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Provincial Nominee Program

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Language Deposit Refund

Overview 

In applying to immigrate to Canada under the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program, a Principal Applicant who cannot demonstrate proficiency in one of the two official languages is required to sign a Language Proficiency Agreement, make a $20,000.00 Canadian dollar Language Deposit, agree to study in English and/or French and pass a proficiency test. The Language Agreement is a legal contract between the applicant and Island Investment Development Inc. The Language Deposit is fully refundable one (1) year after the applicant lands in Canada and obtains permanent residency and provides evidence to Island Investment Development Inc. that the condition for refund has been met. Condition for Refund of the Language Deposit for an Applicant

 
 
1.    To provide proof of attaining a combined minimum score of 13 in all four Canadian Language Benchmark skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
 
Evidence that the condition cited under (1.) has been met including an official letter from the Prince Edward Island Association of Newcomers indicatinga combined minimum score of 13 in all four Canadian Language Benchmark skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing.
 
 
Process                                                           
 
 
Landing
 
When the Principal Applicant lands in Canada and receives permanent resident status, it is necessary that the Principal Applicant register with the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office. To register and arrange a landing appointment, please call our office at (902) 620-3628 or email peinominee@gov.pe.ca. Upon receiving your request we will set up a meeting with you. The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office is located at 94 Euston Street, Charlottetown.
 
The landing meeting provides an opportunity for the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office to collect important information such as passports, landing papers and local address etc. It also allows our office to direct the Principal Applicant to settlement organizations within the Province, such as the Prince Edward Island Association for Newcomers to Canada, for settlement assistance. In addition, the landing meeting allows the Principal Applicant to address any concerns or ask questions about the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program.
 
The Principal Applicant is responsible for updating the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office with changes in address or contact information.
 
Language Agreement Expiry Date
 
A Principal Applicant is eligible to apply for refund of their Language Deposit upon achieving a combined minimum score of 13 in Canadian Language Benchmark testing in one of the official languages English and/or French.
 
Upon the expiry of the Language Agreement; (one year after landing in Canada) if the applicant has not contacted the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office to provide evidence for meeting the conditions for refund or extension, the deposit will be defaulted.
 
Notification of Language Deposit Due Date
 
In the month prior to the Language Proficiency Agreement due date, the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office will send a “Reminder” letter to the Principal Applicant’s Prince Edward Island address. If the Principal Applicant has not registered with our office, the letter will be sent to the Principal Applicant’s representative. The letter will notify the Principal Applicant of the Language Deposit due date, as well as the required documents that the Principal Applicant will need to submit to begin the refund process.  
 
The Principal Applicant will have 75 days from the date of the letter to respond to the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office. Failure to respond will result in a default letter being sent and the deposit defaulted.
 
The following document is required, but not limited to:
 
  • An official letter from the Prince Edward Island Association for Newcomers to Canada indicating a combined minimum score of 13 has been achieved in all four Canadian Language Benchmark skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing.

If items are missing or additional information is required, the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office will make a request for the information within 14 days. The Principal Applicant must respond to this request within 30 days, otherwise the deposit may be defaulted.

 
Please note that non-disclosure, misrepresentation and/or submission of fraudulent documents may lead to immediate default of the deposit.
 
The Principal Applicant must submit their request in one of the official languages, English or French, or be accompanied by a certified translation. All documents must be legible and original. Failure to provide documents in this form may result in processing delays.
 
Testing
 
Prince Edward Island Association for Newcomers to Canada is the only authorized testing institution, which has been approved by the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office. The Principal Applicant must attain a combined minimum score of 13 in all four Canadian Language Benchmark skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
 
For more details on the testing, fees and schedules, or to book a test, please contact the Prince Edward Island Association for Newcomers to Canada.
 
Prince Edward Island Association for Newcomers to Canada
25 University Avenue, Suite 400
PO Box 2846
Charlottetown, PE   C1A 8C4
Telephone:    (902) 628-6009       Facsimile: (902) 894-4928
Email: info@peianc.com               Website: www.peianc.com
 
Response Time
 
The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office will attempt to respond to all submissions within 14 days with either a decision on the refund or request for more information. Processing times may vary depending upon the volume of requests submitted to the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office. The Principal Applicant will be notified of the decision by letter, email, or telephone call from the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office. In order to avoid processing delays, the Principal Applicant is asked to submit all requested documents at one (1) time.
 
Review Process
 
Once all documents requested have been received, the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office will begin the review of the Principal Applicant’s Language Deposit refund.
 
It is the Principal Applicant’s responsibility to provide an official letter from the Prince Edward Island Association for Newcomers to Canada indicating a combined minimum score of 13 in all four Canadian Language Benchmark skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
 
Defaults, Missing Information and Extensions
 

Within approximately 14 days of the final document submission, (depending upon caseloads), the initial review will be completed and the Principal Applicant will be notified with one of the following outcomes:

  • Additional information is required to support the application for refund; or
  • The refund is in default, either because requested information has not been provided during the time period allowed or the Principal Applicant clearly has NOT met the terms of the agreement; or
  • The terms of the agreement have not been met, but due to extenuating circumstances, the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office has decided to offer an extension to allow the applicant to meet the terms of the agreement. 
  • A refund has been recommended (see section detailing refunds)
The Principal Applicant will have 30 days to respond to the offer of extension or request for information. Otherwise, the Language Deposit will be considered defaulted and a default letter will be issued.
 
Extension of Language Agreement
 

A Principal Applicant may receive an extension to their Language Agreement, provided:

  • The one (1) year anniversary date of the agreement has come due, and;
  • The Principal Applicant has received an extension or refund on the Good Faith Agreement, and;
  • The Principal Applicant has provided evidence of enrollment in language training in an approved training institution within the Province of Prince Edward Island prior to the request or;
  • The Principal Applicant provides evidence that he/she has been or is currently on a waiting list for training at an approved institution of language training within the Province of Prince Edward Island.
 
If a Principal Applicant cannot meet a combined minimum score of 13 in Canadian Language Benchmark testing by the end of the extension due date, the language deposit will be defaulted, unless the Principal Applicant can provide proof of his/her intention to continue studies until the minimum score of 13 has been attained . To receive any further extension, the Principal Applicant is required to submit a written request to the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office to include the following information from an approved institution of language training: current level of training, progress report by the school and all attendance records. Based on the information provided, the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office reserves the right to approve or deny the request for extension.
 
Refunds
 
Once a decision to refund has been made, the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office will contact the Principal Applicant by letter, email, or telephone call. Refunds will be made available twice monthly: in the afternoon on the 15th and the 30th. Should either of these days fall on a holiday or weekend, refund cheques will be available on the next business day. The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office will notify the Principal Applicant of the date his or her cheque will be ready for pick up. The Principal Applicant will be asked to appear in person at Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office to sign for and take possession of the cheque. The Principal Applicant will be required to present picture identification.
 
Early Refund of Language Deposit
 

A Principal Applicant may receive a refund prior to the one (1) year anniversary date of the agreement, provided the Principal Applicant:

  • Provides proof of Canadian permanent residency status and;
  • Has received an official letter from the Prince Edward Island Association for Newcomers to Canada indicating the Principal Applicant has attaineda combined minimum score of 13 in all four Canadian Language Benchmark skills: speaking, reading, writing, listening and;
  • Applies to Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office for a refund in writing and presents evidence to Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program of meeting the conditions for refund.
 
Refunds for Principal Applicant Not Completing Federal Process
 
Principal Applicants who withdraw or are declined during the federal process will be able to receive a Language Deposit refund upon Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office receiving evidence the Principal Applicant is no longer within the federal processing system of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
 
Principal Applicants must provide evidence to Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office that they have withdrawn or have been rejected by Citizenship and Immigration Canada on the application filed as a Principal Applicant. Evidence in the form of formal notification from Citizenship and Immigration Canada of such a decision, as well as a written request from the Principal Applicant to Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office requesting a refund is required. The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office will verify the request and status of the file within the federal immigration processing system prior to a refund being granted. Upon verification the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office will withdraw the Nomination Certificate and there will be no recourse to re-open the file.
 
Refunds to a Third Party
 

If the Principal Applicant is not available to pick up the refund cheque in person, the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office offers the following three options: 

  1. The Principal Applicant provides authorization to the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office for release of the refund cheque to a 3rd party for pick up. The Principal Applicant must sign the authorization in front of staff of the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office. The cheque will be issued in the name of the Principal Applicant. The 3rd party will be required to present picture identification when picking up the cheque; or
  2. A refund cheque will be issued in the name of the Principal Applicant. The Principal Applicant hires a bonded courier to come to the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office to deliver the cheque to the Principal Applicant at his/her current address; or
  3. If the Principal Applicant is unable to cash a Canadian cheque in his or her country, the Principal Applicant must complete and sign “Authorization and Direction” and “Undertaking” documents with a Canadian lawyer. A copy of the completed “Authorization and Direction” and “Undertaking” documents must be forwarded to the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program office. Upon receipt of the proper documentation, a refund cheque will be issued in the name of the appointed Canadian lawyer, in trust, and mailed to the law office. The “Authorization and Direction” and “Undertaking” documents can be found at www.gov.pe.ca/immigration.

 

 
Contact Information
 
Island Investment Development Inc.
Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program
94 Euston Street, 2nd Floor
PO Box 1176
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Canada C1A 7M8
Telephone:    (902) 620-3628       Facsimile: (902) 368-5886
 
 
 
 
 
Disclaimer: This document is provided as a public service by Island Investment Development Inc. This information is provided strictly “as is” and without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. We cannot guarantee that all information is current or accurate. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy, currency and reliability of the content.  At any time, some details may not yet reflect recent changes.

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