Hi All,

This is my first post so hello to everyone here. I've trawled though this website quite a bit but I have some specific questions which hopefully somebody can help answer.

I've recently decided to apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Visa for Canada. I decided not to use an agent from the posts I've seen here and from the forms I have read through on the CA visa website.

My only reservation with not using an agent is my irregular work history.

I'm an IT Contractor in London, UK and I've been doing Project Management / Business Analysis for almost 10 years. Three of those years have been under permanent employment (my grad job), the following have been as a contractor under my own Ltd Company.

I know that I am supposed to provide written work statements describing my past work duties, but on the Checklist Form is says:

"Self-employed individuals must provide documentation from 3rd party individual(s) indicating the service provided along with payment details. Self-declared main duties or affidavits are not acceptable evidence of work experience."

Who are these third parties and does this apply to me? I can provide written statements from all my previous clients (my previous managers at those companies).

Would I also have to specify my contract rate (rather than salary) on reference letter?

I appreciate all the help I can get on my situation as an IT Contractor applying for the Federal Skilled Worker Visa. Is there anything especially I would need to know / any 'gotchas'?

Thanks.

P

Hi Peter, and welcome to BE.

First question for you, but how are you applying as a FSW? It's just that there are no IT related occupations on the eligible occupations list - http://britishexpats.com/wiki/THE_LIST-Canada Which of those were you planning on applying under?

But if you are definitely eligible, then in answer to your question you can use references from third parties such as your clients and accountant. You might need to give them the list of duties under your NOC code so that you can be sure they refer to those (in their own words rather than just copying obviously!).

And don't delay as CIC have stated that the overall cap for FSW's is likely to be met very soon. You can keep an eye on the cap here - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigra...plications.asp

Best of luck.

Hi there, thanks for replying.

I was under the impression that that cap lasted until June 30, 2012; I was planning to submit my application for after this date when I assumed the caps and occupations would be refreshed to zero again, and I'd see IT (specifically NOC code 0213) back on the list.

Is this assumption wrong?

Thanks for your latter answer, I do have an accountant available also.

Thanks,

P

You are correct that the cap will be reset on 1st July, but the 29 eligible occupations may well remain the same..........or they may change, but 0213 may not be among them.......or they may change and it *will* be among them! Nobody really has any idea what CIC will put on there.

Given that 0213 hasn't been on the list since early 2010, and that any IT related immigration programs (such as the LMO exemption for IT workers) ended last year, I'm not sure there's enough of a demand for IT workers. But that is just a guess, and all you can do is get everything ready and wait and see what happens on 1st July.

Have you already had your IELTS, or have you got it booked?

Good luck with it.

Thanks that's very interesting. I guess I will have to monitor their skills list and see what happens from 1 July. I could also go under a couple of other NOC codes but all will be IT related. At a stretch I could go in as 1122, Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management but I wouldn't feel totally comfortable with that so probably wouldn't.

I've already booked my IELTS but for another reason; so I should be ahead of the game in a race I may not end up participating in!

P

Do double check the duties under 1122 - it's for management consultants really, so not sure if you'd come under that?

If you do, that's another option (although personally I think that's one of the occupations most at risk of being removed if/when they change the list, but that's just my guess!).

Failing that, remember that FSW is only one route of over 50 to a visa, so there will no doubt be other options for you.

Good luck.

50 option, really.. but how many of those options will allow me to live and work in Canada. Do you have a link to these options as I can't see more than a few on the official CA website.

Thanks,

P

Most of them will all allow you to live and work in Canada (as the majority result in PR).

Have a look in the Wiki, which has info on them all. This page is a good place to start - http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Quick_...an_Immigration

For example, there are all the Provincial Nominee Program's, and each PNP has numerous different streams under it, so you'd need to check and see if any of those would suit you.

That's very useful, thanks. I didn't know about the PNPs. Hopefully there'll be something there for me.

P