Q. My sister had renal transplant in UK. I sponsored my mum & sister. There’s just the 3 of us. After months of chasing, CHC London says that my sister is no longer a dependant of my mum as she is capable of doing certain things. She works at friends & families just to keep busy. They also said that she could be granted a Minister’s Permit. I have been told that she would be refused a visa if we insist on her being treated as a dependent (because of burden on health services). Can the visa office exclude my sister in this way?

Q.Is it possible to be refused on the grounds that your intended occupation’s is only one point?

Q. My wife graduated with a Bachelor in 1988 from China Textile University which is a top textile university in China and is reputed in the textile industry in the world. Although her education was positively assessed by the CCPE, the visa office refused her application, saying that she is not qualified as an Engineer. Doesn’t the CCPE assessment prove otherwise?

Q. What is the difference between a background check and a police clearance certificate?

There appears to be some uncertainty or overlap in the use of these terms on both this discussion group and in the official immigration literature. I recently submitted my independent PR application from England via London, and I enclosed my original British police clearance certificate. At the same time I have been reading references to the background checks that visa officers may conduct whilst assessing an application.

OTTAWA, December 29, 1998 — Lucienne Robillard, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Pierre S. Pettigrew, Minister of Human Resources Development, and John Manley, Minister of Industry, today announced that the federal government will continue to expedite the processing of software development workers for admission to Canada.

OTTAWA, December 11, 1998 — The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and M.P. for Westmount-Ville-Marie, Lucienne Robillard, today announced the pre-publication of new regulations for the redesigned Immigrant Investor Program, expected to take effect on April 1, 1999.

OTTAWA, December 7, 1998 — The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and M.P. for Westmount-Ville-Marie, Lucienne Robillard, today tabled a new citizenship act.