5 Common Canada Immigration Mistakes

We all make mistakes: we might have picked the wrong dress size for our girlfriend, we might have arrived late for a family dinner, we might have left dirty clothing on a chair for a week with the intent of putting them in the wash ‘tomorrow’… But some mistakes may cost us months of efforts and an entire immigration process. When it comes to Canada immigration – accuracy and thoroughness are your keys to success. Here are the 5 most common Canada immigration mistakes – and what you can do to avoid or fix them:

Waiting too long to submit your Canada visa application

Timing is everything in many aspects of life, and Canada immigration is no exception. Most immigration programs have limited quotas and their policies tend to change quickly. If you already have a prepared visa application – send it on its way!

Incorrect employment reference letters

Employment letters are normally quite simple: your old employer describes in writing your skills, accomplishments and contribution to the company and why a future employer should hire you. When is comes to Canada visa applications, the reference letters should describe:

• Your official job title

• The dates of your employment

• Your average hours a week

• Your salary

• A list of your job duties

Not taking the language proficiency test seriously

It’s a common belief among many that once they arrive in Canada, they will be able to learn the language on-the-go. The reality is that you must prove a certain level of proficiency in English to even start your immigration process, not to mention strengthening your immigration profile.

Inconsistencies in personal history

Whether you took a one-week vacation sometime last year, studied in another country for a few years or were unemployed for a certain period of time – all of these time gaps must be accounted for whenever you’re submitting an application for permanent residency and temporary residency (sometimes). You must list in detail your travel, academic, professional and personal histories. These details should also correspond with your reference letters.

Wrong NOC code

To qualify for Canada’s work visa programs (such as Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program) you need to have at least one year of work experience in a full-time and paid occupation listed in the National Occupational Classification list (NOC) – unless you receive a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.

Understanding which NOC code is suitable to your occupation can be more complicated than you might think. Some NOC codes can be very similar and some may even overlap with each other. For example: computer programmer NOC 2174 and database administrator NOC 2172.

Of course, most of us don’t necessarily have the time and/or energy to go through every single document and every detail that we might have misplaced, which is why it’s sometimes good to get help from a professional immigration consultant. To avoid making any of these 5 common Canada immigration mistakes, contact the Great North Visa team of RCIC certified immigration agents with years of expertise in Canada immigration. Click the button below to book a consultation.