Immigration Glossary

Clear definitions of {n} common immigration, visa, and relocation terms.

Adjustment of Status: The process of applying for a US green card from inside the United States without returning to your home country for consular processing. It is available to eligible applicants already present in the US.
Affidavit of Support (Form I-864): A legally binding US form in which a sponsor promises to financially support a green-card applicant, proving income at least 125% of the federal poverty guidelines so the immigrant is unlikely to become a public charge.
ANZSCO: The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, a coded list that assigns every occupation a six-digit number. Your ANZSCO code determines which skilled occupation list you fall under and which authority assesses your skills for migration.
Biometrics: Fingerprints and a digital photo collected as part of most visa and residency applications, used to confirm identity and run security checks.
BRP (Biometric Residence Permit): A card that proves a non-UK national’s right to stay, work, or study in the UK, holding their biometric and immigration details.
Consular Processing: Applying for an immigrant visa at a US embassy or consulate abroad, used by applicants who are outside the United States. The final interview takes place at the consulate before entry.
Cost of Living Index: A relative measure of how expensive it is to live in one city compared with another, covering rent, groceries, transport and utilities. It helps migrants understand how far a salary will stretch in a new location.
Country of Chargeability: The country an immigrant visa applicant is counted against for U.S. per-country limits, normally the country of birth, not citizenship. It determines which column of the Visa Bulletin applies to you. Cross-chargeability can sometimes let an applicant use a spouse's or parent's country of birth.
CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System): Canadas points-based system that ranks Express Entry candidates on age, education, work experience, and language ability. The highest-scoring candidates receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence in regular draws.
Disposable Income: The money left over from your salary after income tax, social contributions and essential living costs such as rent, food and transport. Comparing disposable income rather than gross salary is the fairest way to judge job offers in different cities or countries.
DV Lottery (Diversity Visa): A U.S. program that awards up to roughly 55,000 immigrant visas (green cards) each year, chosen at random from entries by people born in countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. Entry is free and submitted online during an annual registration window; selection does not guarantee a visa.
EAD (Employment Authorization Document): A US work permit (Form I-766) that allows certain non-citizens to work legally in the United States for a set period.
ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization): An online pre-screening linked to your passport that lets eligible visa-exempt travellers board flights to countries such as Canada.
Express Entry: Canadas online system for managing permanent-residence applications under the Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, and Canadian Experience Class programs. Candidates create a profile, get a CRS score, and wait for an Invitation to Apply.
Going Rate: The occupation-specific minimum salary a UK Skilled Worker must be paid, set for each job code. Your salary must meet both the general threshold and the going rate for your specific role, whichever is higher.
Green Card: Informal name for a US Permanent Resident Card, which proves lawful permanent residence. Holders can live and work permanently in the US and may apply for citizenship after meeting residency requirements.
H-1B Visa: A US non-immigrant visa that lets employers hire foreign professionals in specialty occupations that require a bachelors degree or higher. It is subject to an annual cap and a lottery when demand exceeds supply.
IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge): A fee most UK visa applicants pay to access the National Health Service during their stay, charged per year of the visa.
ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain): UK permanent residence status that lets you live and work without time limit and is usually a step before applying for British citizenship.
L-1 Visa: A US visa for intra-company transferees who move from a foreign office to a US office of the same employer. L-1A covers managers and executives; L-1B covers employees with specialized knowledge.
LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment): A document a Canadian employer may need before hiring a foreign worker, showing that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to fill the role.
Naturalization: The legal process by which a permanent resident becomes a citizen, usually after meeting residence, language and (often) test requirements. It typically grants a passport and the right to vote.
NOC (National Occupational Classification): Canadas system for classifying jobs by skill type and level. Many immigration programs require your work experience to match a specific NOC code and TEER category.
PGWP (Post-Graduation Work Permit): An open work permit that lets international graduates of eligible Canadian institutions work for any employer for up to three years. The Canadian work experience gained can boost an Express Entry profile.
PNP (Provincial Nominee Program): A route that lets Canadian provinces and territories nominate immigrants who meet local labour needs. A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points, effectively guaranteeing an Express Entry invitation.
Points Test: A scoring system (used by Australia and others) that awards points for age, English, education, and work experience to rank skilled-migration candidates.
PR (Permanent Residence): The status that lets a non-citizen live, work, and study in a country indefinitely. Permanent residents enjoy most rights of citizens except voting and holding a passport, and must meet residency obligations to keep the status.
Prevailing Wage: The minimum salary a US employer must pay a sponsored foreign worker for a given role and location, protecting local wage levels.
Priority Date: The date that establishes your place in line for a US green card, usually when your petition is filed or labor certification is received. You can apply for a green card once your priority date becomes current in the Visa Bulletin.
RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant): A licensed professional authorized to give Canadian immigration advice and represent applicants, regulated by the CICC.
RFE (Request for Evidence): A notice from US immigration asking for additional documents or proof before a decision is made on a petition. Responding fully and on time is essential to avoid denial.
Right to Work: Legal authorisation to take employment in a country. Employers are usually required to verify a worker's right to work before the start date.
SIN (Social Insurance Number): A nine-digit number needed to work in Canada and access government programs and benefits.
Skills Assessment: An evaluation by an authorized body confirming your qualifications and experience match an occupation’s standard, required for many Australian and Canadian skilled visas.
Skills Assessment: A formal evaluation by a designated authority confirming that your qualifications and work experience meet the Australian standard for your nominated occupation. A positive skills assessment is required before lodging most General Skilled Migration (subclass 189/190/491) and many employer-sponsored visa applications.
Sponsor Licence: Permission a UK employer must hold to hire workers from outside the UK. Without it, an employer cannot issue the Certificate of Sponsorship needed for a Skilled Worker visa.
Substantial Presence Test: A US tax rule that determines residency by counting all days present this year, one-third of last year's days, and one-sixth of the days from two years ago. If the total reaches 183 (with at least 31 days this year), you are generally a US resident for tax purposes.
TEER: Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities, the category system introduced in Canada's NOC 2021 that replaced the older skill levels. Each occupation falls into TEER 0 (management) through TEER 5 (labour). Most Express Entry programs require an occupation in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.
UMA (Unit of Measure and Update): A reference value in Mexico used to calculate fees, fines and thresholds. Mexican consulates often base the income and savings requirements for residency visas on multiples of the UMA or the local minimum wage.
Visa Bulletin: A monthly US State Department publication that shows which priority dates are current for family- and employment-based green cards. It tells applicants when they can move forward with their final application.
Visa Subclass: Australia identifies each visa by a numbered subclass, such as the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) or the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). Each subclass has its own eligibility rules, rights and conditions.