Many of those who decide to change their country of residence look to Canada. Its immigration policies have allowed hundreds of thousands of new immigrants to enter the country each year for decades.
It is natural to ask; How do I immigrate to Canada? How do I acquire Canadian permanent residence? What is required to move to Canada?
This article discusses the opportunities available to you when looking into immigrating to Canada in 2022.
Entry into Canada is strictly regulated.
In addition to citizens and permanent residents (PR card holders), many people can reside in Canada temporarily such as tourists, visitors, international professionals, students, athletes and businessmen.
Everyone coming to Canada temporarily requires either a temporary visa, or a passport of a country whose citizens are allowed visa-free entry in Canada. The latter will require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), obtained via a simple online procedure. The exception is for U.S. citizens, who are not required to obtain this authorization.
Electronic Travel Authorization on the official website: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html
Immigration visa holders go through a series of formalities at the border to become permanent residents of Canada, and thus enter the country as permanent residents.
The official website of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship.html
This office handles all e-authorization, visa, permanent residence permit and Canadian citizenship related matters.
In order to come to Canada and become a permanent resident, you will need an immigrant visa.
An immigration visa is issued at the final stage of the process as the Canadian immigration authorities review the applicant's application for permanent residency in Canada.
Going through all stages of this process, from applying to obtaining an immigration visa and entering Canada, is generally referred to as immigration.
Immigrating to Canada or becoming a permanent resident is done through one of many immigration programs.
An immigration program is a legally defined set of requirements and procedures that a candidate must meet and follow in order to obtain an immigrant visa and permanent resident status in Canada.
There are dozens immigration programs and subcategories. They all fall into two large classes: federal and provincial immigration programs.
Federal programs are sets of requirements established by the federal immigration authorities. Applicants apply to the federal authorities for consideration and, if successful, are granted permanent residency in Canada.
The official website with descriptions of all federal immigration programs:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada.html
Provincial programs are sets of requirements set out by individual Canadian provinces for those candidates who intend to come to those provinces.
Candidates apply to the provincial immigration authorities and, if successful, receive a provincial nomination - permission to apply for permanent residence with the federal authorities.
Some of the immigration programs have been operating for decades, some programs are relatively new, and some programs are completely new and are officially called pilot projects until they prove their effectiveness.
Immigration programs can be relatively simple, like the Federal Skilled Worker program, which only requires some basic qualifications and documents, or they can be more complicated, many of which involve several steps.
An example of a more complicated immigration program is the Federal Skilled Trades program, which requires you to be licensed in Canada or obtain Canadian work experience. Another example is any of the provincial programs; they, unlike the federal programs, involve immigration in two stages: the first stage is considered by the provincial authorities, and the second stage is decided by the federal authorities.
Which is currently the best program for immigration to Canada? The fastest, the easiest, the most reliable?
These questions are asked often by those just beginning to explore the question of immigration to Canada. The answer is simple: there is no such thing. All immigration programs focus on candidates with different backgrounds, talents and professions.
While choosing the right immigration program you must consider the requirements of the programs currently open and which program best meets your requirements.
In most cases, choosing the most appropriate immigration option is a job in itself as part of the immigration process. You can contact us for assistance with this process.
Express Entry is the beginning and foundation of the immigration process; it is an electronic pre-screening system for candidates who intend to immigrate to Canada. Its purpose is to register candidates and select those who have the best chance of successfully immigrating through one of the immigration programs.
With very few exceptions, all immigration programs require pre-screening through the Express Entry system in order to apply for permanent residency in Canada.
Any applicant who intends to immigrate to Canada can register for Express Entry. The following conditions must be met for registration:
A numerical rating is given to each candidate registered in the Express Entry system depending on their age, language test results, work experience, education, etc.
Click here for the Express Entry rating calculator
Approximately every two to four weeks, Express Entry samples applicants who have a sufficient rating and sends out ITAs (an invitation to apply for immigration to Canada). With this invitation, the candidate is eligible to begin the immigration process by submitting his or her application for permanent residency in Canada.
Official information about Express Entry rounds of invitations:
The first thing to do is to take a language test and an educational assessment. Both can be done from anywhere in the world.
Both single candidates and families (two adults and their dependent children) can immigrate. In the latter case, the chances of successful immigration are increased if both adult family members have good language test results and post-secondary education; if this is not possible, at least one of the adults - the principal applicant - must pass the language test and complete the educational assessment.
The following language tests are accepted for registration with Express Entry and for immigration purposes:
English language:
French language:
You will need to complete an education credentials assessment to determine the Canadian equivalent of your degree completed outside of Canada.
This evaluation is done by an accredited organization in Canada, which requires sending official documents and a number of other formalities.
Immigration Canada's website has instructions on which assessment organization to choose based on specialty - for example, a medical organization assesses medical education and does not assess engineering degrees.
In most cases, an assessment by the World Education Services (WES) is the best option, as it has the most reasonable documentation requirements and a shorter turnaround time than most other organizations.
Once you have the results of the language test and educational assessment, you can begin to choose the most appropriate immigration program. You should begin to research the requirements of the major immigration programs, evaluate your Express Entry score, and weigh your options.
If you meet the basic requirements for Express Entry, you should register for Express Entry by creating a profile with detailed information about yourself.
Successful candidates with a high Express Entry score can apply for immigration after receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
The invitation always specifies which program the candidate is invited to apply for - for example, Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades or Canadian Experience.
In addition, an Express Entry applicant may receive an invitation from the provincial immigration authorities, even if they do not have a sufficient rating in the system to qualify for direct selection. Provincial immigration authorities have access to the Express Entry system and may invite candidates to immigrate through provincial programs based on the province’s needs.
The application process may vary technically depending on the program under which the invitation is received, but in all cases, the immigration application consists of complete information about the applicant and accompanying family members, as well as supporting documents. Generally, immigration programs also require the payment of an application fee.
During the immigration process, all applicants are required to submit to a medical examination and provide biometric data.
For most immigration programs, the application is submitted electronically online.
Immigration to Canada is a competitive process, and the number of people wishing to immigrate always exceeds the immigration quota, despite a significant increase in spaces over the recent years (over 400,000 people annually).
Often it turns out that your Express Entry rating is not high enough to get an invitation to apply for permanent residency in Canada. In such a situation, it is possible to take advantage of additional opportunities that will allow you to increase your rating:
This is the most reliable option to ensure the success of the immigration process. Candidates with a job offer in Canada, in addition to additional points in Express Entry, have the added bonus of several immigration options - for example; through separate directions of provincial immigration programs.
The completion of the educational institution in Canada also provides a number of benefits such as additional points in Express Entry and the possibility to obtain a work permit in Canada and to work and immigrate on that basis.
Starting or buying a company in Canada is also a good option for you to get the Express Entry points you need to successfully complete the immigration process. This type of immigration option - Owner/Operator - means that the Canadian company created by the candidate hires him as an employee, after which there is an opportunity to immigrate on the basis of employment in Canada. This option has a number of specific nuances, but even with the complexity and cost of legal support, it is a reliable way to immigrate. Immigration via the Owner/Operator pathway always requires individual attention and prior consultation with an immigration lawyer.
Although coming to Canada by itself does not bring any advantages to the applicant's immigration process, it does open up a number of possibilities.
For example, finding an employer in Canada is much easier if there is the opportunity for an in-person interview.
Studying the official languages in Canada is very effective, and allows you to significantly improve the results of language tests in a short time. Also, instead of IELTS, you can take the CELPIP language test in Canada, which according to numerous accounts is easier.
In other words, depending on the current situation and open immigration programs, coming to Canada can play an important role in the immigration process.
If you do not have a passport of a country providing visa-free entry to Canada, you will need a temporary visa to enter the country. Write to us and we will help you apply for one.
Finding an employer in Canada presents certain challenges for candidates who are outside the country. In practice, the following options work well:
Those candidates who are already working remotely for Canadian employers hold a great advantage - in many cases it is possible to reach an agreement with the employer to complete the necessary formalities for the immigration process.
Canadian employers often search for talent outside the country by participating in job fairs held online. Active participation in these events allows you to communicate directly with employers and heightens your chances to receive a job offer.
Some provinces hold events that are geared towards bringing in new immigrants. Usually, representatives of Canadian employers participate in these events. It is important for people who want to immigrate to Canada to find out about these events and attend them if possible.
Often relatives and friends living in Canada can be very useful when searching for employment - some of them may have their own companies, others may be able to recommend the candidate directly to an employer which greatly increases the chances of success.
A separate immigration path, family sponsorship, exists for applicants who have close relatives residing permanently in Canada.
This is meant mostly for Canadian citizens or permanent residents who may want to sponsor their spouses who are not. Similarly, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can sponsor their parents, who will then receive permanent resident status.
Family sponsorship, with few exceptions, is only possible for close relatives - children, parents and spouses.
A separate class of immigration exists for businessmen and entrepreneurs but in recent years the main programs of this class have been closed or suspended.
The remaining programs are provincial programs for businessmen which generally involve the creation or acquisition of a business in a province, and the investment of the candidate’s money in excess of $100,000 CAD in its development. Practice shows that in most cases it is preferable not to use the business immigration program but rather to utilize the Owner/Operator route which, when compared, will cost the applicant much less.
The Federal Self-Employed Program is characterized by attainable eligibility requirements. However, the features of the program are such that it is suitable only for self-employed professionals of certain creative professions, among which are filmmakers, artists, writers, cultural workers and athletes.
For many applicants, especially young people who have not yet established their own families, studying in Canada with subsequent employment may be a good immigration option.
International students can obtain a study permit to study in Canada, and the successful completion of post-secondary education entitles them to obtain an open work permit, which allows them to apply for any job in Canada without further formalities.
Canadian employment and Canadian work experience is always a very significant advantage in the immigration process allowing the candidate to achieve a high ranking in the Express Entry system.
Anyone who is in Canada can apply for asylum, or refugee status, in Canada. Such an application will definitely be considered, but the key to a positive decision is a number of factors that confirm that the applicant is truly in need of protection as a refugee.
When applying for refugee status, it is important to keep in mind that a possible rejection could make other options for immigration to Canada, as well as immigration and visas to other parts of the world, very difficult or impossible.
Official information about refugee status:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees.html
Humanitarian immigration is possible if the applicant is in Canada in a temporary status and returning to his country of permanent residence would be inhumane to them and their family.
This immigration option is applicable, for example, to elderly people who have lived with relatives in Canada for a long time and who have lost all ties to their country during this time.
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