Do You Still Need an Agent to Immigrate to Canada

On 2003, an agency in Philippines, somewhere in Paranaque invited me to sign up for their service.  They will process my application for the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

I then signed up and paid half, which is US$500.00 from the total amount of US$1,000.

The application back then is I think the most difficult process in the history of Canadian Immigration, where you need to submit all your complete original documents with your application.  If one is missing, your application will not be submitted to the Canadian Embassy. 

The problem is that some documents are due to expire and you need to resubmit to the embassy for updates.  Then you can not process some of your application to other organizations since your originals are with the agency waiting for the complete submission.

Even if its the situation, I was still eager to immigrate to Canada at that point in time.   

Waiting Time Took Longer Than Expected
I was working in a manufacturing company in Laguna, Philippines at that time and as we all know that the time in this kind of work environment is to precious. 

Taking a leave is too difficult for me or else I have to invent my Sick Leave.  This is necessary since I have to prepare my documents that were in the list, which the agency had provided.

Even though I have the agent, I still have to do all the homework, which is to prepare my documents like going to the NSO to get my birth certificates, NBI for police clearances, employment certificates, and etc....I also need to fill up all the Canadian forms at the office of the agency and this requires another leave of absence at my company.

Then, I have to submit it to my agent which they will consolidate.  All the hassles and the cost was also charged from my efforts.

After all the efforts, they then asked me to submit my bank certificates to provide the proof of my funds as one of the requirements. 

Young and broke, I have to gather all my resources for this and took me three years to achieve my show money. 

The news came in 2007, there is a new type of application process for the Federal Skilled Worker Program.  The bad news was that I have to renew some of my expired documents again since my documents were dated on 2003.

They call the new process as the SAP, short for Simplified Application Process, where I only need to fill up the SAP forms and the original documents will follow as soon as the embassy asks for an update.

The filling of the forms should be done in the agency's office and I have to take the leave again for it.

We finished the SAP form and the agent submitted it to the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines. 

What Happened After the Submission?
Years run so fast until it was the year 2011.  In between those years, I haven't had any news from the agency regarding the updates of my application.  I was then relying on to the immigration forums.

Until I read the news from the Canadian Immigration website (www.cic.gc.ca) that they are no longer continuing the 2007 applications and will return the processing fee to the respective applicant.

My world melted at that time, after the long years of waiting and it ends up like that...What???

I called my agent and it took me five telephone numbers of their office just to talk to the right person in charge of my application.  The reason is that years passed by and the ones handling my applications had already resigned.  Oh well!

The Best Thing That I Did
On 2012, I decided not to update my agent since I feel that they are not doing their job and I thought that they are useless.  I decided to do it on my own.

Canada has again introduced a new process where they will only accept applicants for a certain types of job with a quota.  

I immediately took the IELTS, after some nights of reviewing, so I can submit my new application before the job reaches the quota as my job was included on the list.

Unfortunately, it reaches the quota as soon as I received my IELTS certificate.  I was down again....So, I waited for another year for the new type of application process.

On the first quarter of the year 2013, Canada announced that they will introduce a new set of occupations list that are eligible to apply for the Federal Skilled Workers Program. 

This time, I prepared some of my documents to get ready for the new application process hoping that my occupation is included on the list.

On May 4, 2013, the list was out and I was really glad to know that my current occupation is included.  I started to prepare the documents as listed in the Canadian Immigration application kit.

On July 1, 2013, It was time for me to submit my application and with the help of DHL, it arrived and was received by the Central Intake Office in Nova Scotia.

Waiting For the Decision
On October 8, 2013, I received the positive eligibility response from the Canadian Immigration stating that they are sending my complete application to the Canadian Embassy in Singapore for further processing.

This is now my 80% chance to achieve my dream and hoping to get the decision soon.

Do We Need an Agent to Immigrate to Canada?
For me, as what I had experienced, I recommend not to avail the service from them since everything are in the Canadian Immigration Website (www.cic.gc.ca) and the only thing that you need to invest is TIME.

Read all the instructions as what I did and ask questions to people that had already experienced the process and no need to pay for an agent's fee which is usually costly.

But if time is really so important for you, Yes, you can ask them to help you and it comes with fees.


Other Posts:
How Relatives Can Help Your FSW Applications
How to Take IELTS in Singapore

Centralized Intake Office Response Letter

On July 01 2013, I sent my application package to the Centralized Intake Office (CIO) in Nova Scotia, Canada through the help of DHL.  The package was received on 08 July 2013.  Then I waited...

08 October 2013, exactly 3 months after, I received an email from the Centralized Intake Office (CIO).  I was very excited to read it and even looked outside my window to let me realize that I'm not dreaming.

The email is in the form of a letter, below the date is my UCI and my application number, and a statement as follows:

"Based on a review of the information you have provided, your application has received a positive determination of eligibility to be processed on the basis of work experience in an occupation specified in the Instructions issued by the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism and published in the Canada Gazette on May 4, 2013.  However a final decision on your eligibility to be selected as a federal skilled worker will be made by a visa office."

What to Do Next?
The CIO will be sending my application to the visa office of the country that I'm in, which is the Canadian Embassy in Singapore.  It did not say when but I'm sure they will send me a corresponding letter for further processing, I hope it would be the soonest.

I need to save another budget for the processing of my Singapore Police Clearance.  The cost will be $45.00 dollars per application. 

But, before processing this clearance, I have to secure a letter from the Canadian visa office requesting for the Certificate of Clearance (COC).  Singapore Police Force will not issue the COC without the supporting letter.

With regards to the COC requirements, you can visit the Singapore Police Website.

For the meantime, I need to get a Philippine NBI clearance for me and my wife. My friends told me that I can get it in the Duty Free Philippines near the NAIA airport.  Let's see if they are right about it.

The ultimate and continuous process that I have to do next is to maintain my health because a medical request will be handed to me soon.

Follow me to my pursuit of moving to Canada.  Hoping for the Best!

Other Related Posts:
Years of Experience to be Eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Canada
When to Take the IELTS for the FSW