Moving to Canada from Ireland is a dream for several Irish people. The reason for Canada’s popularity is its spaciousness, diversity, natural landscapes, accepting culture, and tolerant society. However, education, healthcare, and employment opportunities are also obvious reasons why people tend to think of Canada, particularly if they want to settle abroad.
The Canadian population is growing incredibly, with approximately 4,627,000 individuals residing in Canada having an Irish connection of some sort. Depending on your requirements and goals, you have a variety of immigration programs to choose from. You could choose to live, work, or go on a working vacation in the country.
Read ahead to know how to begin your journey to Canada from Ireland.
International Mobility Stream
The International Mobility Stream provides permission to the Irish people to immigrate to Canada through the International Experience Class programs. Foreign nationals have the opportunity to study and work in Canada due to an existing agreement between Canada and select countries. When a candidate creates his profile, his profile might be either put under a single program or multiple programs. Apart from this, the candidates from different countries and categories further receive an ITA during invitation rounds. Once the season gets over, the profiles also get deleted from the pool. After receiving an invitation to apply, the candidates must begin their work permit application process.
The following programs under the IEC program are a great help for those moving to Canada from Ireland:
The Working Holiday Program
The Working Holiday Program is a gateway for foreign nationals between the age group of 18 and 35. This program helps applicants traveling to Canada in search of temporary employment. The program will also help them pay for their trip for up to twenty-four months. However, Irish individuals moving to
Canada from Ireland can utilize this program only if they meet the following criteria:
- The individual living in Ireland must be an Irish citizen to apply for the program.
- He must also possess an Irish passport for his stay in Canada.
- His age must be between the age group of 18 and 35 years.
- The minimum amount required to pay for Canadian expenses is $2,500 CAD.
- Valid health insurance is a must for an Irish immigrant. It will be crucial for them to demonstrate their health insurance at the time of entering Canada.
- No inadmissibility issues in Canada for Irish people.
- Ability to demonstrate their financial potential by buying a departure ticket as soon as their stay in Canada gets over. They could even display their round-trip tickets.
- No dependents accompany them.
- Successful payment of all kinds of application fees.
- Irish individuals must ensure having an Open Work Permit to apply for this program.
The Young Professionals Program
The Young Professionals Program is an appropriate program for international students to proceed with their professional and work life. If a candidate looks forward to creating a profile in the pool, he will first require an Employment contract or an employment letter with an authorized signature. This employment letter must be associated with the applicant’s expertise, whether it is school or work experience. The letter must emphasize the work duration in Canada, and this period must act as proof of the candidate’s professional development.
Individuals from Ireland can apply for this program just once, and that too if they match the following eligibility conditions:
- The individual living in Ireland must be an Irish citizen to apply for the program.
- He must also possess an Irish passport for his stay in Canada.
- His age must be between the age group of 18 and 35 years.
- The minimum amount required to pay for Canadian expenses is $2,500 CAD.
- Valid health insurance is a must for an Irish immigrant. It will be crucial for them to demonstrate their health insurance at the time of entering Canada.
- No inadmissibility issues in Canada for Irish people.
- Ability to demonstrate their financial potential by buying a departure ticket as soon as their stay in Canada gets over. They could even display their round-trip tickets.
- No dependents accompany them.
- Successful payment of all kinds of application fees.
- Irish individuals must possess an Employer-Specific Work Permit.
The International Co-op Program
The International Co-op Program provides an opportunity for applicants from Ireland to have authentic work experience from abroad.
IEC programs and work permits
After receiving an invitation to apply, the applicants must further apply for a work permit. There is a huge difference between an employer-specific work permit and an open work permit. An employer-specific work permit provides permission to foreign nationals to work for just one employer as per the one mentioned on the permit. Contrarily, an open work permit provides permission to foreign nationals to work for multiple employers in Canada. However, a few employment opportunities also demand you to undergo a medical examination. A Canadian work permit’s validity will only be equal to the validity of the passport.
Applying for a work permit will require you to submit the following documents:
- All documents are required for the IEC program.
- Details about the applicant’s work experience, educational qualification, and background.
- Relevant supporting documents, including financial proof, medical exam, Police Certificate, health insurance, passport, photographs, Electronic Travel Authorization, CV, or Family Information form referred to as IMM5707.
Key points to note:
- Any candidate with profiles under the Co-op program and Working Holiday Program will receive an invite-only for the Co-op program. The candidate is likely to receive an invitation under the Working Holiday Program only if there isn’t any place available under the Co-op program.
- The cost of living is different based on where one chooses to settle. Therefore, the applicants must have the right information about the cost of living in each province or territory in Canada before submitting their application.
- The wage or income must be in accordance with provincial or territorial labor laws.
- The provincial or territorial labor code will determine the nature of the internship, that is, whether it will be paid or unpaid.
- The standards fixed for labor law and employment are valid for all foreign nationals in Canada.
- The IEC candidates and their employers in Canada will be responsible for supervising that the required people meet all the standards of the labor law. They will also need to hold inquiries in their respective provinces and territories in Canada.
- An Irish national seeking to pursue studies in Canada, who also want to bring along their spouse or partner during their study permit, must apply for an open work permit. In case such an applicant doesn’t have Irish nationality, he will also require a visa to visit and stay in Canada.
Canadian Permanent Residence
Canadian permanent residency involves a process known as Express Entry, in which students undergo an evaluation based on varied factors, including their work experience, occupation, knowledge, and skills. The main concern of the country is to know whether they can contribute to the country socially and economically. As a result, the candidates receive scores under the Comprehensive Ranking System. The Canadian government also invites eligible candidates to apply for permanent residency status.
The process also includes a variety of streams and programs under it; they are as follows:
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program
- The Federal Skilled Trade Program
- Family Class Program
- The Canadian Experience Class Program
- Provincial Nomination Program
Federal Skilled Worker Program
Express Entry’s most popular stream is the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and it evaluates candidates through their skilled work experience, language proficiency in French and English, education, fund proofs, admissibility, and a few other factors. The other factors consist of an applicant’s age, employment offer, and ability to adjust to circumstances. These candidates also receive CRS points, and the primary objective of the point-based system is to determine whether the applicants can lead a successful life in Canada. The Canadian government invites selected candidates based on the scores they receive under CRS. However, these candidates are the ones with the top scores.
Individuals from Ireland seeking to apply under FSWP must also possess skilled workers who experience specific occupations under the National Occupational Classification system.
The list includes the following occupations:
- Technical occupations and skilled trades- skill level B
- Managerial job- skill type 0
- Professional job- skill level A
Quebec is one province that selects skilled workers through a separate criterion. Therefore, the following criteria apply only to those individuals who seek to reside in places other than Quebec in Canada.
Skilled Work
Applicants must demonstrate that during their work experience, they adhered to all duties elaborated in the primary statement of the NOC description. This primary statement in the description implies the job profile you’re seeking in Canada. The duties explained in the description section include all essential and primary duties of that specific occupation. Also, the candidates must ensure that they have acquired a job aligning with the NOC code of the job he seeks after Canadian immigration.
The skilled work experience must be acquired in the previous ten years and it must relate to a paid job. Voluntary service or experience doesn’t count under skilled work experience. Moreover, work experience implies continuous employment for one whole year.
The number of hours an applicant worked will determine whether they will qualify for a full-time or part-time job. Even the work experience of a student will remain valid, provided he worked for a continuous period under a paid system meeting all the vital program requirements.
Language Proficiency
Interested candidates will also require to undertake approved language tests for all language abilities including reading, writing, speaking, and listening. They will also need to achieve a CLB score of 7. These language test results will remain valid for two years from the exact date of getting the test results. However, it is crucial for these test results to hold validity on the day of applying for permanent residence.
Education
Foreign nationals from Ireland will have to provide a diploma, degree, or training certificate related to the trade if they possess education credentials from countries besides Canada. Apart from this, they will have to present an Educational Credential Assessment from a designated organization such as WES. Providing an ECA will also show that the education obtained by the individual equals the Canadian standard of secondary and post-secondary education. Conversely, if the applicant completed education in Canada at the secondary or post-secondary level, he will have to present relevant proof for the same in the form of a certificate, diploma, or degree.
Funding proof
People moving to Canada from Ireland will also have to prove that they have sufficient funds available to provide for their family and their basic requirements during their stay in Canada. However, if these individuals have an existing Canadian employment offer or are already in the condition to work legally in Canada, they will become exempt from the fund proof requirement.
Admissibility
To immigrate from Ireland to Canada, do ensure that you have no inadmissibility issues. Being admissible simply indicates that you are in a healthy and secure position to move to Canada from Ireland. As per records, Irish individuals often face inadmissibility issues due to DUI or drinking and driving cases.
In case of a criminal conviction, you must first acquire an approved Criminal Rehabilitation to receive Canadian PR.
Canada might render you inadmissible based on a variety of factors; they’re as follows:
- Security factors such as previous criminal record or conviction, violence, involvement in terrorist activities, and war-related activities.
- Medical issues such as pose a threat to Canadian society due to severe existing health conditions and the possibility of excessive dependency on Canada’s healthcare and social system.
- Representing false claims, including any hidden information from the Canadian government, claiming a false identity, or an inadmissible family acquaintance.
Federal Skilled Trade Person
The Federal Skilled Trade Person is another Express Entry stream that has a similar system to the Federal Skilled Worker program. This stream also uses an evaluation method to assess the skills and work experience of applicants based on a diverse range of factors. These factors include skilled work experience, language skills, fund proof, admissibility, etc. Other factors such as employment offer, age, and adjusting capability.
All these factors contribute to the score under the Comprehensive Ranking System. These scores enable eligible candidates to understand their likelihood of immigrating to Canada. Only the top-scoring candidates receive the invitation to apply. Candidates moving to Canada from Ireland need to ensure while applying for the Federal Skilled Trade Person that they have sufficient proof regarding skilled work experience in the specific trade.
They must present proof for the following occupational groups under the NOC system:
- Trades related to industrial, construction, and electrical field.
- Equipment operation and Maintenance trades
- Technical and supervising jobs associated with natural resources, agriculture, and production related to the same.
- Chefs, bakers, cooks, and butchers.
- Utility supervisors, central control operators, processing, and manufacturing.
The Quebec province operates based on its separate criteria.
Therefore, the following requirements have no association with this province:
Skilled Trades Work
Applicants must demonstrate that during their trade work experience, they adhered to the specified duties mentioned in the NOC description and the main statement. Additionally, the work experience must be the same as the NOC code of the job position you seek in Canada. You must also demonstrate your qualification related to that specific trade with the ability to practice it independently.
Make sure you fulfill the requirement for full-time work experience of two years. The same applies to part-time work experience applicants. It is crucial to gain work experience within the last five years of submitting your application.
Language requirement
Applicants from Ireland seeking Canadian immigration through FSTP must fulfill the language requirement. They must undertake an approved language test to prove their proficiency in all aspects of language, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
They must acquire CLB 5 for listening and speaking, while CLB 5 for reading and writing. The language test results will remain valid for two years. Make sure they are good when you submit your PR application.
Education
FSTP doesn’t have an education requirement, but an Irish person who seeks to improve his score under Express Entry can do so by following the below two alternatives.
They’re as follows:
- In case the applicant acquires Canadian education, he can attain points through a diploma, degree, or certificate at a secondary or post-secondary institution in Canada.
- In another case, if the applicant acquired education overseas, he will have to show (ECA) educational credentials through a designated organization. An ECA is a sure-shot way to prove that your education from abroad remains equivalent to the Canadian education standard at the secondary or post-secondary level.
Trades evaluation at the provincial or territorial level
The majority of the trades comprise a regulatory body governing the specific trades associated with their respective provinces or territories. Individuals moving to Canada from Ireland will need the province or territory to assess the trade. Here, the province or territory implies where the Irish national would prefer to settle.
Based on this trade evaluation, the Canadian employer will have to provide the aspiring Irish Candidate with specific training and work experience.
Fund Proof
Irish individuals planning to move to Canada will have to prove their financial potential to support themselves and their families for their essential requirements. However, those Irish candidates already living and working in the country or with a valid employment offer through a Canadian employer will remain exempt from this requirement.
Admissibility
To become eligible for the FSTP, Irish applicants must have zero Canadian inadmissibility issues. These candidates must have good health conditions and must be threat-free. Usually, individuals from Ireland experience inadmissibility to the country due to DUI. In case of a criminal conviction, you must acquire an approved Criminal Rehabilitation for Canadian PR.
Canada might render you inadmissible based on a variety of factors; they’re as follows:
- Security factors such as previous criminal record or conviction, violence, involvement in terrorist activities, and war-related activities.
- Medical issues such as pose a threat to Canadian society due to severe existing health conditions, and the possibility of excessive dependency on Canada’s healthcare and social system.
- Representing false claims, including any hidden information from the Canadian government, claiming a false identity, or an inadmissible family acquaintance.
Canadian Experience Class
CEC stream under the Express Entry system selects candidates based on their eligibility for several factors including their French or English language skills, education, admissibility, age, employment offer, and adaptability. These candidates, just like the other two streams, get a CRS score.
Applicants from Ireland must ensure that they possess skilled work experience in Canada under NOC’s occupations such as professional jobs, managerial jobs, technical, and skilled trades.
Skilled work experience
If the Irish nationals moving to Canada from Ireland seek to apply via the Canadian Experience Class stream, they must be already residing in the country and working legally as well. They must be well-equipped with all the skills mentioned in the NOC description for the specific job they wish to apply for. This further implies having work experience regarding all the primary duties of their job position. The requirement must be full-time work experience of one year within the previous three years before applying. For part-time applicants also the same amount of work experience will apply.
Additionally, experience gained through self-employment, Co-op internships, and while studying won’t count for the CEC stream’s minimum eligibility requirements.
Language ability
The minimum language requirement for CEC applicants is to show their language abilities in English or French languages. The CLB requirement for NOC 0 and NOC A is 7, whereas the CLB requirement for NOC B is 5. The language test results will remain valid for two years. Make sure they are valid when you submit your PR application.
Education
Just like FSTP, CEC doesn’t have an education requirement, but an Irish person who seeks to improve his ranking under Express Entry can do so by following the two given options.
They’re as follows:
- In case the applicant acquired Canadian education, he can attain points through a diploma, degree, or certificate at a secondary or post-secondary institution in Canada.
- In another case, if the applicant acquired education overseas, he will have to show ECA his educational credentials through a designated organization. An ECA is an absolute solution to prove that your education from abroad remains equivalent to the Canadian education standard at the secondary or post-secondary level.
Admissibility
Ensure that you pose no threat to Canadian society and have no severe health conditions to become admissible to Canada using the CEC stream.
Usually, individuals from Ireland experience inadmissibility to the country due to DUI. In case of a criminal conviction, you must obtain an approved Criminal Rehabilitation for Canadian PR.
Canada might validate you as inadmissible based on a variety of factors, they’re as follows:
- Security factors such as previous criminal record or conviction, violence, involvement in terrorist activities, and war-related activities.
- Medical issues such as pose a threat to Canadian society due to severe existing health conditions, and the possibility of excessive dependency on Canada’s healthcare and social system.
- Representing false claims including, any hidden information from the Canadian government, claiming a false identity, or an inadmissible family acquaintance.
CEC applicants from Ireland will not have to prove their financial potential to support their families and themselves.
Provincial Nomination Program
An applicant’s education, work experience, and skills determine their contribution to the province or territory if applying through the Provincial Nomination Program.
People applying from Ireland for Canadian immigration via PNP must first receive a nomination through the Canadian territory or province. Once they receive a nomination, they will have to proceed with their permanent residency application.
Every Canadian territory or province has a separate set of streams and criteria to fulfill its fixed immigration targets.
Candidates will also be required to submit either paper-based or online applications for permanent residency after receiving a nomination. The online application system aligns with Express Entry’s PNP stream.
Paper application
A paper-based application process is basically a non-Express Entry application system.
The paper application procedure for permanent residence involves the following steps:
- Candidates must complete the paper application for PR and all the associated forms by following the instruction guide given.
- They must ensure the completion and submission of the medical examination.
- Police verification is a must, and they have to submit that too.
- Online application fee payment comprising fee for the right to PR, biometric fee, and third-party fee. This includes the online processing fee of your accompanying relatives.
- The instruction guide includes the location where the applicant is supposed to submit his application. Once he submits it, he will receive a letter of confirmation.
- Further, they will be asked to get a biometric impression. After they’re done with biometrics, they will have to provide ECA or language testing.
Online application procedure
If an applicant is interested in moving to Canada from Ireland through the PNP aligned with Express Entry, he can submit his application through two options:
- The applicant can directly reach out to the Canadian province or territory to apply for a nomination through Express Entry. Once he receives a nomination through the province or territory under Express Entry, he can proceed to create an Express Entry profile. If he has already created it then he can update it further.
- The Irish applicant can create an Express Entry profile and further send it to show that he seeks nomination from a province or territory. On receiving notification of interest, he can connect with the province or territory and also apply through Express Entry. He will then receive a nomination on his account and he can accept it online.
However, Irish nationals must undergo police verification and medical examination as a part of the application procedure.
Key points to acknowledge
Remember to follow these few substantial points before applying:
- Quebec is an exception as it doesn’t have a PNP.
- Paper-based (non-Express Entry) applications take a longer time to process.
- You can choose either of the processes, but irrespective of the method you use, submit an electronic PR application to IRCC.
- Ensure to fulfill all the eligibility conditions associated with each Canadian province and territory.
- Any hidden or falsely represented information will eventually result in the rejection of your application. Consequently, you will have to undergo a five-year ban from applying for permanent residency in Canada.
Conclusion
Irish people need to figure out the best immigration solutions if they want to move to Canada from Ireland. They have to take a look at all programs and make the right choice. Every pathway and stream has its own set of requirements, without which you will not be able to fulfill your dream of immigrating to Canada.
