Do you wish to immigrate to Canada? Do you want to work in Canada? Do you wish to be a permanent resident of a Canadian Province? Are you looking to graduate from a college or university or obtain a degree or diploma from an educational institution in Canada?
There are many ways you can opt to immigrate to Canada, and many programs you can apply to for the purpose. The many options now available can sometimes confuse and perplex a person. So here we have tried to give you an overview of the process for you so that you can smoothly plan to immigrate to Canada.
There could be umpteen reasons for which you can make a plan for your immigration to Canada. You either want to study in the country or work there. Sometimes, immigrants also wish to further apply for permanent residence in any of the Canadian provinces or anywhere in Canada itself. Thus, they have a chance to gain Canadian citizenship.
Permanent residence
If you wish to have a chance at a permanent residency in Canada, here is an overview of the programs available for you to do that.Express Entry
A program started by the Canadian government which allows skilled workers to gain permanent resident status in the country is named Express Entry. Your language proficiency, occupation, IELTS score, qualifications, international work experience, work permit in Canada, sponsorship, etc. can be helpful in fulfilling your dreams of immigrating to Canada and becoming a permanent resident of Canada under this program. There are 3 main subprograms under this. The first one is Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWD) which is for Skilled Workers, the second one is Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) which is specially designed for Trades Class, and the third one is the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) that is for the experienced class personnel. Each program has its own set of eligibility criteria and qualifications that you must meet to apply for the program. Each of these programs has been explained in detail on our website. To find out about its eligibility criteria and what to do next if you qualify for the program, visit our website.Provincial Nominee Program
If you are a skilled worker with education and work experience to fill the gap in the labor market of a particular province or territory in Canada, this program is going to help you gain permanent residence in Canada.
Each province of Canada, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan, all have its own provincial nominee programs. Quebec has a very different program to grant permanent residence to immigrants. Quebec is the only province among the rest that does not have a provincial nominee program.
These programs allow people involved in the business, skilled and semi-skilled as well as students migrating to Canada a chance to gain permanent residence in their province.
Since each province has a different program, their eligibility criteria and application processes vary although not a lot.
Getting approved by the province is the first step of any provincial program. There is an online assessment for the same, you have to apply for it. After that, medical and criminal, and security checks are performed.
Family Sponsorship
If you have an adult family member who is a permanent resident of Canada with Canadian citizenship, they can sponsor you to immigrate to Canada and apply for permanent residence in the country. For you to qualify for the Family sponsorship, you must either be a spouse or a common-law partner or a person. You can also be their dependent child, parent, grandparent, sibling, niece, or nephew who is under 18 and whose parents are deceased. They can also sponsor you if you are living in Canada under the temporary resident status. The family member cannot sponsor you if they are in prison or facing an order to be removed from the country. They cannot sponsor you if they are in the process of bankruptcy, receiving government aid, or have failed to pay child support or immigration loans. They also cannot sponsor you if they themselves were sponsored by someone within the last 5 years, sponsored a person who did not meet the requirements of the program, or sponsored someone who became a permanent resident within the last 3 years.Canadian Student Visa
If you are planning to study for a half-year duration in Canada which means you would be staying for less than 6 months in Canada, you would not require a study permit. But if you want to study in Canada for more than 6 months, you require a Canadian Student Visa also called a Canadian Study Permit.Eligibility criteria
- You must have a legit and confirmed place for studying in a designated school or college in Canada. This place must be authorized to confer a degree upon its students. You must provide proof of confirmation of acceptance to this organization as well.
- If you have applied to an educational institution in Quebec, you must submit a copy of the Quebec Certificate of Acceptance.
- You must have funds to cover the cost of your tuition hike studying in Canada and must submit proof of the same.
- You must also have funds to support yourself and your family member traveling to Canada, if any, during this period. Documents proving the same are required.
- Funding for you and the family member to return to your country and proof of the same is also essential.
- If requested, you will be under obligation to provide the police or criminal record certificate from your country.
- You must be in general good health, and if requested, take a medical examination to prove the same.
- A Student Visa does not grant you permanent residence in the country, hence you must have an intention to return to your country after your study is completed. The immigration officials must be convinced of this.
- As stated earlier, it is not mandatory to hold a Canadian Study Permit if your course for study in Canada would be over in less than 6 months.
- If a member of your family is doing as an embassy staff or is a diplomatic official, you do not require the permit.
- If you are living in Canada under the status of a Registered Indian, you do not require this visa.
Working as a student
If you have a Canadian Study Permit, you do not need a separate work permit to be able to work on or off-campus. If you meet the following qualifications, the study permit can let you work for 20 hours per week during the study term and full-time during academic holidays.- You must be a full-time student
- Your Canadian Study Permit must be valid
- Your place of study must be an authorized organization, a Canadian University or college either publicly or privately owned, and must be authorized to confer a degree or diploma to their students.
- You must be studying at the post-secondary level according to Canadian education standards.
- Your study must be towards a post-secondary vocational qualification.
- The program you are studying under must award you with a degree or diploma or a certificate upon completion.
- Your study period must extend beyond 6 months.
Canadian Work Visa
If you are a skilled worker looking to work in Canada for a specific amount of time, you can obtain a Canadian Work Permit often called a Work Visa. Ensure that you have a valid job offer from an employee from Canada before applying for the Canadian Work Permit as it is s required for your Visa application. The employer offering you employment in Canada must procure a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The LMIA entitles the employer to recruit or free employment to skilled foreign workers. These occupations must not be the ones that can be given to permanent residents or citizens of Canada. Since Canada has a vast and growing economy, it is among the best destinations for people looking for work outside their country. With the Canadian Work Permit Visa, people involved in the business, permanent and temporary workers as well as students have an opportunity to work in Canada. Your occupation must satisfy the labor market needs of the province you wish to reside.Eligibility criteria
- A Work Visa only allows you to work temporarily in the country for a specified period of time. You need to give proof to the immigration officer that you will move out of the country once the visa has expired.
- You must be able to financially support yourself, or your family members coming with you, if any, during your stay in Canada. Documents proving the same need to be shown and submitted.
- There must not be any criminal record against you in your country. Proof of no record of criminal activity in the past, as well as a police clearance certificate, need to be submitted. You must in general not be a danger to the Canadian government or society.
- You must be completely healthy and not suffering from ailments. If need be, you must be up for a medical examination to prove the same.
- Your employer must meet all the criteria allowing them to offer you the occupation in Canada. If the employer cannot meet the necessary conditions or is listed as ineligible by the government of Canada, you must not intend to work under the employer.
Documents required.
- Ensure you have a valid passport before submitting your Visa application. The validity of your existing passport should be for at least 6 months even after your date of arrival in Canada.
- Certificates showing your education qualifications as listed in your application will also be required.
- You must have documents proving your professional qualifications as well as previous work experience that makes you eligible for the occupation you acquired the work visa for.
- You must have documents proving that you will be able to financially support yourself and your family members during your stay in Canada for the period of time mentioned in your Canadian Work Permit Visa.
- Medical reports showing your general good health from a registered and qualified hospital are required.
- You must also have paid the application fee and have documented proof of the same.