🛫 How to immigrate to Canada?
From 2022 to 2024, Canada will welcome over 1.3 million new immigrants! There are many pathways to immigrate to Canada and secure Canadian permanent residence.
If you’re not yet sure how to select the right Canadian immigration program for you, you’re in the right place.
This section will help you answer the question: How do I immigrate to Canada?
📝 In this article:
- 👉 Easiest Ways to Immigrate to Canada
- 👩💻 Canadian Immigration Programs Overview
👉 Easiest Ways to Immigrate to Canada
The easiest way to immigrate to Canada will depend on your own unique profile or connections to the country. With Canadian immigration targets higher than ever, now is the time to start your immigration journey.
It should be noted that there is no one simple way to immigrate to Canada. While some programs may be easier for you to apply to, the process is long and involves many steps.
While immigrating to Canada does require a significant financial and emotional investment, the end result is worth it. Canada consistently ranks among the best countries for quality of life and is known for its positive attitude toward immigration.
These are the four of the most popular ways for overseas applicants to immigrate to Canada:
1️⃣ – Express Entry
Express Entry is Canada’s fastest and most popular immigration program. Candidates that apply through the Express Entry system can receive permanent residence status as soon as six months.
Over the next three years (2021-2023), Canada plans to invite over 240,000 newcomers through three streams of Express Entry:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW);
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC); and
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
The Express Entry system involves submitting an online profile that is scored by Canada’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). To submit an Express Entry profile, you must first be eligible under one of Canada’s above three federal streams. The Canadian government then issues invitations to apply for permanent residence to the highest-ranking candidates in the Express Entry pool.
The Express Entry process may be the easiest way to come to Canada for certain candidates eligible to submit a profile. It can be difficult to meet the CRS cut-off in the federal draw. However, just by being in the pool of candidates, you could be nominated for permanent residence by a province.
The cost of immigrating to Canada through Express Entry is typically about $2,300 CAD for a single applicant, or about $4,500 CAD for a couple. This does not include the settlement funds that must also be shown as part of the eligibility requirement, which will vary by family size.
2️⃣ – Provincial Nominee Programs
Throughout the pandemic, provinces continued to nominate overseas workers for Canadian permanent residence. This year, Canada plans to welcome 83,500 new immigrants through PNPs.
There are countless nominee programs offered by Canada’s ten provinces and three territories. Each PNP has its own unique eligibility criteria. Many PNPs require a connection to the province to apply for nomination. However, there are some programs that invite overseas candidates solely based on their ability to respond to the province’s labour market needs.
Each PNP has its own application processing time. After receiving a nomination, PNP candidates must apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence. The time it takes to process the permanent residence application will depend on whether the PNP operates using the Express Entry system.
The cost of immigrating to Canada through a PNP is usually the same as Express Entry, with some additional fees, depending on the province. Certain provinces don’t charge a fee to process PNP applications, while others, such as Ontario, can charge up to $1,500 CAD.
3️⃣ – Business Immigration
If you have experience managing or owning your own business, the easiest way to immigrate to Canada could be through a federal or provincial business immigration program.
The federal government offers immigration programs for individuals that plan to be self-employed in Canada or start up a business in Canada.
There are also several PNPs specific to overseas candidates interested in starting a business in a certain Canadian province.
Business immigration programs typically require a significant investment in the company you intend to start in Canada. The amount required will depend on the program you are interested in. Many PNPs have regional entrepreneur programs that require a lower investment for candidates interested in starting a business in a less populated area.
4️⃣ – Sponsorship
If you have a qualifying family member that is a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, family sponsorship will likely be the easiest way for you to immigrate to Canada.
Canada offers several immigration programs that give permanent residents and citizens the chance to bring their family members to the country. This year, Canada plans to welcome 105,000 new permanent residents through family sponsorship programs.
If your spouse, child, or grandchild is a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, you may be eligible for family sponsorship.
Sponsoring a relative typically costs about $1,135 CAD. Additional fees will apply if the sponsor resides in or intends to reside in Quebec.
The processing time for a sponsorship application will depend on the family member who is sponsoring you. For spousal sponsorship, applications typically take about 12 months to process from start to finish.
👩💻 Canadian Immigration Programs Overview
There are more than 80 pathways to immigrate to Canada! We will outline the broad categories of Canadian immigration in an effort to keep things simple for our readers. Click on the links to the specific programs to learn more about the requirements and qualifications needed to be eligible to apply.
1️⃣ Economic and Business Immigration Options
Economic and business immigration options are for professionals who have skills that support the Canadian economy. Each program differs greatly in the qualifications required so no one-size-fits-all description is possible.
Economic and business immigration categories include:
- Provincial Nominee Programs
- Express Entry
- Quebec Immigration
- Investor Programs
- Entrepreneur and Self-Employed Programs
- Pilot Programs: caregivers Program, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, and the Agri-Food Pilot
2️⃣ Family Sponsorship
Family sponsorship is a category of immigration available to the family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Family members eligible to sponsor include:
- Spouse or common-law/conjugal partner
- Dependent child (adopted or biological)
- Parents and grandparents
In some circumstances, you may be eligible to sponsor other family members outside the above-mentioned categories. If you have no other eligible relatives to sponsor you may sponsor the following family members:
- Orphaned brother or sister
- Orphaned nephew or niece
- Orphaned grandchild
3️⃣ Humanitarian and Refugee Immigration
Canada has an international reputation as a leader in accepting new refugees and other immigrants for humanitarian and compassionate reasons. A significant portion of Canada’s annual immigration target is dedicated to admitting refugees.
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