Emigrating to Canada: Common immigration terms E-L

By Kay McMahon, 9 March 2010

If you’re going to immigrate to Canada, you’ll have to wade through a sea of alphabet soup to get there! We’ve drawn together a set of the more common terms you might come across if you’re planning to emigrate to Canada.

• e-CAS = Online status check for applications
• FW = Foreign Worker Manual
• GATS = General Agreement on Trade in Services, exempts some professionals from HRSDC approval for work permits
• HRSDC = Human Resources and Social Development Canada (Service Canada, approve job offers to foreigners)
• IA = Initial Approval (for apps done outside Canada)
• IO = Immigration officer
• IELTS = International English Language Testing System
• IMM + numbers = refers to CIC applications and forms
• Interpol = International Police
• IP = Manual for inland processing
• IRPA = Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (and its Regulations)
• Landing = when you arrive in Canada with your visa/paperwork
• LICO = Low Income Cut-off
• LMO = Labour Market Opinion (means job approved for foreigner by HRSDC)