Immigration and citizenship in Canada had never been so easy as it is right now. And for most countries outside of Canada, such opportunities to move to a better country had been booming. According to the IRCC report of 2019, the total number of accepted immigrants from around the world is 341,180, most of which are people from India, China, the Philippines, Nigeria, and some other Asian countries. Here is A Summarized Guide to Canadian Immigration for all who are expecting to immigrate to Canada.
Road to Canadian Immigration
According to the IRCC, immigrant application to Canada has three main paths:
- Permanent Residence: Looks to stay in the long term while also focusing on economic programs (Express Entry) and family sponsorship.
- Work Permit: For people who are allowed to work in Canada for a specific timeline.
- Study Permit: This program is for people who want to study in Canada in an approved institution. Also, with permission to work after completion of the studies. The candidate has the option to transit to a permanent residence.
Categorization of Canadian Immigration
The Canadian Immigration has 6 main categories for which the IRCC is accepting immigrants from around the world. Each category of immigration is catered for a group with its own set of requirements.
- Federal Skilled Worker
- Quebec Immigration
- Provincial Nominee Program
- Family Sponsorship
- Business Immigrant
- Canadian Express Class
Eligibility Criteria of Different Categories
- Federal Skilled Worker
Requirements:
The Category of Federal Skilled Worker is to assess the people who can take part in economic activities after arrival in Canada.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must have at the minimum 1 year of hands-on experience of working in a company in any of the given 38 occupation fields in the past 10 years
- Currently living legally in Canada, having a non-permanent Foreign Worker VISA or an International Student VISA for a minimum 1 year or more.
- Must be qualified enough for the offer of a full-time permanent job anywhere in Canada by a Canadian employer
- Quebec Skilled Worker
Requirements:
Any candidate that applies in the Federal Worker category in Quebec must go under their slightly different Quebec Skilled Worker selection process. This selection process is accepted by both The Government of Canada and the Province of Quebec.
Eligibility Criteria:
Each applicant must need to score a minimum of 60 points from 10 selection areas in the process. If you have a spouse, then you need to score at least 68 points. Take a look at the table below:
| Selection Topic | Description | Maximum Points |
| Training | Points awarded for education, in-job training, and additional skills | 29 |
| Valid Employment Offer | Valid employment offers by an employer who lives in Quebec | 10 |
| Experience | Experience in a relevant field for 4 years or more | 9 |
| Age | Full points if the candidate is between 18-35 | 18 |
| Language Proficiency | Expertise in verbal communication in French and English | 22 |
| Stay and Family | Previously spent time or any family member in a province | 9 |
| Spouse’s Characteristics | Points based on spouse’s education background, work experience, training, language proficiency, and age. | 18 |
| Children | 4 points given for children under 12, 2 points from 13-21 | 8 |
| Financial Independence | Sufficient financial independence upon arrival | 1 |
| Adaptability | Candidate’s ability to adapt in Quebec | 8 |
- Provincial Nominee Program
Requirements:
Any candidate who wants to gear up their immigration process can apply for the Provincial Nomination Program. This program partners with the Canadian Government and the provincial government to specifically select the people who wish to settle in a particular province.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The same conditions are there for the other province with the exception of some points based on that particular province
- The Candidate has to possess some in-demand or highly demanding skills in order to be 100% accepted
- Contributions for the development or the welfare of the province
- Family Sponsorship
Requirements:
Applicants in this category need to be sponsored by a close family member who is already residing in Canada and capable of supporting a family member who wants to immigrate to Canada. The members that are eligible for this sponsorship are – spouse, parents, grandparents, dependable children, adopted children, or other relatives.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Sponsoring family member must demonstrate the financial capacity to provide for the applicant
- Sponsor must currently stay in Canada
- Applicant must sign a contract to make efforts for self-sufficiency
- Business Immigrant
Requirements:
Applicants under this category must have the capacity to contribute to Canada’s economy by their investment and management skills. The candidates are placed in one of the three categories in the Business Immigration program, which are –
- Immigrant Investor Program
- Entrepreneur Program
- Self-Employed Persons Program
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicants in this category must have sufficient financial resources specifically in the range of CAD $400,000 to $800,000
- Must have the ability to invest substantially in businesses or create a new business that should create more job opportunities
- Business experience and managerial skills are expected
- Canadian Express Class
Requirements:
Candidates who are residing in Canada under a Temporary Foreign Worker status are allowed to apply in this category. If the candidate has Canadian education or work experience in Canada, then he/she is eligible to apply.
Eligibility Criteria:
- For International Graduates – Applicant must complete at least 2 years of academic studies at Canada’s any post-secondary educational institution
- For International Graduates – Applicants must have a minimum 1 year of skilled/professional/work experience, especially technical, within the 24-month timeline
- For Non-permanent Foreign Workers – At least 2 years long skilled/professional/technical experience within the 36-month timeline
- For Non-permanent Foreign Workers and International Graduates – Average or basic communicative skills based on the candidate’s occupation and skill level
In Conclusion
It is the dream of many people of migrating to Canada. To have the taste of a modern and developed lifestyle, people from every corner are coming to Canada every year, and Canada’s authority is also welcoming to them. Hopefully, A Summarized Guide to Canadian Immigration was helpful for the people who had no knowledge about immigration and requirements for it in Canada.