a new document or information, the officer may or may not consider that based on their sole discretion.

A reconsideration request is not an appeal. An appeal is a request made to a higher authority. This request goes to the same officer who made the original decision. The officer is not obligated to reopen a closed file. As the reconsideration is not an official process, there is no tracking or processing time available after submission. At YCI, we have observed processing times between a couple of weeks to four months. Although, there have been some cases where we never heard back. Because of the associated uncertainties, we strongly recommend using reconsideration in conjunction with a reapplication and do not rely on reconsideration alone.  We recommend reconsideration request letter to be brief and to the point highlighted the strong positive factors and explaining how the already submitted information and document addressed the refusal reason. Your representative can cite any applicable case-law where needed to strengthen the submission.

Since this is not an official process, there is no associated government fee. At YCI, we do not charge any service fee for reconsideration requests when we are the representative for the application. You can have a reconsideration and a reapplication in parallel without any negative effect on each other. If you are still debating and believe your application was strong, we recommend trying reconsideration