Can I Apply for Canadian Immigration on My Own?

Do you really need a representative to apply for Canadian immigration or is it something you can do on your own, especially with the federal self-employed program?

I’ve been gone for a minute because as my landing date draws closer, the crazier things get.

Ok, maybe not so crazy but things are hectic especially since I’m also working.

However, I’m on track with my timeline so far. Hopefully, it stays that way. lol.

Quickly popping in to talk about applying for Canadian immigration on your own versus using a representative or consultant.

Can I Apply for Canada PR On My Own?

As I mentioned previously, I completed and submitted the application on my own but initially, I contacted a few consultants.

The first consultant was very focused on the fees for submitting the application on my behalf, which set off alarm bells in my head so I moved it along.

The second consultant did everything possible to discourage me from applying for the program I was interested in – federal self-employed.

He vigorously insisted I apply for the federal skilled worker program instead.

Needless to say, I found it very irritating that he wasn’t listening to what I wanted so I moved on to the next person on my list.

The third consultant I spoke to gave me conflicting information and couldn’t answer basic questions about the stream I was interested in.

I did not meet the fourth and final consultant.

I looked them up online prior to arranging a meeting and discovered miles and miles of horror stories from people who had dealt with them.

I was pretty much done with consultants after that and went ahead and researched everything on my own.

I read every last bit of information provided on the CIC website regarding the stream I was interested in, downloaded the forms, and filled them myself.

You can read my full federal self-employment process story as well as my application timeline HERE.

Another reason why I went ahead and applied myself is that I discovered something very important.

Whether I used a representative or not, I would still have to do all the work myself. I would just be paying the agent to boss me around, really.

Using a representative made absolutely no difference to my application outcome so why not just do it myself I figured.

Thankfully, the application process is now so much easier than it used to be.

Apart from the initial paper application sent via UPS, every other subsequent document I submitted was online via my CIC profile.

Awesome and straightforward, right?

Do You Need a Representative to Apply for Canadian Immigration?

So, do you really need an immigration consultant to apply for Canadian immigration? The answer is yes and no. Stay with me.

If you can read, speak, write, and comprehend English or French perfectly, you do not need a consultant.

Everything you need is on the CIC website.

A comprehensive and very detailed breakdown of everything you need to do and how to do it is on their website. For every stream.

In case you don’t believe me, even CIC states this clearly on their website – Do I Need a Representative to Help Me Apply? 

Sure, you will click through to a helluva lot of pages and you will need to understand a voluminous amount of information but it’s not rocket science.

It’s something you can get through in one to two weekends behind a locked door.

One thing I did to make sure I did not make any mistakes was print and fill out two sets of applications.

I used the first one as practice then I crosschecked it with the application checklist and ticked off each requirement one by one.

I transferred everything to the second application, crosschecked at least 3 more times before I finally sent it off.

Now, if you struggle with any aspect of understanding English or French, then you may not be able to complete the application on your own without making a mistake or skipping a crucial step.

In this scenario, you may need an immigration consultant.

Or maybe you just need an English or French teacher to help with any confusing parts of the application.

If you really don’t have the time and you feel you need an immigration consultant in this case, remember what I wrote above.

You still have to do all the work yourself. They will not do anything for you beyond submitting and follow up/checking status. 

Additionally, they cannot make the process move along faster than anybody else’s application or secure a decision in your favor.

Carve out a weekend or two, lock yourself in a room and get it done. Good luck!

Require assistance with putting together a thorough application that represents all your experience and future intention?

Have a look at my consulting and coaching services HERE.

Abi has lived and worked abroad for over 13 years. She loves traveling, reading, and writing. She is a big believer in following your dreams and has been marching to the beat of her unconventional drums for a long time. She funds her adventures by making smart financial decisions and investing wisely. Her top personal finance tools include trading with Questrade, investing change on MOKA, and no-fee banking with Tangerine and Neo Financial. Learn more about Abi HERE.