Canada Immigration

Where to stay in Toronto, Canada

Published

1 year ago

July 30, 2021

Where to stay in Toronto – A guide to the capital of Ontario
Toronto is the capital of the province of Ontario and is located in the southeastern part of Canada. This cosmopolitan city is famous for being the most populated in the country and for its skyline with iconic skyscrapers like the CN Tower creating a beautiful contrast to Lake Ontario. It is such a big city that you will need help choosing where to sleep in Toronto. But don’t worry we’re here to guide you

The CN Tower is the most important attraction in Toronto. The tower is 553 meters high and is the second tallest freestanding structure in the world, after the Burj Khalifa. Inside the building, you’ll find the Ripley Aquarium of Canada and an observation deck with the best views of Toronto.

When it comes to cultural attractions, the city has the largest museum in Canada, the Royal Ontario Museum, as well as several art galleries.

In terms of climate, summers in Toronto are usually very humid due to their location next to Lake Ontario. Winters are cold but milder than in other Canadian cities. The best time to visit Toronto is during the summer if you don’t mind the humidity. Summer is also Toronto’s peak season.

Toronto Pearson is the city’s main airport and is 14 miles northwest of downtown Toronto. Toronto Pearson International Airport is Air Canada’s main hub, connecting to different destinations around the world. To get to the airport from Toronto and vice versa, you can choose from taxis, buses, and trains.

Public transportation in Toronto is very efficient and includes a subway system with two lines that connect its outlying areas with the more central neighborhoods. There are also buses, commuter trains, and taxi services to get around the city.

Still, in order to visit neighboring cities and the city’s natural attractions, it may be a good idea to rent a Toronto vehicle.

Being a large city, it is difficult to choose which are the best locations to stay in Toronto. However, the city center stands out for its excellent public transport connections and lively nightlife. See accommodation in Downtown Toronto. On the other hand, North York is a good accommodation option if you are traveling on a tight budget. See accommodation in North York.

Best areas to stay in Toronto

Downtown

The downtown area is the best place to stay in Toronto for sightseeing and nightlife. Here you will find the most important attraction in the city: the CN Tower, which houses the Ripley Aquarium.

When the sun goes down, downtown Toronto offers live music shows, Broadway-style plays, and parties for all audiences, including gay and gay-friendly events.

This is also the best area to stay in Toronto for shopping due to shopping malls like the Eaton Center. Also, there are many dining options available in the financial district, so there is something for all types of foodies in this part of the city.

Being an area of great tourist, commercial and financial importance, downtown Toronto is connected to the rest of the city through two lines of light rail, subway, and several bus lines.

When it comes to accommodation, you will find a wide variety of options in this area. This includes luxury hotels, business hotels, hostels, and guesthouses.

Why is this a recommended area to stay in Toronto:

Great area for tourists
Best area to stay without a car
Best area for nightlife
Accommodation in this area

SEE ALSO: Where to stay in Toronto, Canada

Harbourfront (Port area)

Harbourfront is an exclusive and luxurious area, located south of the Entertainment District, with high-class hotels to satisfy the needs of the most demanding travelers.

It also houses the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal that connects to the Toronto Islands (located on Lake Ontario). In addition, it has bus routes to access the center and other areas of the city.

Other transportation options on Harbourfront are tram and tube. However, its streets are pedestrian-friendly and can also be explored by bicycle.

Harbourfront is a modern area that has many green areas and Lake Ontario for outdoor activities.

In addition, the fun does not escape from Harbourfront. Its streets are crossed by thousands of visitors, thanks to its festivals, shops, and restaurants.

Harbourfront is one of the best areas to stay in Toronto for its exclusivity, galleries, and spaces where the best shows in the city take place.

Why is this a recommended area to stay in Toronto:

Luxury hotels
Jack Layton Ferry Terminal
Good area for shopping
Accommodation in this area

West Queen West

West Queen West is regarded as a modern neighborhood full of art, as well as a fairly busy area throughout the year, thanks to its leisure offer.

It is also filled with clubs, bars, and cafes, as well as stages where live music and fun are the stars every night.

This neighborhood is described as one of the most stylish districts in the world by major magazines such as Vogue, thanks to its galleries, innovative restaurants, and variety of stores.

Transportation in West Queen West is covered by the tube, with stations such as Queen and the Osgoode, as well as by streetcar and buses.

Queen West is one of the best areas to stay in Toronto because it is also cheaper than other districts of the city and has a wide range of hotels.

Why is this a recommended area to stay in Toronto:
Cheap accommodation
Charming neighborhood
Best Food in Toronto
Accommodation in this area

Fashion District

As its name suggests, Fashion District is Toronto’s fashion suburb and another excellent area to stay in the capital of Ontario.

Located near the center of the city, the Fashion District has a large number of shops and exclusive cafes.

The Fashion District serves as the stage for international and local designers who offer the public their greatest creations, in stores with the most recognized clothing brands worldwide.

Being one of the safest districts in Toronto, the bars and clubs in the area are filled with young tourists for most of the year.

Fashion District connects to the rest of Toronto by subway. However, the most recommended option is to rent a car or walk its streets on foot, to appreciate its walls covered with street art.

Fashion District is one of the best areas to stay in Toronto for being a luxury neighborhood and having first-rate gastronomy.

Why is this a recommended area to stay in Toronto:

Best area for shopping
High-end restaurants
Excellent night life
Accommodation in this area

North York

North York is considered the “geek zone” of Toronto because it is home to a large number of companies dedicated to the development of new technologies.

Located north of the city, North York has a wide range of hotels, especially for business travelers who plan to stay for a short time in Toronto.

This area is crossed by line 1 of the tram, heading towards downtown and other areas of Toronto.

In addition to being a technology center, North York stands out for its restaurants, shops, and cafes, where a late-afternoon cocktail or a delicious dinner is a good option to enjoy.

North York is recommended as one of the best areas to stay in Toronto for staying away from the hustle and bustle of the city center and therefore offering cheaper accommodation.

Why is this a recommended area to stay in Toronto:

Budget hotels
Good area for business travelers
Restaurants and cafes

Scarborough

Scarborough is a neighborhood full of surprises, a great zoo, many shops, and one of the best gastronomic offerings in Toronto.

For lovers of green spaces and outdoor activities, Scarborough has attractions such as Rouge Park and the lake at Scarborough Bluffs, ideal for swimming during the summer.

Similarly, this area is excellent for family trips, as it has the Scarborough Town Center, one of the largest shopping centers in Canada, with shops, movie theaters, and entertainment for all ages.

This district also has its own walk of fame, a tourist attraction reminiscent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Scarborough is one of the best areas to stay in Toronto for its shopping centers, open spaces, and proximity to important districts through public transport.

Why is this a recommended area to stay in Toronto:

Scarborough Town Center
Toronto Walk of Fame
Toronto zoo
Accommodation in this area

Bloor-Yorkville

Bloor-Yorkville is a neighborhood full of life and energy, both day and night.

Within this area is the famous Bloor Street, full of residences and shops. This street runs through the entire district with its many shops and has therefore been named the “Fashion Mile”.

The Victorian-style houses in the area are currently cafes, frequented by a young crowd.

Being an exclusive area in Toronto, Bloor-Yorkville is home to luxury hotels, but there are also other more affordable accommodations.

Although shopping is considered the main activity in Bloor-Yorkville, you can also visit the galleries and museums in the area.

During the famous Toronto International Film Festival, this area is one of the busiest, so it is recommended to reserve accommodation in advance.

Bloor-Yorkville is one of the best areas to stay in Toronto, as it is easy to get around on foot and is one of Toronto’s hipster neighborhoods par excellence.

Why is this a recommended area to stay in Toronto:

Toronto hipster neighborhood
Victorian architecture
Cafes and shops
Accommodation in this area

Toronto Pearson Airport

The Toronto Pearson International Airport area is another of the best areas to stay in Toronto for business trips

The airport is located 32km from the city center and is the busiest air terminal in Canada, with flights to many international destinations.

Getting to other areas from the airport is not a problem, as it has several bus stops, taxi services, and metro lines.

The restaurants and markets in the Toronto Pearson area are recommended for those visiting Toronto for a short stay. However, to taste true gastronomy, the best restaurants are found in other areas of the city.

A point in favor of those who stay in this area is the availability of hotels of all kinds, as they adjust to different budgets and travel reasons.

Why is this a recommended area to stay in Toronto:

Good transport links
Excellent area for business trips
Best area to stay during a stopover
Accommodation in this area

Recommended:

Canada Immigration

What languages are spoken in Canada

Published

7 months ago

January 12, 2022

FirstArisAdmin

Have you thought about living or traveling to Canada? If so, most likely one of your first questions is what languages are spoken in Canada and how to prepare yourself to face the linguistic challenges that this great destination presents.

In recent years, the Canadian immigration system has been recognized as one of the friendliest with students, professionals, and expatriates from different parts of the world, who come to Canada to meet their goals, start a new life and even learn a new language.

However, one of the commonly requested requirements to enter the country successfully, for reasons beyond tourism, is to know at least one of the languages spoken in Canada, so that you can guarantee a smooth social and cultural integration.

What languages are officially spoken in Canada? Are there minority languages? How do they differ from other languages we already know? Are there other countries where they are useful? All these doubts will be answered below.

Official languages spoken in Canada

Canada is known around the world for being an officially bilingual country, made up of two official languages:

English

The Anglo-Saxon language is one of the two main languages of the Canadian territory, being the mother tongue of more than 77% of the population and the language that around 86% of the inhabitants speak fluently.

A very common question is whether the English spoken in Canada is different from English of British or American origin; However, its spelling is sometimes described as a mixture of both, the vocabulary is more similar to that of United States English, and the variations of the single-use lexicon in Canada are very specific depending on the context.

French

The next official language of Canada is, of course, French, established by statutory decree in July 1969.

Today, French is the mother tongue of approximately 9 million Canadians, that is, 23% of the population of this country. Most of the Francophones live in the province of Quebec.

Minority languages of Canada

In addition to the official languages that coexist in the country, there are a series of minority languages that are spoken in the country thanks to the constant migratory movement that the nation has experienced for years.

The minority languages that are not officially recognized in Canada, but are still spoken daily by thousands of inhabitants of the Canadian territory are Spanish, Italian, German, Cantonese, Punjabi, Arabic, Dutch, and Tagalog.

In what other countries are the official languages of Canada spoken?

Due to the colonizing past of countries such as France and the United Kingdom, those who master the two official languages of Canada can communicate fluently in the official language of many countries on different continents.

On the one hand, English, in addition to being a language spoken by more than 1.13 billion people in the world, has been called the official language in more than 70 countries around the world. Among these countries, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, the Philippines, among many others, always stand out (the list is very long!).

On the French side, things are not far behind. The “language of love”, in addition to being the main language of France and Canada, maintains its official status in more than twenty nations and overseas territories.

Some territories where we can find French as an official language are: Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Monaco, Luxembourg, Republic of the Congo, Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Niger, Togo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Benin, Gabon, Chad, Haiti, Rwanda, Comoros, Burundi, Republic of Djibouti, Vanuatu, French Polynesia, and French Guyana.

Canada Immigration

Traveling to Canada with a Criminal Record

Published

7 months ago

January 6, 2022

FirstArisAdmin

Traveling to Canada with a Criminal Record

The requirements to travel to Canada with Mexican nationality changed in December 2016. All Mexican citizens wishing to visit Canada for a short stay must obtain the eTA before traveling.

The eTA is an electronic travel authorization. This automated system determines the eligibility of people who want to visit Canada. As a Mexican citizen, you can apply for the eTA online by completing a form and answering a series of security questions.

Necessary requirements to apply for the eTA with Mexican nationality:

Applying for the Canadian eTA is quick and easy. Among the requirements to obtain the eTA, travelers need:

A valid passport
A debit or credit card
An email address

Once the application has been completed with all the data, the applicant can proceed to answer a series of questions about his criminal record. To finish the process, you have to pay the eTA fee.

Do I need a Criminal Record Certificate to travel to Canada?

The Criminal Record certificate is not required to travel to Canada as a tourist. However, if you want to work in Canada, you may need to obtain a Criminal Record Certificate. In Mexico, you can complete the procedure online by completing a Request for a Certificate or Report of No Criminal History.

On the other hand, if you have a criminal record it is very important that you do not deny it when you apply for the eTA. In the Canadian travel authorization questionnaire, you must answer honestly all questions, including those about your criminal record. No matter how minor the crime, you are required to declare it on the eTA permit form.

Alternatives if eTA Canada is denied due to brush with the law

It is likely that having a criminal record the eTA will be denied as inadmissible in Canada. In this case, you can still apply for a visa through the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate.

Before the travel authorization system was implemented, travelers from visa-exempt countries did not have to go through any electronic checks. You also didn’t have to answer questions about a criminal record. Migration controls were made upon arrival in Canada. As a result, there are many people who were able to enter Canada with a criminal record and went unnoticed.

It is worth mentioning that not all criminal records are equally serious. Still, the eTA serves as a screening mechanism to weed out people who might be criminally inadmissible in Canada.

If you have had interactions with the criminal justice system, you could benefit from a legal opinion letter to be able to apply for a visa to Canada and travel without problems. The legal opinion letter is a document that explains that the person with a criminal record is a respectable person and that they are an admissible person.

In some cases it may happen that the eTA is denied, this will depend on the severity of the history of each person. In case the eTA is denied due to the applicant’s criminal record, a temporary residence permit can be applied for, which would allow legal entry into the country.

Lying when completing the eTA is not recommended as this could have very serious consequences. Not only would the eTA not be granted but it could damage future possibilities of traveling to the North American country.

To process a Canadian visa with a criminal record it is important that:

Learn all the details of your conviction and the charge.
Gather as much information as possible about your conviction, including dates.
Complete the application correctly and with all the necessary documents.

Remember that the decision to grant you entry to Canada rests with the Canadian immigration agent who assists you upon arrival in the country. A serious criminal record can be a reason for denial of the Canadian eTA or entry into the country.

If you have a criminal record for crimes committed before the age of 18 you may still have the opportunity to be granted entry into Canada.

To be considered your application, despite having a criminal record, you must meet the following requirements:

Provide supporting documents that you comply with the legal terms to be considered rehabilitated :
- More than 5 years have elapsed since the crime and also since his final sentence
- Fully served his sentence
- Not likely to incur new crimes
- Had he committed the crime in Canada, he would have had a prison term of less than 10 years
Your request for rehabilitation was approved
You were granted a record suspension
You have a temporary residence permit

If you have a Mexican passport and a criminal record, it is recommended that you apply for criminal rehabilitation before submitting your eTA Canada petition. Once your confirmation of rehabilitation has been approved, you will be able to apply for a Canada eTA.

Contact an embassy or consulate for updated information and requirements. Please note that these requests can take more than a year to process.

The eTA is not a visa, it is a travel authorization to visit Canada for a certain time. The eTA is not designed for people who want to live, study or work in Canada.

Once the eTA is requested, it will be electronically linked to the passport, which is why it is essential to travel with the document with which the application was made.

Canada Immigration

Things Immigration Lawyers Won’t Tell You About Moving to Canada

Published

8 months ago

December 23, 2021

FirstArisAdmin

Things Immigration Lawyers Won’t Tell You About Moving to Canada

Before I enlighten you about things immigration lawyers won’t tell you, I’d like to give you a hint of the duties of an immigration lawyer. They basically work with corporations and employers to assist with helping clients understand the steps taken before they can be employed in Canada.

Immigration Lawyers are not gods

One thing immigration lawyers won’t tell you is that they are capable of failing when it comes to moving clients to Canada. Some tend to be transparent about it but most immigration lawyers won’t come clean on this.

They appear to their clients as gods and create a great picture of them in their hearts. They actually make mistakes too and sometimes lose cases. Most clients are aware of this fact, but when meeting an immigration lawyer they tend to put all hope on them.

Immigration Lawyers Have no Supreme Power Over Immigration Process

I’ve met people who think when meeting an immigration lawyer their problems are totally solved. If you have this mindset, I’ll advise you to unlearn it because immigration lawyers are no supreme body in the affairs of immigration.

They only stand-in for their clients in the process stage and convince corporations about employing their clients. Immigration lawyers won’t tell you they aren’t certain about the outcome but would assure you of total success in immigrating to Canada.

You can Process it Yourself Without the Assistance of an Immigration Lawyer

Most people know that they can actually do their immigration processing themselves. It is a known fact, but they hire immigration lawyers because of their professionalism in their field. They believe they can do more better than they are.

Immigration lawyers won’t tell you that there are some cases with a slim chance of achieving victory. They make their clients feel like they are capable of performing miracles and so encourage them to hit on the process.

Immigration Lawyers Won’t Tell You of Their Past Records

Some immigration lawyers have been disciplined for immoral conduct in the past but they would never tell you because you might want to look elsewhere. A major issue is that act misconduct taken by an immigration lawyer may ruin your case. Most people have gone through this experience because of a bad step taken by their lawyer.

Although some learn from their past mistakes, it is not 100% certain that he would not act in that light again. So, when going for a background check you should determine if you should work with or without the immigration lawyer.

Immigration Lawyers Won’t Tell You of the Case Load They Have on Deck

Some immigration lawyers can be extremely busy with a huge caseload on their hands. And oftentimes they do not reject cases but add more to their piles of work.

Immigration lawyers won’t tell you about this and it can cause a low commitment to your immigration process as they do not pay the necessary attention that ought to be paid to your immigration process. Every case ought to be given much attention in other to produce the best result.

While searching for an immigration lawyer ensure you take note of what to expect and also ask questions on the process in order to avoid getting an unexpected result.