Among the world's most immigrant-friendly countries, Canada is currently home to over 37.9 million international residents and is all set to welcome over 1 million immigrants more by 2023. For those of you planning to move to Canada, immigration to Canada can be generalized into three main categories:
- Study Permit- Temperory visa issued to international students who are commencing higher education in Canada. The Study Permit/student visa allows them to work part-time while studying.
- Work Permit- A legal document permitting international residents to work in Canada for up to two years. The Work Permit is mostly possessed by the freshers.
- Permanent Residence- Allocated to those international residents who have or are permanently shifting to Canada via Express Entry Program, PNP program, sponsorship, etc.
The article below discusses in detail the various program through which you can apply for Canadian PR.
Latest News:
- Canada has invited 5,000 Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residence in April
- Canada has issued 44,124 immigration invitations in the first quarter of 2021, the highest since 2015.
- The new Canadian Experience Class draw has dropped to 432 points from 449 points.
Impact of Covid-19 on Immigration to Canada
To escalate immigration to Canada, the government came up with 2020-2022 Immigration Level Plans. As per the plan, Canada was set to welcome over one million new permanent residents, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced it to close the borders and slow down the immigration applications.
However, in the light of coronavirus vaccination, the government has started restoring its Immigration to Canada plans. In October 2020, Canada announced its 2021-2023 Immigration Level Plans, wherein it aims to welcome more than 400,000 immigrants every year:
How to Immigrate to Canada?
While it is comparatively easy for students studying in Canada to obtain permanent residency, those who reside outside the country too have a number of programs to apply for immigration. Some of the key Immigration to Canada program are:
- Express Entry Program: It is the most popular immigration program for Canada and is based on the evaluation of candidate’s skills and prior knowledge. The program uses a point-based system known as the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). You need to have a minimum score of 67 out of 100.
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): Canada PNP is for those who do not have a very high score and are eligible for a specific province nomination. Each of the 11 provinces has its own requirements and guidelines which are to be fulfilled by the interested candidate.
- Quebec-Selected Workers: This program is for skilled workers who want to permanently settle in Quebec province of Canada. Interested candidates need to apply to the Government of Quebec to establish eligibility and obtain Quebec Selection Committee.
- Entrepreneur/Self-Employed: Candidates with significant experience in cultural activities or athletics are eligible for migration via the Self-Employed Program. However, you should be willing to contribute to your experiences for Canada’s cultural growth.
- Family Sponsorship Program: This program allows Canadian citizens (or permanent residents) to finance their family member’s immigration process, allowing them to live and work in Canada.
In addition to these pathways, the country has a few pilot programs that also allow professionals to obtain Canadian PR. These include Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), and Atlantic Immigration Pilot. Not sure which immigration to Canada program is best for you? Checkout Y-Axis.
Immigration to Canada via Express Entry
What is Express Entry Canada? The Express Entry Program is a point-based system used to assess the eligibility of the applicants based on the following factors:
- Nationality
- Age
- Language Ability
- Family Members
- Education
- Work Experience
- Any job offers in Canada (if applicable)
| Engineering Jobs in Canada | MBA Jobs in Canada | Computer Science Jobs in Canada |
| Jobs for Law Graduates | Jobs for Medical Graduates | Jobs after MS |
Based on your responses, you might qualify for one of the Canada PR programs under the Express Entry- Foreign Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Express Entry Program Requirements & Comparison
| Requirements | FSWP | FSTP | CEC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language Skills | CLB 7 | CLB 5 for Speaking & Listening; CLB 4 for Reading & Writing |
CLB 7 if NOC is 0; CLB 5 if NOC is B |
| Type/Level of work experience (part-time & full-time combined) | 1-year within last 10 years | 2-years within last 15 years | 1-year in Canada in last 3 years |
| Job Offer | Not Mandatory; Points given if valid job offer available |
Certificate of qualification in chosen skilled trade OR job offer for full-time employment for at least 1 year. | Not Mandatory |
| Education | Secondary Education Required | Not Required | Not Required |
| Proof of Funds | Required | Required | Not Required |
Note:
- CLB stands for Canadian Language Benchmark and is used to assess English proficiency as demonstrated in TOEFL/IELTS tests
- NOC stands for National Occupation Classification Code and is a list of occupations available in Canadian market:
- Skill Type 0: Management Jobs
- Skill Level A: Professional jobs that need a university degree.
- Skill Level B: Technical jobs and skilled trades which need diploma/training/apprenticeship.
- Skill Level C: Intermediate jobs that need job-specific training.
- Skill Level D: Labour Jobs that need on-the-job training.
Application for Canada PR via Express Entry
Step I: Establish your eligibility by answering the asked questions and verifying the requirements.
Step II: Gather necessary documents for your profile evaluation and immigration to Canada.
Step III: Submit your profile after verifying your score. To check the Comprehensive Ranking System Criteria, Click here.
Step III: If qualified, apply for permanent residency in Canada.
Document Checklist for Canada Express Entry
To complete your profile, you need to enter information from the following documents:
- Passport
- Language test results
- Proof of Canadian work experience (if applicable)
- Written job offer from Canadian employer (if applicable)
- Proof of Funds
- Digital photograph
As for immigration in Canada, you need to submit the following documents:
- Police certificate
- Medical report
- Bank statements
- Birth certificate
- Marriage/Divorce certificate
- Adoption/Children documents
Immigration to Canada via Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Canada PNP Program is suitable for those who want to live in a specific province or territory and have the skills, education, and work experience to contribute to its economy. To filter out the applicant pool, each province has its own immigration target (known as streams) such as program streams. In all, there are 80 streams under PNP.
Currently, 11 Canadian provinces are covered under the PNP- Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Yukon.
The admission target, as per Immigration Level Program 2021-2023, under the Canada Provincial Nominee Program are:
| Year | Target | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 80,800 | 64,000 | 81,500 |
| 2022 | 81,500 | 63,600 | 82,500 |
| 2023 | 83,000 | 65,000 | 84,000 |
To immigrate to Canada via PNP, you can use either an offline or online application process. However, in both cases, you need to secure a nomination from the province you are interested in.
Paper-based Application for Canada PNP Program
In the paper-based application or offline application process, you have to follow the steps mentioned below:
Step I: Establish eligibility and apply to the province for nomination via a non-Express Entry stream.
Step II: The province evaluates your application based on
- Provincial immigration requirements
- Your plan to live and contribute to their economy.
If qualified, the province nominates you for permanent residency.
Step III: Complete Generic Application Form (IMM 0008) and submit it for Canada PR to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Step IV: Pay the application processing fee of 1,325 CAD (± 77,500 INR).
Step V: Medical test report and Police verification certificate to be presented.
Note: The paper-based PNP process is being conducted online.
Express Entry Application for Canada PNP Program
The Express Entry process is an entirely online application system where students have two ways to apply for the Canada PR.
Method I
- Contact the province and apply for nomination under Express Entry System.
- Once a nomination is confirmed, complete Canada Express Entry Profile.
Method II
- Create a Canada Express Entry profile and highlight the province(s) that you are interested in.
- If the province is interested, it will nominate you through your profile and you can accept it online.
Document Checklist for Canada PNP Application
No matter which application process you opt for, there are several supporting documents that you need to attach as a part of your application package:
- Certification of Nomination from Province
- Two Photographs
- Background/Declaration (Form IMM 5669)
- Supplementary Documents (Form IMM 5562)
- Family Information (Form IMM 5406)
- Travel Documents & Passport Copies
- Identity & Civil Status Documents Copies (Birth certificates, Marriage certificate, bank Statements)
- Child(ren) information (if applicable)
Immigration to Canada: Proof of Available Funding
If you are entering Canada under Federal Skilled Worker or Federal Skilled Trader, it is mandatory for you to show proof of minimum funds to support yourself and your family (if any).
The minimum amount of money you need to have depended on the size of your family, which may include your spouse, kids, parents, and other dependents. The minimum amount for each family member is mentioned below:
As the proof of available funds, the IRCC requires an official letter from the bank and/or other financial institution where your money is secured. The letter must be:
- be printed on the financial institution’s letterhead
- include their contact information (address, telephone number, and email address)
- include your name
- list outstanding debts such as credit card debts and loans
- include, for each current bank and investment account, the
- account numbers
- date each account was opened
- current balance of each account
- average balance for the past 6 months
You must ensure that you maintain the minimum balance when you start the immigration to Canada process, when you are issued your permanent resident card, and also when you travel to Canada.
Immigration to Canada Application Timeline
Generally, it takes around 6 months (unless you choose PNP offline) for the entire Canada immigration process. The process takes place in three phases, each comprising of diferrent steps. Details of the same are mentioned in the table below:
| Phase | Process | Description | Designated Authority | TAT (Turn Around Time) | Fees Applicable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Step 1 | Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to verify foreign education | WES | 6-8 Weeks |
305 |
| IQAS/ICAS | 20 weeks | 275 CAD; 200 CAD for report; 75 CAD for international courier |
|||
| ICES | 8-10 weeks | ||||
| CES | 12 Weeks | 210 CAD + 102 CAD for Courier | |||
| Step 2 | English or French Language Test | IELTS /CELPIP /TEF | Within 4 weeks | IELTS: INR 14,000 | |
| CELPIP: INR 10,845 [plus taxes] | |||||
| TEF: variable | |||||
| Phase 2 | Step 1 | EOI – Expression Of Interest | IRCC | Your Profile will be valid for 12 months. | No Fee |
| Step 2 | PNP – Provincial Nomination Program | Provincial Authorities | Varies based on Provinces. | Varies based on Provinces. | |
| Phase 3 | Step 1 | Invitation To Apply – ITA | Main Applicant + Spouse + Children | 60 Days | 1410 CAD + Medical test charges |
| Step 2 | Passport Submission and PR Visa | Main Applicant + Spouse + Children | Up to 30 days | VFS fee as applicable |
Overall, Canada offers a dynamic range of immigration programs for the employed, self-employed, and businessmen categories. For those not qualified under the Immigration programs, the country still offers non-immigrant options such as work permit and student programs and the majority of these programs offer permanent resident visa and Immigration.
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