As more and more people try to travel to Canada from different parts of the world and for different reasons, the country seeks out new routes to welcome qualified persons. These new ways to travel to Canada, designed to address the evolving needs of both applicants and the country, present fresh opportunities for you to explore the Great White North as much as you wish. There is no entry into the country without Canada immigration visa. Hence, these different pathways offer different visa types that allow you to gain entry into the country.
1. Express Entry System
The Express Entry System is a points-based system designed to select candidates for three key economic immigration programs:
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): For skilled workers with foreign work experience.
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): For skilled trades workers.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC): For those with Canadian work experience.
Your eligibility is assessed based on factors like age, education, work experience, and language proficiency. If you rank high enough, you get an invitation to apply for permanent residence. It’s like a competitive game, but the prize is a new life in Canada.
To get started, you create an Express Entry profile online. Once in the pool, you’re assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on your profile information. The government conducts regular draws, selecting candidates with the highest CRS scores. If you’re among them, you’ll receive an Invitation to Apply ITA to apply for permanent residence. Note that, your Express Entry profile is valid for one year. But if you don’t get an ITA within that time, you can update and re-enter the pool.
2. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Think of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) as having a menu of immigration options. Each province and territory has its own PNP, offering tailored immigration streams to address local needs. In these new ways to travel to Canada, you apply to the province or territory directly, and if nominated, you can then apply for permanent residence with the federal government. Notably, Quebec is the only province in Canada that does not conduct a PNP. It has its own program as we will see shortly.
Nonetheless, many provinces have streams linked to the federal Express Entry system. If you’re nominated through an Express Entry-linked stream, it significantly boosts your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Hence, increasing your chances of an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Additionally, some PNPs require a job offer from a local employer, while others may consider factors like previous work or study experience in the province. Some provinces also have specific streams for entrepreneurs and investors, inviting individuals who plan to establish or invest in businesses within their borders.
3. Family Class Sponsorship
If you have close family members who are citizens or permanent residents, they can sponsor you to come and join them. It’s Canada’s way of recognizing the importance of family reunification. Family sponsorship is available for various relationships, including:
- Spouses and Common-Law Partners: Married couples or those in a common-law relationship.
- Parents and Grandparents: Canadian citizens or permanent residents can sponsor their parents or grandparents.
- Dependent Children: Parents can sponsor their dependent children.
To be a sponsor, you must be at least 18 years old, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and be able to financially support your family members. This means that you must meet specific income requirements to ensure they can provide financial support for their sponsored family members. This is to ensure newcomers have the means to settle and integrate into Canadian society. Additionally, sponsors sign a legal agreement called an undertaking, committing to supporting their sponsored family members for a specific period. This includes financial support for basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing.
The sponsor usually initiates the process of a family sponsorship by submitting a sponsorship application to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Simultaneously, the sponsored family member applies for permanent residence.
4. Work Visa
The LMIA Work Visa is one of the new ways to travel to Canada to work when a Canadian employer wants to hire a foreign worker. The employer needs to get a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to prove that hiring you won’t negatively affect the job market for Canadians. That is, there’s a need to hire a foreign worker because no Canadian worker is available for the position. Once they have that, you can apply for a work visa.
To apply for an LMIA Work Visa, you need a valid job offer from a Canadian employer who has successfully obtained an LMIA. Your eligibility is tied to the specific requirements outlined in the LMIA granted to your employer. This includes details about the job position, wages, and working conditions.
Usually, the Canadian employer initiates the LMIA application process through Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). They must demonstrate efforts to hire locally before considering a foreign worker. In certain cases, LMIA recipients may be eligible for an open work permit, allowing them to work for any Canadian employer.
5. Start-up Visa Program
Entrepreneurs with a promising business idea and the backing of a designated organization can apply for this visa. If your start-up takes off and creates jobs, you get to stay and enjoy the fruits of your labour. To be eligible for the Start-up Visa Program, you need to have a qualifying business idea, secure the support of a designated Canadian organization (angel investor group, venture capital fund, or business incubator), and meet specific language and education requirements.
Designated organizations play a crucial role in the program. They assess the viability of your business idea and, if convinced, provide you with a letter of support. Hence, making you eligible to apply for the Start-up Visa. However, your business idea must be innovative, have the potential for high growth, and contribute positively to the Canadian economy. It’s like convincing Canada that your business is not just any business but one that will make a significant impact.
6. Refugee and Asylum Seeker Programs
A refugee is someone who has fled their home country and has been recognized as needing protection. Whereas an asylum seeker is someone who is seeking refuge but hasn’t yet been granted official refugee status. The refugee and asylum seeker programs aim to provide protection and support to individuals seeking refuge on humanitarian grounds. So, if you’re escaping persecution, war, or serious harm from your country, these programs offer refuge in Canada.
Similarly, convention refugees are individuals outside their home country who fear persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Also, individuals already in Canada who fear persecution if they return to their home country can apply for protected person status.
Both Government-Assisted Refugee and Private Sponsorship of Refugees programs provide support for those in need via these new ways to travel to Canada for safety. Asylum seekers can make a claim upon arrival at a port of entry or within Canada. They go through a process to determine if they meet the criteria for refugee status. If you receive refugee status, you can apply for permanent residence in Canada. Nonetheless, individuals who don’t qualify as refugees but still face significant risk may be eligible for Temporary Resident Permits, allowing them to stay in Canada temporarily.
7. Canadian Investor Immigration
Canadian Investor Immigration is for those who want to invest their way into Canada. By putting a significant sum into Canadian businesses, you can qualify for permanent residence. These programs aim to attract individuals with the means and intent to make impactful investments. There are two investor programs:
- Federal Investor Program
- Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP)
The federal investor program was terminated in 2014, but the QIIP is still running. They both typically have similar requirements – applicants need to have management experience, a high net worth, and make a prescribed investment.
8. Quebec Immigration Programs
Since Quebec is a province with its own immigration rules, it offers its own immigration programs. These programs are designed to attract skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and individuals with specific skills to contribute to the province’s economic and cultural richness. These programs include:
Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP)
The QSWP is for skilled workers intending to settle and work in Quebec. It operates on a points-based system, assessing factors like education, work experience, age, language proficiency, and family in Quebec. Applicants need to create an online profile and submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). The highest-scoring candidates receive an invitation to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ). Upon receiving a CSQ, applicants apply for permanent residence to the federal government.
Quebec Experience Program (PEQ)
The PEQ is designed for individuals with work or study experience in Quebec. It has two streams: one for foreign workers and another for international students. To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate their intention to settle in Quebec, have legal status, and meet specific language proficiency requirements. Finally, successful applicants receive a Certificat de sélection du Québec (Quebec Selection Certificate) and can apply for permanent residence faster than other new ways to travel to Canada.
Quebec Entrepreneur and Quebec Investor Programs
Entrepreneurs with the ambition to establish or acquire a business in Quebec can apply under any of these programs. The Quebec Entrepreneur and Quebec Investor programs are two distinct but similar programs. They are both open to people with managerial experience, a legally acquired high net worth, and a plan to invest and operate a business in Quebec. Both processes also involve submitting a business project, attending an interview, and obtaining a CSQ if selected.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
This program allows Quebec employers to hire temporary foreign workers for specific occupations facing labour shortages. However, employers must demonstrate efforts to hire locally and obtain authorization from the Quebec government to hire foreign workers. Then, the foreign workers receive a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and a work permit to legally work in the province.
9. Caregiver Program
If you’ve worked as a caregiver, taking care of children, the elderly, or those with medical needs, you can apply for permanent residence. This program is essential for families requiring support and caregivers seeking opportunities for employment and permanent residence in Canada. The Caregiver Program is one of the easiest ways to move to Canada and it has two main categories:
- Home Child Care Provider: for caregivers providing childcare.
- Home Support Worker: for caregivers providing care for the elderly or individuals with medical needs.
Caregivers typically start with an employer-specific work permit, allowing them to work for a specific employer in Canada. After working in Canada as a caregiver for a certain period, individuals may be eligible to apply for permanent residence through one of the caregiver-specific immigration pathways. Caregivers who may not have met initial program requirements may apply via the Interim Pathway for Caregivers. Also, caregivers who have acquired Canadian work experience may be eligible to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry, the points-based immigration system.
10. Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP)
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program is an invitation to Canada’s Atlantic provinces – New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. It facilitates the entry of skilled workers, intermediate-skilled workers, and international graduates to contribute to the economic development of the region. Employers in these regions can hire you, and if you meet the requirements, you get to stay. The AIPP consists of three main categories:
- Atlantic High-Skilled Program: Targets individuals with a job offer for a high-skilled position in an Atlantic province.
- Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program: For individuals with a job offer for an intermediate-skilled position.
- Atlantic International Graduate Program: Aimed at international graduates with a job offer in an Atlantic province.
Conclusion
These new ways to travel to Canada not only reflect the country’s adaptability to global changes but also signify a commitment to diversity, skills, and family reunification. Whether you are considering the Express Entry System, Provincial Nominee Program, or any of the other unique immigration avenues, remember that each path is a gateway to a new chapter. Besides, these new approaches offer a promise of a brighter and more inclusive future in the land of maple leaves and boundless opportunities.
