Are you eligible to move to Canada? The answer is probably yes, which you may not have been aware of. When you consider how to immigrate to Canada, it might seem a little surreal, to begin with, but once you understand how the Canadian immigration process works, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.
You had better believe that moving to Canada successfully doesn’t just depend on your financial situation or even on which country you are from. It all depends on whether you meet the criteria to take the big step. Even if you don’t get your application the first time, with a little help and reviewing the correct information, you will soon.
What is the Fastest Way to Immigrate to Canada?
Although the process to work and live in Canada can be lengthy, if you follow the correct procedure and qualify for the program you wish to apply for, it can take as little as six months to be approved and obtain permanent residence in Canada…
With hundreds of thousands of successful applicants each year, you must be curious about whether you are also eligible to relocate to the Great White North.
If the answer is yes, you will be happy to know that there are many ways to move to Canada; However, the main programs that can get a visa approved quickly are:Advertisements
- Express Entry (EE)
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Post-Graduate Worker Program
- Family Sponsorship
All of these options are top-notch programs suitable for everyone, from someone who has the skills relevant to a specific position and wants to live in Canada and find a job there, to someone who already has a job offer. and qualifies for the program. Provincial candidates.
Before deciding which program is right for you, you need to create an online application and fill in the required fields to check if you get the required score to be ranked among the other selected applicants. Since there are so many people applying to relocate to Canada, the main countries of which are India, Pakistan, China, Nigeria, and the UK besides taking the right steps to get approved your request, you should also work to improve your score. . have the best chance of obtaining permanent residence in Canada.
Express Entry (EE)
The Express Entry competition is a system designed to meet the future needs of the Canadian labor market by approving more qualified and eligible people from around the world over time. Since its introduction in January 2015, Canada has set its immigration target of 195,800 applicants under federal economic programs. In 2020, the Express Entry system was created to issue 91,800 invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence, which was surpassed to 107,950. With over 1.2 million immigrants expected to be welcomed By 2021 and 2023, many people are looking to the Express Entry system to ensure a successful application, due to the goals set for Express Entry applicants, which are:
- 108,500 in 2021
- 110,500 in 2022
- 113,750 in 2023
With continuous improvements, the Express Entry system is expected to issue even more ACIs over the next two years as Canada’s global economic market continues to grow and prosper. The Canadian government welcomes people from all over the world, helping the country’s rich cultural diversity as they continue to build the best immigration system in the world.
How Does Express Entry Work?
The Express Entry system involves a two-step process that includes submitting your profile and, upon successful completion, you receive an ITA. Your profile must include your language test results, your credentials, and a passport or travel document to be considered eligible. If you receive an ITA, you must accept the invitation within 90 days and submit additional documents, including letters of reference from each previous employer, identity documents, results of medical exams, and certificates of authorization.
If you have a tertiary education with qualified work experience, as well as a moderate proficiency in English, French, or both, you are considered an ideal candidate for all three different Express Entry programs, including:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTW)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
For the Canada Express Entry application to be successful, you must do everything possible to achieve a high score if you want to increase the chances that your application will be accepted the first time. If your score is not high enough, you can improve your English and French language skills and retake one or both tests to improve your eligibility score. In addition, you can also work to acquire more skills suited to the field of work you are in, which can potentially allow you to get a job offer in Canada faster. These are just two ways to improve your Comprehensive Classification System (CRS) score.
If you are a skilled worker, you must meet the following conditions to be eligible for Express Entry:
- Have a minimum of one year of continuous full-time experience in a skilled occupation in the last 10 years.
- Demonstrate on a language test the minimum score on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB), which is 7 in English or French.
- Completed a post-secondary education that gets assessed against Canadian standards.
With these minimum requirements, you can apply for Express Entry as an eligible skilled worker. While you do not have to meet all of these requirements to receive an ITA, it is in your best interest to complete them as you will have a much better chance of obtaining a Canadian visa to become a permanent resident of Canada.
Express Entry Points Breakdown
By getting a higher CRS score, you have a much higher chance of getting an ITA. Selection factors that could potentially boost your application among other applicants include:
- Being under 30-years old, which is favored, yet you can be up to 44-years old to get the best result.
- Hold a minimum of one Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, yet two are favored.
- Demonstrate moderate to high English or/ and French language proficiency.
- Have a minimum of three years as a skilled worker.
- Additional factors
- The highest language proficiency or being bilingual in English and French
- A Master’s degree or Ph.D.
- Work or education experience in Canada
- A sibling living as a resident in Canada
- Arranged employment from a company in Canada
- Nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program
Express Entry candidate profiles can remain active and rank against other candidates for up to 12 months. The higher you score, the more likely you are to also receive your results faster.
- The CRS score is broken into four sections:
| Section A | ||
|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Maximum Points Awarded (with Spouse) | Maximum Points Awarded (without Spouse) |
| Age | 100 | 110 |
| Education Level | 140 | 150 |
| Official Language Proficiency | 150 | 160 |
| Canadian Work Experience | 70 | 80 |
| Section B (Spouse or Common-law Partner) | |
|---|---|
| Criteria | Maximum Points Awarded |
| Education Level | 10 |
| Official Language Proficiency | 20 |
| Canadian Work Experience | 10 |
| Section C | |
|---|---|
| Education | Maximum Points Awarded |
| Good language proficiency + a post-secondary degree | 50 |
| Canadian work experience + a post-secondary degree | 50 |
| Foreign Work Experience | Maximum Points Awarded |
| Good language proficiency + a post-secondary degree | 50 |
| Canadian work experience + a post-secondary degree | 50 |
| Certificate of Qualification (trades occupations) | Maximum Points Awarded |
| Good language proficiency + a post-secondary certificate of qualification | 50 |
| Section D | |
|---|---|
| Criteria | Maximum Points Awarded |
| Sibling living in Canada | 15 |
| French Language Proficiency | 30 |
| Post-secondary Education in Canada | 30 |
| Arranged Employment | 200 |
| Provincial Nomination | 600 |
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Like another popular program, the Provincial Nominee Program focuses more on recruiting people from overseas countries. Since Canada is struggling to cope with the rapid growth of the economy, the country needs skilled workers quickly, which means that if you are skilled or trained in a professional field in demand, you will likely be accepted to immigrate. in Canada and receive quick job offers.
In addition to applying for an existing position in your field, Canada also offers incredible opportunities for professionals who wish to further develop their careers. The Provincial Nominee Program aims to welcome between 64,000 and 81,500 immigrants in 2021. With 80 PNP programs to choose from, there are many options to consider, which can be advised by a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) to choose the best program. for you.
The Canadian Provincial Nominee Program works by appointing immigrants who wish to live and work in the country, with the ultimate goal of immigrating to Canada. To start the process, an applicant must choose a province in which they wish to live. This province will influence the applicant’s application for appointment and, based on their employment and immigration needs, will decide whether the applicant is eligible to relocate and settle in the province in question.
The 6 most popular Provincial Nomination Programs
- Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)
- British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
- Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
- New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NW PNP)
- Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NL PNP)
- Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP)
Individuals applying for the Provincial Nominee Program can apply for the Skilled Worker PNP. This requires a job offer from a local employer, work experience in the relevant province or territory, and the ability to adapt to the province.
Alternatively, you can apply for the Business Immigration Program, in which the candidate must intend to start a new business, invest money, or form a joint venture with a local business in the relevant province.
What is the Duration of the Application Process?
The first step in the PNP application process requires that a candidate be approved by a province of their choice. This step can take anywhere from two weeks to nine months, depending on the province. Obtaining approval of a province’s PNP is also known as being “appointed” by a PNP.
Once you have received approval, the next step is to provide medical and police certificates, as well as documentation of security checks, which can take six to eight months. Once this step is completed, the PNP can help an applicant obtain a temporary work visa before settling in Canada.
There are two options you can choose from when applying for permanent residence through a PNP for Canadian immigration, including the following:
- Direct application to a province/ territory
- Express Entry-linked process
The direct application process to a province or territory, once submitted, can take between 15 and 19 months to get feedback on its approval, while the Express Entry application process, which has two tracks, including expression of interest and request through a PNP Express Entry flow can take six to eight months.
Can I Immigrate to Canada Without a Job Offer?
Generally, the best way to immigrate to Canada without a job offer is through Express Entry programs, namely the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). There are two other programs that are not as well known as the answer to this particular question. These are the graduate work permit and the family sponsorship program. Both programs are eligible because you do not need a job offer to qualify for either program.
What is the Post-Graduate Worker Permit (PGWP)?
The Graduate Worker Program (PGWP) is designed to help international students who have obtained a qualification from a Designated Learning Institute (DLI) to obtain an open work permit that will allow them to work for any employer in Canada.
Many international students apply for the PTPD because it gives them the opportunity to work and live in Canada. The validity of the open work permit is based on the duration of the study program and can be valid for a maximum of three years.
You will have a maximum of 180 days after receiving your final grades to apply to the PGWP. If your study permit expires before you can get your final grades, your two options are:
- apply for a visitor record to stay in Canada longer, or
- leave Canada and apply for your PGWP
If you stay in Canada and let the permit expire, you will be charged additional fees to restore your student status and be eligible to apply for PTPD. It would be better not to let this happen to avoid additional costs.
What Are the Requirements for PGWP?
To qualify for the Post-Graduate Worker Permit you must have:
- Completed a study program (degree, diploma, or certificate) at a DLI for at least 8 months;
- Been a full-time student in Canada for each semester; and
- Graduated from a public post-secondary school (college, trade/technical school/university; or
- Graduated from a Canadian private school that provides degrees under provincial law (as long as it leads to a degree as authorized by the province).
Ensure that your passport is valid for the length of your PGWP otherwise you’ll only be issued a PGWP that’s valid until your passport expires. To extend it you’ll need to apply on paper.
How Do I Immigrate With a Post-Graduate Worker Permit
The graduate work permit will allow you to gain advantageous Canadian work experience and thus qualify for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). And being eligible for the CEC means you could be one step closer to permanent resident status in Canada.
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) was developed for international graduate students to transition from temporary to permanent residence in Canada. The application process is done through the Express Entry system for those who express their interest in immigrating to Canada.
Those who express their interest must have one year of qualified work experience in Canada. Professional experience must be:
Work Experience for the CEC
- a full-time position; or
- the equivalent time in a part-time position;
- legally obtained in Canada; and
- jobs defined by the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) as level 0, A, or B.
Family Sponsorships
Family sponsorship is a great way to immigrate to Canada in 2021 and is growing in popularity. Even as the pandemic made its way across the world, Canada had more than 24,000 new permanent residents who arrived through the family class program in the first six months of 2020.
The Family Sponsorship Program allows adult citizens or permanent residents to sponsor a parent or spouse for immigration to Canada. When sponsored by an eligible family member, there are two main benefits:
- You’ll move to Canada as a Canadian permanent resident; and
- You can move to Canada without a job offer.
Below we mention specifics and requirements for sponsorships of a spouse, partner, and dependent children.
| Who You Can Sponsor | ||
|---|---|---|
| Your spouse | Your common-law partner | Your conjugal partner |
| Your own child | Your spouse or partner and their children | Dependant children |
Children qualify as dependants if they’re under 22 years old and don’t have a spouse or common-law partner.
Who Is Eligible to Sponsor?
You can sponsor your spouse, partner, or dependent child if:
- you are 18 years or older.
- You’re a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
- If you’re a Canadian citizen living outside Canada, you must show that you plan to live in Canada when the persons you want to sponsor become permanent residents.
- You’re able to prove that you’re not receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability
- you can provide for the basic needs of any persons you want to sponsor
As a sponsor you will need to make a promise that you’re able to take care of the person you’re sponsoring financially, this promise is known as an undertaking. The undertaking commits you to:
- provide financial support when your family members become permanent residents; and
- repay any provincial social assistance your sponsored family might have received during that period.
There’s also the sponsorship agreement which is a document stating that you and your sponsored family members agree that:
- you as a sponsor providing for the basic needs of sponsored family members, and
- the person being sponsored will make effort to support themselves and their family members
The length of the undertaking depends on the age of the person you sponsor, the relationship to you, and where you live. Below is a table demonstrating the period of each sponsor type.
| Length of undertaking for all provinces except Quebec | |
|---|---|
| Person you sponsor | Length |
| Spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner | 3 years |
| Dependent child (biological or adopted) or child to be adopted in Canada under 22 years of age | 10 years, or until age 25, whichever comes first |
| Dependent child 22 years of age or older | 3 years |
The whole family sponsorship application process takes around 12 months, but it can take longer depending on the country you are emigrating from.
Did You Know?
Spouses can work in Canada under Sponsorship Programs
This is yet another benefit of the family sponsorship program, as it is designed to allow spouses to work in Canada while their application is finalized. However, this part of the program is only for people already living in Canada on a temporary visa.
With all the immigration programs mentioned to make moving to Canada a real possibility, let’s go a step further and look at the cost of living.
Cost of Living in Canada in 2021
When you move to Canada, it is important to research the city in which you will be living. The cost of living is very important because you don’t want to travel the world to find out that you are not living the quality of life that you expect because of the expense.
The cost of living in Canada varies depending on your lifestyle, the city you live in, the size of the family, and many other variables. Certainly, there are ways to live modestly at an affordable cost.
Below is a comparison table of four affordable cities in Canada for 2021. Note that the table shows an estimate and not the actual amount.
| Affordable Cities in Canada | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expenses | Thunder Bay, Ontario | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Edmonton, Alberta | Abbotsford, British Columbia |
| Rent (3 bedrooms) | $ 1,614 | $ 1,656 | $ 1,505 | $ 1,814 |
| Utilities | $ 295 | $ 172 | $ 225 | $ 110 |
| Monthly Bus Pass | $ 71 | $ 83 | $ 98 | $ 56 |
| Groceries | $ 360 | $ 340 | $ 305 | $ 350 |
Is Canada a Good Place for Immigrants?
Canada is considered one of the best countries for any immigrant to work and live in. Because? It’s simple. Canada treats everyone the same, regardless of race, culture, or religion. How awesome is that?
Now, this can be especially important for someone who comes from another country and is trying to make Canada their new home. Beyond wanting a better life for yourself and your family in terms of education, health care, and better opportunities. There is also a need to feel safe, accepted, and part of the community you live in, which is what Canada is so well known for.
The overwhelming inclusion everyone feels in Canada and the acceptance of cultural diversity.
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