Canada is undoubtedly one of the top countries that people from different nations immigrate to for different reasons. This is so because of the low birth rate and increasing job vacancies the country currently faces, which pose a threat to the nation’s economy.
This is why the country continues to accept immigrants from other countries to fill the void left by the retirement of the Baby Boomers.
However, due to the high population of people trying to immigrate to Canada, the authority has placed certain rules to ensure only certain types of individuals are allowed to settle down in the country. There are several ways to immigrate to this unique place and we have listed in this article five of the easiest ways to immigrate to Canada.
5 Easy Ways to Immigrate to Canada
1. Express Entry
The Express Entry System is a permanent residency application screening system introduced by the Government of Canada on January 1, 2015. Only skilled immigrants from other countries are given priority in the Express Entry system. Express Entry applicants can register in one of the following immigration programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Trade Program (FSTP)
- Some State Nomination Programs (SNP)
The immigration bureau prioritizes those who have registered, and those with the highest priority will receive an ITA (invitation to apply) letter from the bureau. All applications for permanent residency after the arrival of the ITA will be made online.
2. Express entry registration
Applicants wishing to apply for permanent residence under the Express Entry category must follow the two-step registration process. The first step is to submit their profile, which requires the following documents:
- Language test results
- Educational credentials and assessment reports,
- Passport or travel document
The second step after registration on the system is a selection called “drawing”. Drawing will be conducted periodically, and ITA will be issued in order to the applicants with the highest score under the Immigration Bureau’s ranking system.
Once the ITA is issued, applicants must submit their permanent residency application within 60 days. If an applicant fails to submit within 60 days, he or she will have to start over by registering his or her profile to the system.
3. Provincial nominee
The second best way to immigrate to Canada is through the Provincial nominee (also called the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)). And this is when a Canadian province or territory nominates you.
The first thing you need to do to qualify for this PNP is to apply for it in any province where you intend to settle. You must possess the skills, work experience, and educational qualifications needed to settle in Canada to cater for your needs and that of your family.
Once you have the necessary requirements, the province will evaluate you. The evaluation is to know if you would be able to meet their labour market needs and that of Canada at large. They will now tell you how long processing your application will take.
Once the province approves your application, the next step for you is to apply for permanent residence (PR).
There are two ways to apply for permanent residence under Provincial Nominee method namely;
i) Nomination under an Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) stream
ii) Nomination under a non-Express Entry PNP stream
The province is in the position to inform you which of the two ways you should apply. The selection process to get a Provincial Nominee Certificate sometimes varies from one province to another.
However, here is a list of what you should do before applying.
4. The Atlantic Immigration Program
The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) was launched in 2017 and has become one of the most promising options for those intending to immigrate to Canada. It allows applicants to work and live in one of Canada’s four Atlantic Provinces:
- Prince Edward
- New Brunswick
- Labrador
- Nova Scotia and Labrador
Skilled workers and international graduates from any Canadian institution can be nominated and accelerated through the immigration process. To be eligible for the program, a skilled worker or graduate needs to get an employment offer from an employer facing staff shortages.
The AIPP must first designate the employers to have their positions endorsed. Once they designate the employers, the applicants can proceed to the province to apply for endorsement of a position available for a foreign worker. After the endorsement, a foreign worker identified by the employer can apply directly to immigration for permanent residence under the AIP.
Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Pathway:
If you are currently living and working in Canada as a temporary resident, one quick way of getting your PR is the TR-PR pathway. It takes just around six months to get a Permanent Residence.
Over 80,000 individuals applied for the program in 2021, which led to its termination in November 2021. However, there are plans to create a similar program by the IRCC by the end of 2022. The opportunity is only available to essential workers and international graduates currently working in Canada.
There are four different policies under the Temporary and Permanent Residence Program. They include:
- International Graduates in Canada
- French-speaking foreigners in Canada with Canadian work experience in essential occupations
- French-speaking international graduate in Canada
- Foreign nationals with work experience in essential occupations
The four policies listed above are the four different pathways through which a temporary resident can become a permanent resident. However, there are different qualifications that international students applying for the TR-PR must possess.
All necessary information on how to apply, what documents are needed to apply, what jobs qualify as essential jobs, and other information can also be found here.
5. Canada Startup Visa (CSV) Program
The Canada startup visa program aims at offering permanent residence to immigrant entrepreneurs who are capable of creating jobs or supporting other innovative entrepreneurs. However, there are requirements an immigrant entrepreneur must meet before applying for the CSV program, such as
- Having a qualifying business
- Having a letter of support from designated organizations
- Meeting language requirements
- Having sufficient funds to settle and live in Canada before making profits from your business
The requirements are not limited to these; applicants interested in the Startup Visa Program must ensure they meet the admissibility requirements to enter Canada. Moreover, this is not just limited to SVP applicants alone but to all applicants trying to immigrate to Canada in one way or another. Failure to meet the requirements will lead to the rejection of applications.
Conclusion
Canada’s plan to grow its workforce and enrich its economy has created a huge opportunity for intending immigrants. There are more than 100 ways to enter Canada, but only a few ways to become a permanent resident. However, irrespective of the way you choose to immigrate, ensure you meet all requirements and match your specific background and needs.