What is the difference between immigration and emigration ? What does NOC mean ? Who conventional refugee is ? What are application, appeal and approval ?

There are lots of terms that you'd better be familiar with when you are going to immigrate - either by yourself or with professional assistance. Tune up to the station and go ahead ! 

Canadian Immigration Glossary

Adaptability

One of the factors under the Skilled Worker immigration class, showing the applicant's ability to quickly and successfully establish himself in Canada and integrate into social environment.

Adaptation

The process of establishing newcomer's life in Canada: finding suitable place to live, obtaining a job, integration into community, getting used to Canadian lifestyle. Adaptation can be more or less difficult and take longer or shorter time, depending on newcomers determination, skills, langage profeciency and other qualities.

Appeal

The request to the higher (or supervisory) instance to review particular case that has already been processed by the subordinate authority with the unwanted outcome. Appeal procedure does not provide an opportunity to explain the same case to the higher authority, but requires a mistake that allegedly have taken place during initial processing to be pointed out.

Application

1. Application forms and other documents that are submitted in certain cases to appropriate offices.

2. Beginning stage of the immigration. It involves submitting filled forms and necessary supporting documents to visa office.

B&B

"Bed and breakfast" - the type of short-term accomodation in Canada, that provides some private living space and everyday breakfast. B&Bs are often considered by immigrants as temporary accomodation after arrival, to have a better opportunity to look around and find suitable long-term living place.

Background check 

The process during which visa office checks applicant's background. Different aspects may be checked, including the information provided in application itself as well as information contained in supporting documents. Background checks are usually being done close to the final stage of case review; this process can take from weeks to months depending on current load and nature of checks being performed.

CAIPS (Computer Assisted Immigration Processing System)

Electronic system that is used by CIC to keep records of all immigration and visa applications in process. The abbreviation CAIPS is also used to describe the electronic file containing details of particular case. An applicant can have access to CAIPS information to check the status of the application.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)

Department of the Government of Canada with responsibility for issues dealing with immigration and citizenship. The website of this department contains complete information regarding Canadian Immigration and Citizenship.

Claimant (refugee claimant)

A person who requests refugee protection status. 

Criminal record 

The record of criminal offence commited by an individual. In some jurisdictions it also includes arrests, charges pending, and even charges of which the subject has been acquitted.

Dependant

Generally, dependant is the family member of an immigrant. In particular, it is the spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner, or children of an immigrant. There are certain requirements that should be met for children to be considered dependants.

Emigration

Leaving the country by its resident in order to migrate to another country to settle in it.

Family class

Immigration class, under which an immigrant is sponsored by a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident living in Canada who is 18 years of age or over. 

Foreign national

A person who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. This includes a stateless person. 

IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

An English language benchmark officialy recognized by CIC as a measure of English language profeciency for applicants. Includes 4 tests - listening, reading, writing and conversation, graded independently. IELTS scores are translated into immigration system points using the lookup table. IELTS is administered by the British Council all over the world. Applicants should sit the general module IELTS exam (an academic module also exists, primarily for foreign students).

Immigration

Entering the country in order to settle in it.

Immigration class, Immigration program 

In Canadian immigration legislation, the set of rules that describes the immigration process. There are different immigration classes (or programs), targeted to different categories of immigrants, such as independent skilled individuals, close relatives or family members of Canadian residents, successfull businessmen etc.

Interview

Personal conversation between applicant and immigration officer that may be scheduled during case processing for different purposes, such as to obtain additional information from first hands, to get answer to some case-related questions etc.

Interview waiver 

In certain cases an applicant may be granted an interview waiver (i.e. he will not have an interview). This is usually done when the case is clear, well-documented, and the application contains all necessary information and supporting documents attached, thus eliminating the need to schedule an interview and ask additional questions.

IRPA (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act)

Primary federal Canadian legislation, regulating immigration to Canada since June 28, 2002.

Landing

The formal process of entering Canada by a new immigrant. It usually involves filling some simple forms and answering general questions at the immigration desk in the port of entry, where new immigrant enters Canada.

Lock-in date

Date when immigration application is accepted by visa office is a lock-in date in regards to time limitations. Applicant's age, duration of work experience and documents' validity are assessed on the lock-in date. 

Medical examination

Examination of potential immigrant's physical health before the immigration visa is issued. The main goal of medical examination is to determine if the person will require expensive and/or special medical care or pose a risk for public health after entering Canada - such conditions may result in negative decision in the immigration case. Medical examination for immigration purposes is conducted only by designated practitioners registered with CIC.

Medical forms

The formal request sent by visa office to the applicant to undergo mediacl examination, with forms attached. The forms are used by designated medical institutions to describe state of physical health of the applicant; filled forms are sent out (usually by the medical institution) to the processing centre. Often the expression "medical forms" is used in regards to the immigration case to describe the final processing stage, during which these forms are usually sent to the applicant.

Newcomer

New Canadian immigrant, who have completed his landing process and remains in the country. Usually immigrants are considered newcomers for 3 years after arrival, though it is unofficial definition and period.

NOC (National Occupational Classification)

A classification system that describes duties, skills, talents and work settings for occupations in the Canadian economy. 

Non-accompanying dependent

A dependant family member of the principal applicant, who does not intend to immigrate to Canada. 

Passmark 

The threshold value in points-based immigration selection criteria. Generally, applicant must have more points than the current passmark for his case to receive positive decision.

Permanent residency

The legal status, allowing this person to live in Canada indefinitely, not having the Canadian citizenship but enjoying most rights that Canadian citizens have.

Permanent Resident Card

Proof of permanent resident's status in Canada. Replacing the former Record of Landing (IMM1000), the card is a secure, machine-readable and fraud-resistant document, valid for five years. 

Permanent resident visa

Visa issued by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) visa office overseas in order for a foreign national to enter Canada permanently. 

Police clearance certificate 

Certificate, showing the summary of individual's criminal record to date. Such certificates are issued by law-enforcement authorities and in the immigration process are used to prove applicants' criminal immaculacy. 

Port of entry

The place where new immigrant enters Canada and undergoes the landing procedure. Usually it is an international airport in Canada, where the airplane makes its first landing on its trip from abroad. That is, if for example an immigrant is travelling from Europe to Vancouver with transfer in Toronto, Toronto is the port of entry for this immigrant, and he should undergo the landing procedure in Toronto airport.

Principal applicant 

Within the family, intending to immigrate to Canada - the family member, who must meet certain immigration requirements for the positive decision to be made in the immigration case (ex. have decent education, foreign langage skills and work experience). Principal applicant's dependant family members are granted permanent resident status automatically, provided that they do not have criminal records and are in good health.

Provincial program

Immigration program (or class) introduced by particular Canadian province in addition to countrywide federal immigration classes. Main goal of such programs is to target the needs of particular province.

RPRF (Right Of Permanent Residence Fee)

A fee paid by successfull immigrant before immigration visa is issued. This fee was previously referred to as ROLF (Right Of Landing Fee). As of May 2008, this fee is $490 Canadian. Some immigrants and dependent family members are not required to pay this fee.

Record of landing (Form IMM 1000)

Document that contains personal data about the newcomer relevant to the time he entered Canada for permanent residence. No amendments are allowed to this document to reflect later changes in applicant's personal data. The only reason for amending this document is mistakes found in it.

Reference letter

Under certain classes - the letter from applicant's employer, that is included in the application to support applicant's previous work experience.

Security interview

Interview, the main purpose of which is to discuss specific aspects of applicant's background. Usually it is scheduled for those applicants who had or may have had access to restricted information, served in particular armed units or specific regions etc.

Selection criteria

Formal rules used to assess applicant's eligibility for immigration. For example, one of the selection criteria under the Federal Skilled Worker immigration program is applicant's age - different number of points are awarded depending on applicant's belonging to certain age brackets.

Settlement funds

Certain amount of money, that immigrant under certain immigration classes must posess when entering Canada. This money remain in posession of an immigrant and are necessary to support immigrant's family for the first several months in Canada.

SIN (Social Insurance Number)

Number, assigned to every Canadian resident and some categories of temporary residents. It is used in various government programs, namely tax reporting, social assistance etc. First digit of a SIN denotes either the region where the SIN was issued (1 to 7) or that the SIN holder is a temporary resident (9). Only certain categories of temporary residents have social insurance numbers.

Study permit

A document issued by a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) visa or immigration officer authorizing a foreign national to study in Canada. 

Temporary foreign worker

A foreign national who has been authorized to enter and remain in Canada, on a temporary basis, as a worker. 

Travel document

Proof of individual's status in Canada, used by Canadian residents to return to Canada from abroad in cases when primary document about permanent residence are lost or unavailable. For example, if an immigrant plans his first visit to Canada only in order to undergo a landing procedure, and return to his country of origin, often he has to leave Canada before he receives his permanent resident card. In this case he have to request travel document later in the Canadian visa office to have an opportunity to enter Canada again.

Visitor visa

A document issued by a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) visa or immigration officer authorizing a foreign national to enter Canada on a temporary basis.