Ways to Immigrate to Canada

Bounded by the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, the North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, Canada, the world’s tenth-largest economy with top-quality health care, education and stability, attracts thousands of immigrants each year. Although it is located in North America, Canada’s immigration policies are much more flexible and welcoming for skilled people from all over the world.

Now, if you are wondering about immigrating to this country with its world class facilities and budding economic growth, you should be aware of the different ways that facilitate settlement in Canada.

Top six ways to migrate to Canada:

• Express Entry Program
• Care Giver Program
• Startup Visa
• Family Sponsorship Program
• Work Permits
• Study Permits

Express Entry Program

This electronic application management system was first developed in 2015 by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to help applicants from all around the world apply for Canadian citizenship. It involves two major steps – first, the applicants have to apply through the online government portal. Secondly, after every two weeks, the government will choose the best candidates using a ranking system known as the Comprehensive Ranking System.

Under the Express Entry Program, skilled worker applications are managed through the three main economic class immigration programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) – This program is for skilled workers who have foreign work experience and want to immigrate to Canada permanently. While the basic requirements are skilled work experience, language ability and education, once you qualify those, you will be evaluated on the basis of age, valid job offer, proficiency in English and French and adaptability. These factors total to a 100-point grid, and the current qualifying mark is 67 points.
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC) – This is meant for those skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents. The basic requirements under this program are required language proficiency, skilled work experience gained in Canada while under temporary resident status with authorization to work.
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) – The third program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, is for those skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on their qualification in a skilled trade. Here, the minimum requirements are language proficiency, work experience, valid job offer or certificate of qualification issued by a Canadian provincial and should meet the job requirements for the skilled trade as set by the National Occupational Classification.

Caregiver Program

A caregiver is a person who provides care for children and people requiring medical help. Such a person can apply for permanent residence if he/she has been in Canada for two years or more on a temporary work permit. There are three permanent residence streams, depending on the work done by the caregiver and the program through which they obtained a work permit. They are,

1. Caring for Children Program (Pilot) includes childcare provider, live-in caregiver and nanny. This pilot program has expired in November 2019 and is currently under federal government review.
2. Caring for People with High Medical Needs Program (Pilot) includes registered nurses and psychiatric nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates and home support workers and related occupations, but not housekeepers and related occupations. This pilot program has also expired in November 2019 and is currently under federal government review.
3. Live-In Caregiver Program stopped accepting new applications in 2014, but many caregivers in Canada work under the program.

Startup Visa

Those immigrants who are interested in starting a business in Canada and want to apply for permanent residency can apply under this provision. Before qualifying for permanent residence, a person must begin with a work permit. Besides a qualifying business, the other eligibility requirements for the Start-Up Visa are commitment certificate and letter of support from a designated entity, sufficient funds and proficiency in English or French at minimum Canadian Language Benchmark level 5. It aims to employ creative entrepreneurs to Canada and associate them with the Canadian private sector businesses. This step will facilitate the establishment of their start-up business in Canada.

Family Sponsorship Program

Family Sponsorship program allows an individual to sponsor his/her family if they are at least 18 years of age, a Canadian citizen, has permanent residency in Canada or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act. They can sponsor family members like spouses, partners, or dependent children, parents and grandparents, adopted children and relatives who need to fall under certain conditions.

Work Permits

In Canada, work permits are given to temporary workers in areas where the Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) show there is a lack of workers to businessmen, students, caregivers and other skilled workers. The aim of such provision is to facilitate free trade agreements between Canada and other countries.

Study Permits

Canada offers study permits that allow international students to study in Canadian universities or colleges. All you need is a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA). This permit is valid for the complete period of the study program, and it can be extended for 90 days.

Quebec Skilled Worker Program (For Quebec)

The Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSW) is operated by the province of Quebec for candidates who have skilled work experience and want to immigrate to Quebec. Although French is the official language of Quebec, under this program, the applicants need not show if they have proficiency in the language. The purpose of this program is to increase the skilled workforce in the province who will make an important contribution to the economy.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot (For Atlantic Canada)

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIP) recruits skilled immigrants to the Atlantic provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador to strengthen the labour force with immigrants who qualify for work experience.