Canada is a country located in the North of America. Despite her very cold atmospheric condition, Canada is still a very popular destination for immigrants all over the world. Many people dream of immigrating to Canada because of the benefits waiting for them upon arriving in the country—the country offers the best of education, healthcare, job opportunities, safety, culture and lifestyle.
Among the largest countries in the world, Canada sits in second place. This means that by merely residing in Canada you’ll have plenty of opportunities if you are a skilled worker (i.e., to say your services will surely be needed) as well as better life prospects. Additionally, the educational system in the country is advanced which means that schooling in Canada equates to receiving nothing short of the best form of education and Canada offers free basic healthcare to all immigrants and citizens residing within the country.
The government of Canada favours immigration into the country and every year they admit more and more immigrants which means that you are more likely than less likely to get accepted by the country. If you are reading this blog post the changes are you are thinking or you want to migrate to Canada but you don’t know how to go about it.
Hence, in this guide, you’ll discover 8 ways to migrate to Canada.
1. Canada’s Express Entry
The Express Entry is an online system that is used to manage applications and it does that by assessing and selecting skilled workers who are interested in becoming permanent residents in Canada.
Canada’s express entry is not only the easiest but also the fastest way to Immigrate to Canada. If you intend to move to Canada for work purposes (living full-time in Canada) then you can formally express your intention of becoming a permanent resident by creating an Express Entry Profile.
This system (i.e., the Express Entry Profile) allows Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to select, recruit, and pro-actively assess immigrants who possess the relevant qualifications under the federal economic immigration programs or are skilled.
The Express Entry Program is a point-based ranking system and the individuals with the highest scores [the scores are assigned using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)] generally qualify for one of the following programs if certain eligibility requirements are met.
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST)
- Canadian Express Class (CEC)
2. Family Class Sponsorship
Canady values family reunification and as such, having a family member who permanently resides in Canada or is a Canadian citizen automatically makes it a smooth sail for you to get into the country.
However, there are a few requirements you’ll have to meet before you’ll be able to immigrate to Canada via this route. You’ll have to prove your relationship with the said family member and also provide a few documentation.
Currently, you’ll be able to sponsor your spouse, children under the age of 22 (there are a few exceptions to this), siblings, and common-law or conjugal partners.
Eligible sponsors must be able to take care of the family members financially and also ensure that they will not require any social assistance from the government.
3. Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker Program
Immigrating to Canada is easy when you have useful work skills—that’s because Canada has a shortage of skilled and qualified workers which means that your knowledge and expertise will be in high demand. Chances are, your existing occupation falls into their listed occupation categories but if you are not so sure then you can check their National Occupation Classification.
Before this route will work for you, several factors are considered. For example, it requires you already have a job offer from a Canadian company before applying. You can also gain permanent residence in Canada based on your knowledge of English and French, education, and work experience (you’ll also have to prove your experience and skills).
You’ll also have to prove your language ability in English and that means you must have a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in writing, reading, speaking and listening. Additionally, you’ll also have to prove that you have enough money for both you and your family to settle in Canada.
4. Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Canada has different provinces and several provinces in Canada have a shortage of skills. This means you can apply for PNP in regions or provinces where your skills, education, and work experience will contribute to their economy.
Each province targets a specific group of skilled workers which means that you’ll have to check to see if your skills meet the region’s labour market needs. Every province has an eligibility requirement you’ll have to meet before you’ll be nominated for the program. Once you meet the requirements and get nominated, the next thing to do is to apply for permanent residency.
5. Canada’s Federal Skilled Trades
This is a fairly new program that focuses on specific trades that Canada needs. The program gives you the opportunity to obtain a permanent residency in Canada. This program was introduced to tackle the growing shortage of skilled trades in specific regions of Canada experiencing rapid growth due to its strong economy. Some of the trades that this Canadian immigration program needs include electricians, cooks, mechanics, plumbers, machinists, carpenters, etc.
6. Business Immigration to Canada Program
Are you a successful entrepreneur? If you are, then that makes it easy for you to immigrate to Canada via the business immigration program. This program encourages entrepreneurs (business people) to immigrate to Canada and strengthen their economy by creating jobs and investing in a business.
The federal investor program requires that you make an initial investment, have a certain net worth, manage at least five full-time employees, or manage a qualifying business.
Another program in this category is the Federal Entrepreneur Program and to qualify for this program, you’ll have to have at least $300,000 CDN net assets with 2 years of business experience acquired in the last 5 years.
If the two programs listed in the section seems too much for you then you can apply for the Self-Employment Program and in this program, you just have to proceed that you are can start up a business in Canada that’s capable of contributing to the culture and economy of Canada.
7. International Student
The international student program is another easy way to migrate to Canada. Although this route makes it easy to migrate, the cost of migrating to Canadian via this method is very expensive. However, if you are not concerned about the cost then there are a few things you should take into consideration such as the place you’d love to study, the length of the program and the actual cost. Additionally, before applying to any university or college, ensure that the institution you are applying to is a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) or is approved by the provincial government to host international students.
As a student, you’ll be allowed to bring along an accompanying spouse, minor children, and common-law partner to Canada. In case, your spouse will be able to get an open full-time work permit which allows them to work for any employer and your kid(s) will be allowed to attend school while you study in Canada.
While in school, you will be allowed to work off-campus for a maximum of 20 hours per week to help you earn extra wages while studying in the country. However, you should note that the work you do while studying doesn’t count as part of your work experience and as such cannot be used for any of the immigration streams.
The length of your chosen program in school will determine the length of your Post Graduate Work Permit—this is the permit that allows you to work in Canada after your studies. With the Post Graduate Work Permit, you’ll be able to obtain the required Canadian skilled work experience needed to apply for permanent residency.
8. Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP)
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) is an employer-driven program that aids employers in the four Atlantic Provinces in attracting skilled immigrants to fill the skilled worker gaps or their labour market needs. Hence, if you are a skilled worker and /or international graduate who’s interested in residing in Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and/or Newfoundland and Labrador), then this is the program you need.
To qualify for this program, you must receive a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada and you must be a recent graduate from a publicly funded institution in any of the provinces mentioned above.