Frequently asked questions

ANAS CANADA for Immigration Inc. is an immigration consulting practice based in Calgary, Alberta. It is led by Anasse Boulbaroud, a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), who handles or supervises the work on every file. See About us.

Yes. Anasse Boulbaroud is an RCIC licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), licence R706303, Class L2. He is accredited by the Government of Canada to represent clients before IRCC and ESDC.

Search for "Boulbaroud" or "R706303" on the CICC public register. The register is the official list of licensed immigration consultants, and you can use it to check any consultant before you pay.

A Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant is licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). RCICs must follow the CICC Code of Professional Conduct, which sets rules on written agreements, fees, confidentiality and complaints. The CICC explains its licence classes.

A Class L2 licence covers advice and representation before Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). It does not allow appearances before the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), and Federal Court work is done by lawyers. See our scope of practice.

Consultations, application reviews and full handling of applications: permanent residence (including Express Entry), provincial, Atlantic and community programs (PNP, AIP, RCIP, FCIP), provincial entrepreneur streams, visitor visas, study and work permits, family sponsorship, LMIAs for employers, refused applications, inadmissibility (rehabilitation, TRPs, ARCs) and humanitarian and compassionate applications. Each service and its price is on our fees page.

We don't represent clients before the IRB (for example, sponsorship appeals or refugee claims) or in Federal Court; we refer those matters to a lawyer or a Class L3 (RCIC-IRB) licensee. We also don't recruit workers, give investment advice or submit information we know or suspect is untrue. See our scope of practice.

No. We don't offer, find or arrange jobs, and a consultation doesn't lead to a job offer. Be wary of anyone who sells job offers as a route to immigration.

No. No one can guarantee an immigration outcome, and licensed consultants are not allowed to promise one. Decisions belong to IRCC, ESDC, the provinces and Québec; we give you an honest assessment, including when an application is unlikely to succeed.

English, French and Arabic. You can hold your consultation, sign your agreements and receive updates in the language you're most comfortable with.

Our office is in Calgary, Alberta. Almost all consultations take place on Zoom, so you can meet with us from elsewhere in Canada or from abroad. See About us.

Québec-stage services, such as the Arrima expression of interest, the CSQ, the CAQ and the validated job offer, are provided by Québec-recognized immigration consultants working with ANAS CANADA. Anasse handles the federal stage, such as the permanent residence application to IRCC after a CSQ, and federal study and work permits. See Québec immigration.

Choose a regular consultation (30 minutes, $150) to review your situation, your options and the next steps, or a same-day consultation (30 minutes, $250) for urgent questions and deadlines. Choose an application review (90 minutes, $500) if you have already prepared your forms and documents and want them checked before you submit. Complex cases may need more time, so you can book consecutive sessions; see Book a consultation.

We go over your goals and your situation, the programs and requirements that may apply to you, and the challenges we see. You leave with a clear list of next steps. See our process.

It is the same 30-minute session, for time-sensitive questions. Regular consultations are booked at least 24 hours ahead; a same-day consultation can be booked up to 1 hour before the start time, when a slot is available. See Book a consultation.

It is a 90-minute online meeting ($500) to review the application package you have prepared before you submit it. We go through your forms and documents with you and flag errors, gaps and inconsistencies. It involves no representation before the government: we are not declared as your representative, and you submit the application yourself.

With an application review, you stay in control: we check your package in one session, and you submit it and deal with IRCC yourself. With full handling, we prepare and submit your application as your declared representative and follow it until IRCC decides, under a written service agreement. See our process.

On our booking page: choose a service and a time, e-sign the consultation agreement and pay securely. A confirmation email then arrives with the date, time, amount paid and your Zoom link. If you have trouble booking or paying, email contact@anascanada.ca or call +1 587-350-1111.

The CICC Code of Professional Conduct (s. 23) requires a written consultation agreement before the first consultation. It sets out the scope of the consultation, the fee, Anasse's licence number and the College's role, and you receive a signed copy.

Write down your questions and have your passport, your current status document in Canada (if any), language test results, credential assessments, a short summary of your work and education, and any refusal letters or IRCC letters ready. For an application review, have your completed forms and all supporting documents ready to share before the session. See what to prepare.

By Zoom video call; your confirmation email gives the link, the meeting ID and the passcode. If Zoom is unavailable, we can use Google Meet, and a phone meeting can be arranged, at your expense, if a video call isn't possible. A quiet place, a stable internet connection and a device with a camera help the call go smoothly.

Your consultation is with Anasse Boulbaroud, RCIC. Other RCICs who work with ANAS CANADA may sometimes attend as well, usually for training, and they are bound by the same duty of confidentiality.

Yes. You can share the Zoom link with anyone you'd like to attend with you, such as your spouse or a family member. Everyone joins the same meeting, the consultation keeps its length, and the conduct rules apply to everyone attending.

The booking page shows available times in your own time zone, so you can book from anywhere. Your confirmation and reminder emails give the time both in your time zone and in Calgary time, with a link to a time zone checker that shows the time wherever you'll be on the day.

No. Immigration questions about your situation are answered only during a paid consultation, where a licensed consultant has your full details and a signed consultation agreement. Email and phone are for logistics only, such as booking problems, rescheduling, payments and receipts; book a consultation for advice on your case.

Yes, an in-person meeting in Calgary is possible by arrangement. To ask for one, email contact@anascanada.ca.

Check that you entered your email address correctly and look in your spam or junk folder. If it still isn't there, send your receipt or a screenshot of the payment to contact@anascanada.ca, and we'll verify the payment and confirm your appointment within one business day.

Yes. If you tell us at least 48 hours before your appointment, you can reschedule or cancel free of charge, with a full refund. Use the "Manage my booking" link in your confirmation email, or email contact@anascanada.ca.

A $20 cancellation fee applies, and the rest of the consultation fee is refunded. See our booking policy.

A no-show is treated as a completed appointment: the consultation fee is forfeited and no refund is provided. If you can't attend, cancel or reschedule as early as you can.

If a technical problem on our side interrupts the consultation, we reschedule it at no cost. You are responsible for your own connection, so test your camera, microphone and internet before the call. If the consultation can't be held or completed because of a problem on your side, such as your connection, noise or interruptions, or conduct like eating during the meeting, the fee is forfeited. See section 6 of our booking policy.

A regular consultation is $150 (30 minutes), a same-day consultation is $250 (30 minutes) and an application review is $500 (90 minutes). Prices are in Canadian dollars and paid in full when you book. See our fees.

Our professional fees are published on our fees page; for example, a permanent residence application is $2,200 for the principal applicant and $500 for each additional family member. The final price can vary with the complexity of the case, urgency, prior refusals and any additional services, and it is set out in a written service agreement before you pay anything.

Applicable sales taxes are added to our prices. They are calculated at checkout and on each invoice, and you see them before you confirm any payment.

No. Fees charged by IRCC, ESDC, the provinces or Québec, such as application, biometrics and right of permanent residence fees, are paid to the government and are separate from our fees. See the IRCC fee list for current federal amounts.

Third-party costs are separate from our fees: for example, language tests, educational credential assessments, medical exams, police certificates, translations and courier services. We tell you which ones apply to your case before you start.

Consultations are paid online when you book, by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal. Card payments are processed by Stripe, and we don't receive or store your full card number. All prices are in Canadian dollars.

In two parts: a 50% file-opening fee when you sign the service agreement, then the remaining 50% before we submit your application, once all your documents are ready. We send you an invoice for the second payment and submit the application once it is received. See the payment schedule.

They are two-stage files: 50% of the permanent residence fee at file opening, $1,100 plus tax for the provincial or program stage only if a province or program invites you (for Québec, the CSQ fees), then the remaining 50% before the PR submission. See two-stage programs.

The 50% file-opening fee covers opening your file, setting up your client portal and administrative onboarding. It is non-refundable.

The 50% file-opening fee is non-refundable. Your service agreement sets out the refund terms for any other amount you have paid, including if the agreement ends before your application is submitted.

No. Our fees pay for the work done on your file, not for a particular result, so a refusal doesn't lead to a refund. If you'd like help after a refusal, that is a separate service; see refused applications.

Yes. Your booking confirmation email shows the amount paid, and full services are billed by invoice, with applicable taxes shown on each one. If you need another copy, email contact@anascanada.ca.

Our published fees include a GCMS notes request and analysis ($100), a request for reconsideration ($1,000), a criminal inadmissibility assessment ($1,500), a criminal rehabilitation application ($2,000 for the principal applicant; complex files are quoted in the service agreement), a Temporary Resident Permit ($2,000) and an Authorization to Return to Canada ($2,000). Government fees are extra. See our fees.

After your consultation, we send you a written service agreement with the scope, the fee and the timeline. Nothing is charged for full services until you sign it; then you pay the file-opening fee and receive access to your client portal. See our process.

As section 24 of the CICC Code requires, it specifies the services to be provided, the fees, the payment schedule, the refund policy and the terms of our professional relationship. Any change is agreed in writing, through a new agreement, an addendum or a confirmed email exchange.

Full-service clients work in Lexova, one of the most advanced client portals for immigration files (see how it compares). It is a significant investment by ANAS CANADA in the quality of our service: file accuracy and correctness, ease of work, and tracking and file management for both you and your consultant. In it you complete forms tailored to your case, upload documents to your personalized checklist, follow your file's progress and exchange messages and documents with us securely.

You upload them to your client portal, Lexova, following a checklist made for your case. If a document isn't in English or French, we tell you whether it needs a translation for your application; translations are a third-party cost, separate from our fees.

Once your forms and documents are complete, our preparation usually takes about 3 business days for most standard applications; complex files take longer. This is our own preparation time, not IRCC's processing time, and your service agreement sets out the timeline for your file.

It depends on the program and on IRCC, and times change every month. Check IRCC's processing-times tool. Using a representative doesn't speed up a file, and no one can promise a decision date.

Give accurate and complete information, send the documents we ask for on time, attend appointments such as biometrics and medical exams, and tell us right away about any change, such as a marriage, a birth, a new job or a move. False or missing information can lead to a refusal and a 5-year ban, even if someone else filled in your forms.

We reply to non-urgent emails within 1 to 2 business days and usually tell you about changes to your application status within one business day. Clients can reach their file team through Lexova, by email or by phone, in English, French or Arabic. See our communication policy.

Yes. All client information is kept confidential, used only to provide the services you retained us for, and disclosed only as our privacy policy describes, for example to IRCC with your authorization. We don't sell, rent or trade personal information.

With full handling, we submit your application to IRCC as your declared representative, once the second payment is received. With an application review, you submit it yourself and we are not declared as your representative.

We follow your file with IRCC, answer requests for documents or information, and keep you informed until a decision is made. Your role continues too: attend biometrics or medical appointments and tell us about any change in your situation.

We tell you. Under section 27 of the CICC Code, if our assessment is that an application has a minimal chance of success, we tell you in writing with the reasons; if you still want to proceed, we ask for your written acknowledgment of the risks.

Read the refusal letter and the officer's decision notes. Depending on the reasons, you may reapply with better evidence or ask the office to reconsider, which is not an appeal. Judicial review in the Federal Court has strict deadlines (15 or 60 days) and is handled by lawyers; see refused applications.

Most refusal letters now include the officer's decision notes: for temporary residence applications since 29 July 2025, and for most permanent residence refusals since 26 May 2026. If they aren't included, you can ask IRCC for your file (GCMS notes) through an access to information and privacy request. We offer a GCMS notes request and analysis; see refused applications.

You receive a final written communication confirming the status of your file, your original documents, a final invoice and any applicable refund, as section 36 of the CICC Code requires. Any further service needs a new service agreement.

A permanent resident can live, work and study anywhere in Canada but must meet a residency obligation of at least 730 days in Canada in every 5-year period (IRPA, s. 28); the status documents are the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and the PR card. A temporary resident (visitor, student or worker) can stay only for a set period and under conditions. Temporary status can sometimes lead to permanent residence, but not automatically.

Express Entry is IRCC's online system for permanent residence applications from skilled workers. It covers the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program and part of the Provincial Nominee Program. Candidates are ranked, and only those who receive an invitation to apply can apply; see our Express Entry page.

The Comprehensive Ranking System scores Express Entry profiles out of 1,200 points, based on age, education, official languages, work experience and, if it applies, a spouse's profile, plus additional points such as a provincial nomination (600). There is no pass mark: each round sets its own cut-off, published on IRCC's list of rounds. Estimate your score with our CRS calculator and read how CRS points work.

No. Since 25 March 2025, job offers no longer earn CRS points, including for candidates already in the pool. A valid offer still matters for Federal Skilled Trades eligibility, the Federal Skilled Worker selection grid, the proof-of-funds exemption and some provincial streams.

Most economic programs have no upper age limit, but age counts in the CRS: the most points go to ages 20 to 29, and they fall each year after that, reaching 0 at 45. Strong language results, education and work experience can make up part of the difference.

Category-based rounds invite candidates with a specific skill, such as French, or recent experience in listed occupations. IRCC announced 10 categories for 2026 on 18 February 2026, but a listed category may have no rounds, and candidates are still ranked by CRS. See our 2026 categories page.

Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades candidates must show settlement funds unless they are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer; Canadian Experience Class candidates are exempt. The amount depends on family size and is updated every year, so always use IRCC's current table. Borrowed money and home equity don't count.

For Express Entry, IRCC accepts CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French; results must be less than 2 years old. Scores are converted to Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) for English or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) for French. Convert your results with our CLB/NCLC converter.

An ECA confirms that a foreign diploma or degree is valid and equal to a Canadian one. Express Entry needs one for any foreign studies you claim, from an IRCC-designated organization, and it must be less than 5 years old when you submit your profile and when you apply. See the Federal Skilled Worker page.

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) gives each occupation a 5-digit code and a TEER category (0 to 5) showing the training it usually needs. Programs look at your actual duties, which must match the NOC lead statement and main duties, not just your job title. Try our NOC finder.

Provinces and territories nominate people who fit their labour-market needs, each with its own streams and rules. An enhanced nomination (through Express Entry) adds 600 CRS points; a base nomination leads to a separate application to IRCC. A nomination is not permanent residence: IRCC still decides. See our Provincial Nominee Program hub.

For the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program's worker streams, you submit an expression of interest, and only candidates invited in a draw can apply. Some streams have extra steps, such as a community endorsement for Rural Renewal. See our Alberta page.

A federal permanent residence program for workers and graduates hired by designated employers in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The province endorses the job offer, then you apply to IRCC; each province currently limits its intake. See our Atlantic Immigration Program page.

Québec selects its own economic immigrants: you are invited through Arrima, apply for a Québec selection certificate (CSQ), then apply to IRCC for permanent residence. Express Entry and the provincial nominee programs are for people who plan to live outside Québec. See Québec immigration.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents aged 18 or older can sponsor a spouse, a common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent children; a permanent resident who lives outside Canada can't sponsor. The sponsor signs an undertaking to support the person financially. See family sponsorship.

Not right now. The Parents and Grandparents Program has been paused since 15 July 2026, and IRCC isn't accepting new interest forms until further notice. Be careful with anyone who offers to "reserve a spot"; the super visa remains available for long visits.

It lets parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents visit for up to 5 years per entry. It requires private medical insurance and a host who meets a minimum income; the amounts are on IRCC's super visa page. See family sponsorship.

A letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution, a provincial or territorial attestation letter for most applicants (a CAQ in Québec), and proof that you can pay tuition and living costs. IRCC caps the number of study permits each year, and the funds amount changes; see IRCC's financial support page and our temporary residence page.

You may qualify for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) if your program and school are eligible. Rules include a language requirement (CLB/NCLC 7 for university graduates, 5 for college graduates), an eligible field of study for many non-degree programs, and applying within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your program. See IRCC's PGWP eligibility page.

Most are employer-specific and usually need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA exemption. Open work permits are available only in specific situations, for example to some spouses and partners of workers and students since the rules changed on 21 January 2025. See our temporary residence page.

An LMIA is ESDC's decision that hiring a foreign worker for a specific job is justified. For applications received from 9 October 2026 to 7 January 2027, ESDC refuses to process most low-wage LMIAs in the Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Red Deer areas. We help employers with LMIA applications but don't recruit workers; see our LMIA page.

Most travellers need one or the other, depending on their passport; check with IRCC's visitor visa page. The officer decides whether to issue a visa and for how long, and you must show you will leave at the end of your stay. Since 28 August 2024, visitors can't apply for a work permit from inside Canada.

Citizenship is a separate step after permanent residence, with its own requirements, including time physically present in Canada. IRCC's citizenship page explains the rules and how to apply.

Status on 10 October 2026: the federal Start-Up Visa program is paused (since 30 June 2026) and the Self-Employed Persons Program is paused (since 30 April 2024); we don't offer services for either. Some provincial entrepreneur streams and Québec's business programs are open; see business immigration.

A conviction can make you inadmissible, even for an offence that seems minor or old, and impaired driving is treated as serious criminality. Depending on your case, options include rehabilitation (generally once 5 years have passed since the end of your sentence) or a temporary resident permit. See refused applications and inadmissibility.

No. IRCC treats every application the same way, with or without a representative, and using one doesn't speed up a file. If you pay someone for immigration advice or representation, that person must be authorized; see IRCC's page on authorized representatives.

Only an authorized representative: an RCIC licensed by the CICC, a lawyer or paralegal in good standing with a Canadian law society, or a notary in Québec. Check any consultant on the CICC public register before you pay.

Be wary of anyone who promises a visa, a job or an approval, asks you to give false information, or asks for payment by gift card, cryptocurrency or a money transfer service; IRCC doesn't take government fees that way. Read IRCC's fraud awareness page to learn about common scams and how to report them.

Misrepresentation can lead to a refusal and a 5-year ban from applying, even if someone else filled in your forms. Read every form before you sign it, and never submit documents you know or suspect are untrue; see IRCC's page on the consequences of fraud.

Email contact@anascanada.ca or call +1 587-350-1111. Every complaint is documented, investigated and answered, as section 29 of the CICC Code requires; see our communication policy.

Yes. You can file a complaint with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants at any time, including if you aren't satisfied with our response. See the CICC's complaints page.

We follow Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), the federal PIPEDA and the CICC Code. We use service providers such as Stripe, Zoom and Google Workspace under confidentiality safeguards, and some of them store data outside Canada. See our privacy policy.

Email our privacy officer at privacy@anascanada.ca. You can ask to access or correct your information, withdraw consent or object to marketing, and you can complain to Alberta's or Canada's privacy commissioner.

No. The chat assistant is an AI that answers only from our published policies, such as booking, fees and cancellations. It never assesses eligibility or your chances, so please don't share personal details in the chat; book a consultation for advice on your case.

No. Our tools, including the CRS calculator, the CLB/NCLC converter, the NOC finder, the Pathway explorer and the AI assessor, give general information only. They are not legal advice and don't predict an outcome; IRCC, the provinces and Québec make every decision.