Canada Immigration provides the applicant with the opportunity to settle in a country with a strong job market with a stable economy. It offers high firms of research and innovation and low tax rates for the potential businessmen and entrepreneurs. As a potential migrant, would you like to immigrate to the country where the Niagara Falls is located; a country responsible for 80% of the world’s maple syrup production and a country where people are really kind and polite? Yes, we are talking about immigration to Canada! After all, this country is no less than a heaven on earth and a place of solace. If you are looking for details about the process involved, you have stumbled upon the right website.
Visa categories
Let’s get started with the visa categories available for this particular country and the extensive process that you must follow in order to immigrate to Canada.
Permanent Visa– This visa is particularly for those people who want to become permanent residents of Canada and enjoy rights as a citizen of the country. It is the most popular pathway of migration to Canada as this visa is provided for five years and provides free education up to 12th Grade and subsidized healthcare system among other things. There are different pathways through which the PR status can be achieved. However, this visa does not allow you to establish any type of political party or give you the right to vote. Also, you are not eligible for a job that involves a supreme level of security clearance.
Temporary Visa- It is also called a visitor or tourist visa. People who are looking to explore the country can apply for a tourist visa. For a Temporary visa, one should show that he/she enough funds to sustain in Canada for some time and have an intention to leave after a stipulated time. You can have the time of your life in this country and visit some great tourist attractions. Additionally, you might require a letter of invitation and should have passed a medical examination to get your application approved.
Visa for Studying- Students who wish to graduate from Canadian colleges can apply for this visa. Canada has world-class colleges and research centers that can help you take your career up a notch. The basic requirement for this type of visa to get approved is that the respective college must approve your candidature. After securing the admission in your desired university, you can apply for visa proceedings. Once you have completed the documentation process, getting approved is a piece of cake.
Visa for Working-This visa is for those people who aspire to work in Canada. The government helps people to enter the country legally in order to work and earn their livelihood here. The work permit for migration to Canada is provided by LMIA after the skills and credentials of the applicant are adequately tested. There are many programs available under which you can easily apply for a working visa. Your educational background will be verified for this visa. However, if you fulfill all the criteria, getting a work visa is not an issue.
Visa for Business-There are many programs run by the Canadian government that majorly focus on getting global investors on board. In order to start a business in Canada or invest in the companies running in the country, you must apply for a business visa. There are many benefits for investors and businessmen in Canada. Therefore, more and more people flock to this country for business purposes
Working Holiday Visa- This visa particularly targets people falling in the age bracket of 18 to 35. It is specially designed for youth to gain exposure all over the world. A working holiday visa allows you to work while you are on holiday in Canada. It helps you support yourself financially and at the same time helps you get acquainted with the rich culture and heritage of Canada.
Advantages of immigrating to Canada
- Good quality of life and high Standard of living. Canada is ranked 9th in the UN’s annual Human Development Index(HDI).
- Premium Healthcare facilities at a subsidized rate.
- As per the US News and Report, Canada is NO1 in the Best countries of 2021 surveyed as the safest countries.
- A booming economy and great career opportunities.
- Fast track system of immigration – Express Entry System and Provincial Nominee Program for Skilled workers.
- It is an immigrant-friendly nation.
Three Popular categories for Canada Immigration
Canada provides many perks to people belonging to the below-mentioned categories. Let’s explore what this country has to offer and why people love to immigrate to Canada.
- Skilled worker–Canada has a shortage of skilled workers, and therefore, the government provides various benefits to people who migrate to the country to work in medical, engineering, and IT field. The benefits include flexible work policies, good payouts and so on.
- An investor or a businessman–To attract business-minded people and investors to Canada, the government is running many programs under which both the country and the respective person can benefit.
- An international student–Canada is a dream destination for students who wish to pursue higher education from prestigious organizations. Apart from the variety of educational courses offered by different universities, the country provides a peaceful, progressive and perfect environment for the students to study well. There are many scholarship programs running in the country that attract students globally.
The most suitable way to move to Canada is through the Permanent Residency (PR) Status.
Out of more than 60 programs through which the candidate can migrate to Canada one of the best ways of migration is through the Canada Permanent Residency (PR) status which provides subsidized healthcare and education system. The applicant can choose the program for relocation based on the credentials and resettle with ease. The two most popular pathways for Immigrating to Canada are –
▶ Express Entry Program
▶ Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
| CRS Factors | Points |
| Human Core Capital | 500(460 – for single applicants, 40 – spouse / Common Law Partner) |
| Skill Transferability | 100 |
| Bonus Points | 600 |
The Express Entry program has three subcategories – Federal Skilled Workers program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Traders Program (FSTP) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The Federal Skilled Workers program has its eligibility criteria of 67 points for selection based on language proficiency, age, work experience, education and adaptability of the applicant.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is the right of every province to select the applicant as per the labor market requirement and demand of the applicant’s occupation in the region. The area nominates the candidates who meet the eligibility requirement, and he/she can move to the nominated province only. The applicants who achieve the PNP status are also eligible for 600 bonus points in the Express Entry profile. For every province, the eligibility requirements are different and those candidates who meet the requirement are selected for migration
Some of the popular Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) for migration are –
- Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program(SINP)
- Ontario Immigration Nominee Program(OINP)
- Nova Scotia Immigration Nominee Program(NSNP)
- Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)
- Manitoba Immigration Nominee Program(MINP)
- Quebec Skilled Workers Program (QSWP)
- New Brunswick Provincial Nominee (NBPN)
- British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP)
Eligibility requirements for PR status – Express Entry and Provincial Nomination Program
The only way to achieve the PR status of Canada is when you meet the eligibility requirements for the same. In the case of Provincial nomination, every province will have its eligibility requirements which will require a minimum education, work experience, and language score. However, for the express entry program there is a certain prerequisite requirement which is as follows:
▶Age – Canada prefers young brigade because it is looking for a skilled candidate’s migration. Hence, the younger the candidate, the better scoring one will achieve. The highest score is allotted to the age group of 18 to 35 years.
▶Qualification– ECA or Educational Credential Assessment is the basic requirement that must be fulfilled to get approved for immigration. Educational background is verified before your application gets approved. For this, the evaluation should be done from an authorized body like WES
▶Health and Character Status– You must possess a good health certificate signed by a doctor and a good character certificate signed by a policeman to get immigration. Any country would make sure that they are not taking in a fugitive or a person with an infectious disease.
▶Expert in language– You must have proficiency in any one of Canada’s official languages – English or French. You can take tests like IELTS (for English) etc. that proves your efficiency in a particular language. For IELTS test there is practice material available and under the guidance of a mentor as a good score can be attained. If the candidate is proficient in both the languages, then it is an added advantage.
▶Work Experience – The higher the experience, the better will be the point score of the applicant. Letter of recommendations from previous employers will establish that the candidate is knowledgeable and skilled in his craft.
What is the Process of Applying for the Canada PR 2023?
When the candidate is applying for the PR status of Canada, then there are two pathways to do so – either through Express Entry Program or through the Provincial Nomination Program(PNP). The Canada PR visa process has eased out in recent times due to flexible laws and online processing of the application.
In the case of Express Entry, the following steps are undertaken for migration-
- Create an Express Entry program profile and get a registration code
- When your application is in the Express Entry pool wait for the EE draws result
- On meeting the minimum score achieve ITA prepare to Apply for Canada PR
- Start the process of documentation – Education records, work experience, medical and police verification, proof of funds, etc.
- File the PR application
In the case of applications submitted through the PNP, there are again two ways – either the candidate can apply directly for the PNP, or the candidate can be picked from the Express Entry program. The process in that case entails –
- Choose a province and apply for PNP
- Based on the province’s demand the application is evaluated
- On being selected achieve nomination from the province
- Apply for the PR status
Canada PR Processing Time and Funds Requirements
Immigration to another country is not possible without enough funds. Along with the poor of financial stability, there is also the expenditure of immigration processing and proceedings which needs to be undertaken by the candidate. The general cost of immigration through Express Entry program is provided below:
| Number of family members | Funds required (Canadian dollars) |
| 1 | 12,960 |
| 2 | 16,135 |
| 3 | 19,836 |
| 4 | 24,083 |
| 5 | 27,315 |
| 6 | 30,806 |
| 7 | 34,299 |
| For each additional family member | 3,414 |
The processing time for the PR application will depend on a lot of factors, the choice of the immigration program and credentials of the candidate being on top of the list. The Canada Express Entry is the fastest pathway for migration through which the applicant can migrate in less than 6 months time as well. Also, there are some provincial Nominee programs as well which offer fast processing like Saskatchewan and Ontario.
The Best Time to Apply for Canada PR 2023
If you are applying at a good time, then your chances of selection for the PR status will be higher. With the express entry program made flexible and strict LMIA requirements required, there is never a better time to migrate to Canada than this. Further, with the Canada Multi-Year Immigration Plan 2020-22, the stage for a high level of immigration to Canada is already set with the target of 4,11,000 immigrants in the year 2022. Economic migration will develop and refine the Canadian economy. Hence there has been a series of low scores announced for CRS and a large number of ITAs being allotted.
The Latest Express Entry Draws announced on 18th January, 2023 with the score of 490 CRS points asked from the applicants with 5,500 applications being sent to candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
Understanding the Canada immigration proceedings
Immigration to another country is a lengthy process and there are some steps which can take longer than others. In this piece let us look at some of the pertinent steps of Immigration proceedings –
▶ Immigration program– The time consumed in your overall process depends upon the immigration program you have enrolled in. Therefore, before you sign up for any program, research about their respective processing time and the steps involved.
▶ Visa Application– Even the slightest of mistakes in your application can lead to delayed approval. Therefore, carefully fill in the visa application and check it twice for errors before submission. This will help speed up the process. Taking the help of the professional can help you smoothly sail through this process as then the Canada immigration service will be completely updated with the latest trends and changes in the application process.
▶ Documents– Your turn around time also plays an important role. Therefore, it depends on how quickly you submit your information and necessary documents to the respective department. Some of the core documents required in the process are your character certificate, proof of funds, education certificate, work experience, and health certificate. Make sure you keep all your documents ready to avoid any delay. For proper documentation, it is essential that a reliable immigration service provider for Canada is hired.
▶ LMIA Approval– LMIA stands for Labor Market Impact Assessment. It is a document that is required by the Canadian employer if he/she is hiring a foreign worker in Canada which is generally in the case of a work permit. If you have applied for your immigration through LMIA, the processing time will undoubtedly increase.