5 WAYS TO IMMIGRATE TO CANADA
Immigrating to a new country is a difficult process and for newcomers looking to settle in Canada, there are many immigration programs to choose from. Here are 5 popular ways to immigrate to Canada as a permanent resident!
- Express Entry
- Provincial Nominee Programs
- Quebec Immigration
- Studying in Canada
- Family Sponsorship
1. EXPRESS ENTRY
In 2015, the Federal Government of Canada introduced Express Entry, an application management system that governs all federal streams of economic immigration. Since then, thousands of principal applicants and their families have been invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
HOW EXPRESS ENTRY WORKS
Applicants looking to apply to one of the immigration streams governed by Express Entry must submit an Expression of Interest to the government of Canada. If you meet the minimum eligibility requirements of the program in question, you will be invited to the Express Entry pool.
There, you are given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score that is used to rank you against other applicants in the Express Entry pool. Every so often, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issues Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to the highest ranking individuals in the pool during an Express Entry draw. If you are among those issued an ITA, you will have 90 days to submit your application online for permanent residence.
2. PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAMS
There are currently ten provinces and three territories in Canada, each of which has authority over its own immigration programs and policies. These provincial immigration streams are more commonly known as Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).
List of all Provincial Nominee Programs –
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
3. QUEBEC IMMIGRATION
While Quebec is also a province of Canada, it has much more autonomy on how it runs its immigration programs and policies. Currently, there are no Quebec immigration streams that are aligned with Express Entry. Instead, you may choose to apply directly to the Quebec government for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program, the Quebec Experience Class, or Quebec Business Immigration.
All Quebec immigration programs are a part of a two-step process. Applicants interested in one of Quebec’s immigration streams must first apply to the Quebec government. If you are accepted, you are issued a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ). This certificate acknowledges that the Quebec government has accepted your application for your immigration program.
Afterwards, you are required to submit your application to the federal government for review. This is to ensure you are not medically or criminally inadmissible to Canada.
4. STUDENT PATHWAY
If you’re ineligible for one of the immigration streams mentioned above, the student pathway can be an excellent option for becoming a Canadian permanent resident.
5. CANADIAN FAMILY SPONSORSHIP
Family reunification is the second largest class of Canadian immigration and another way of obtaining permanent residence. If you have a spouse or child that is currently a Canadian permanent resident or citizen, they are allowed to sponsor you to come to Canada.
