Immigration to Canada
There are numerous programs available for individuals wishing to enter Canada, depending on the purpose of entry and the circumstances of the applicant. If you are someone exploring this as an option, or you require legal advice on an immigration matter, it is always best to contact a lawyer about your personal circumstances.
The entry paths for permanent residency can be divided into three categories:
- family reunification;
- economic immigration; and
- refugees
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Canada’s federal immigration authority, admits 300,000 immigrants to Canada annually, mainly under the Economic Class (176000) and the Family Reunification Class (86000). (2019 data)
Family reunification
A foreign national may qualify for permanent residency based on their relationship to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. This applies to the Canadian citizen’s or permanent resident’s spouse, common-law partner, child, parent, or other allowed family members.
This entry path looks at both the eligibility of the foreign national and also the eligibility of the family member who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, also known as their sponsor. The eligibility of the foreign national can be dependent on their relationship to their sponsor. The eligibility of the sponsor to bring their family member to Canada depends on different factors, including age, residence, and their willingness and ability to support the applicant.
Economic immigration
Economic immigrants will make up the vast majority of newcomers under the government’s plan. These include Federal High Skilled immigrants accepted under the Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades and Canadian Experience Class.. A foreign national may qualify for permanent residency based on their ability to become economically established in Canada. The purpose of this entry path is to meet Canada’s economic and social needs for Canada’s benefit. Generally, the foreign national would be assessed depending on their professional background, education, and their impact on Canada’s economic and social needs.
There are different pathways under economic immigration. They include the Express Entry pathways, such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class, and Provincial Nominee Program.
Refugees
There are numerous programs available for individuals wishing to enter Canada, depending on the purpose of entry and the circumstances of the applicant.A foreign national who is either inside or outside Canada may qualify for permanent residency based on their personal circumstances as a refugee. To qualify for this entry path, the government will consider humanitarian grounds among other factors.
Immigration issues, processes, and requirements for immigration in Canada can get very complex. To get the best possible advice on immigration to Canada, please contact out Migration team on +61289702398 /+61425344832. Our Canada specialist Immigration Consultants Regulatory Council of Canada (ICCRC) consultant Mr. Prasanth Dhiman will guide you.
| Immigration category | Category | 2019 – Target |
|---|---|---|
| Economic | Federal High Skilled | 81400 |
| Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program | 2000 | |
| Caregivers | 14000 | |
| Federal Business | 700 | |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 61000 | |
| Quebec Skilled Workers and Business | 32500 | |
| Total Economic | 191600 | |
| Family | Spouses, Partners, and Children | 68000 |
| Parents and Grandparents | 20500 | |
| Total Family | 88500 | |
| Refugees and Protected Persons | Protected Persons in Canada & Dependents Abroad | 16500 |
| Resettled Refugees – Government Assisted | 8500 | |
| Resettled Refugees – Blended Visa Office Referred | 1650 | |
| Resettled Refugees – Privately Sponsored | 19000 | |
| Total Refugees and Protected Persons | 45650 | |
| Humanitarian and Other | Total Humanitarian & Other | 4250 |
| Overall Planned Permanent Admissions | 330000 |
What is Canada Express Entry?
The Government of Canada provides a Canada Express Entry calculator for general guidance about a candidate’s skilled immigration chances using express entry. It calculates the CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) based on the answers you provide. The EEP is quick and unique point-based immigration program through which the skilled workers can attain the Permanent Residency to Canada. EEP is an online system to invite and manage Permanent Resident applications from skilled workers from around the world. It is also one of the fastest ways to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence. The system grants the applications from eligible candidates to immigrate to Canada based on their Canada Express Entry Points consisting of skills, experience, and other factors.
Express Entry manages applications for three economic immigration programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program: This program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently.
- Federal Skilled Trades Program: The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.
- Canadian Experience Class: The Canadian Experience Class is for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents.
Provinces and territories can also recruit candidates from the Express Entry pool through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to meet local labour market needs.
| Eligibility criteria | Canadian Experience Class | Federal Skilled Worker Program | Federal Skilled Trades Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language skills | English or French skills | English or French skills | English or French skills |
| CLB 7 if your NOC is 0 or A | CLB 7 | CLB 5 for speaking and listening | |
| CLB 5 if your NOC is B | CLB 4 for reading and writing | ||
| Type/Level of work experience | Canadian experience in 1 of these NOCs: | Canadian or foreign experience in 1 of these NOCs: | Canadian or foreign experience in a skilled trade under key groups of NOC B |
| 0 | 0 | ||
| A | A | ||
| B | B | ||
| Amount of work experience | One year in Canada in the last 3 years (either combination of full-time or part-time work) | One year continuous within the last 10 years (combination of part-time, full-time or more than 1 job in your primary occupation) | Two years within last 5 years (either combination of full-time or part-time work) |
| Job offer | Not required. | Not required. | Required: |
| But you can get selection criteria (FSW) points for having a valid job offer. | |||
| A valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year or | |||
| a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority | |||
| Education | Not required. | Secondary education required. | Not required. |
| You can get more selection criteria (FSW) points for your post-secondary education. | |||
| meet the required language levels needed for your job | Selection factor point grid are: | meet the required language levels for each language ability | |
| have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada, in the last 3 years before you apply | have at least 2 years of full-time work experience in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply | ||
| Language skills points (28 Points) | meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification, | ||
| Education points (25 Points) | have a | ||
| Work experience points (15 Points) | valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year or | ||
| Age points (Maximum 12 Points) | certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority | ||
| Arranged employment in Canada points (10 Points) | |||
| Adaptability points (10 Points) |
How Canada Express Entry Works?
Step1. Collect Documents
Two of the documents you will need to start are English and/or French language test results and in some cases an Education Credential Assessment if you completed your studies outside of Canada to show that you’re eligible for Express Entry.
Step 2. Fill Out Your Profile: The process commences with the candidate filing up the online express entry form by uploading key documents of education, experience and other personal documents. You will have to populate your Express Entry profile online with information required by Immigration Canada Once the application is filed in the pool, the candidate is issued with an Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Validation Code.
Using the Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Validation Code, the candidate can build his resume in the Canada Job Bank. Your score will be based on the information in your profile. Approximately every 2 weeks the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration draws profiles from the Express Entry profile pool based on the minimum number of points that he decides before the draw that a profile must have. If your profile has that minimum number or points or more, then it will be drawn by the Minister.
Step 3. Invitation to Apply: After attaining the Canada Express Entry Points in line with Immigration Draw, the candidates are shortlisted. If your profile is drawn by the Department, then you will be sent an electronic Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. You will then have a fixed number of days to submit your application for permanent residence online to Immigration Canada.
Step 4. Apply for Permanent Residency Online: The final step is to provide required documents to the application for the purpose of Canadian permanent residence status. Duration of 60 days is granted to these shortlisted candidates, failing to respond to which the Invite to Apply (ITA) stands to be cancelled.
Processing Time
Immigration Canada will process most complete applications that have all the supporting documents in 6 months or less.
UEMS can help you with Express Entry
- We can assess how many Express Entry points you may be awarded for your profile.
- We can also provide you with your options for increasing your Express Entry points.
- professionally and thoroughly prepare and submit your permanent application to Immigration Canada
- As your your legal representative UEMS will receive all future correspondence and communications until a final decision is made on your Permanent Resident Application.
Tips on How to Qualify for Canadian Express Entry
1. Meet the Basic Qualification Criteria
Before you can submit your name into the pool, you have to meet the basic qualification criteria first.
2. Secure a Job Offer
Having a job offer in Canada will automatically award you some points according to the position. For a normal job offer a candidate will be granted 50 points and for a job offer of a managerial position the candidate will be granted 200 points towards the Canadian express entry application.
3. Education: Get Each Credential Assessed (ECA)
Education is an important factor under the CRS. While there are many nuances to this particular factor, for those with more than one post-secondary credential, it is important to have them all assessed. The reason is that the CRS awards points for each credential, boosting your overall points.
Below we are listed out some of designated organizations for Educational Credential Assessment (ECA):
- World Education Services.
- Comparative Education Services.
- International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
- IQAS (International Qualifications Assessment Service)
- International Credential Evaluation Service.
4. Continue Working
As mentioned above, work experience can increase your points. While Canadian experience will award you with more points than work experience that was done abroad, the more experience the better.
Here is an example: a candidate who has scored high on language measures, and with two years of working experience, will be able to add an additional 25 points to their profile as soon as they have a third year of work experience.
5. Improving Language
Language is another important factor, one that is worth up to 260 points. For bilingual candidates (those who speak both English and French), it’s important to ensure that you have taken language tests in both languages, otherwise you are missing out on 24 points. For those with room to improve their language test, taking a retest is recommended.
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
All skilled immigration applicants that are eligible for the Express Entry System will be placed into the pool of candidates. Candidates in the pool are then ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS is used to determine which applicants in the pool will be invited to apply for permanent residence.
The CRS is a points-based system that gives a score to a candidate based on the information in the candidate’s profile. These scores allow candidates in the pool to be ranked against each other. Applicants are given points based on the following factors:
- Skills
- Work experience
- Language ability
- Spouse Language ability and education
- Invitation of a job offer supported by a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment
- Possession of a provincial government nomination for permanent residence
- Certain combinations of language skills, education and work experience that result in a higher chance of the applicant becoming employed (skill transferability).
Using these factors, applicants will be given a score out of a maximum of 1,200 points. The highest ranked applicants will be offered an invitation to apply for permanent residence (ITA) during period draws.
Ways to increase CRS
There are many ways through which an applicant may increase their CRS Ranking Score. So, if you want to improve your current CRS score, below mentioned are some of the tips that might help you in increasing your CRS score. The CRS score can always be improved by performing certain activities.
- Relative in Canada
If your sibling or parent resides in Canada you will be entitled to receive an additional 15 CRS points once you prove relation
2. Education
For your education, if you are a bachelor’s degree holder, masters, and Ph.D., you can get 150 maximum points
3. Language Proficiency
Language Proficiency is your easy and simple way of increasing your CRS score. Your language score can give up to a maximum of 136 points with CLB 9.
Also, if you have a basic-intermediate knowledge of French, you can take the TEF language test and get a bonus of 24 points for knowing a second language and 30 points for proficiency in the language.
4. Work Experience
With a work experience of 3 years and more, you can gain certain points under skills transferability combinations. Also, for those working in Canada will also be rewarded with additional points.
5. Partner Skills
If you want to improve your overall CRS score, getting partners assessment evaluated will definitely boost your immigration score.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
PNP is a process to migrate to Canada, where in a Canadian province or territory has to nominate you. Canada PNP frequently invites competent and skilled workers through PNP point grid that based upon your age, education, work experience, Official language ability and other related parameters. The more your PNP points, the higher chances will you get to receive PNP nomination. PNP for those skilled workers who have necessary skills, education and work experience to contribute to the economy of specific province or territory and for those who have intent to live in that particular province.
You may choose below Canada Province to apply with different-different criteria:
- Saskatchewan PNP
- Manitoba PNP
- Alberta PNP
- Ontario PNP
- British Columbia PNP
- Prince Edward Island PNP
- Nova Scotia PNP
Step 1.
The first thing you need to do is apply to the PNP in the province or territory where you want to settle. To qualify, you must have the skills, education and work experience you will need to settle in Canada and support yourself and your family.
Step 2.
The province or territory will assess if you will be able to meet their economic or labour market needs, and those of Canada. They can tell you how long it will take to process your application.
Step 3.
After the province or territory approves your application, your next step is to apply for permanent residence within the time period they set out. The province or territory will let you know whether you must apply through the Express Entry system or through regular application process:
- Nomination under an Express Entry PNP stream: If you are not already in the Express Entry pool, you will need to complete an Express Entry profile and be accepted into the pool.
- OR
- Nomination under a non-Express Entry PNP stream: Permanent resident applicants who were nominated under a non-Express Entry PNP stream should apply for permanent residence using the regular application process
To apply, you can approach for the fast track immigration process of Express Entry under which certain steps are listed out in the following:
- Check Eligibility for Canada PNP.
- Submit online Express Entry profile.
- Get an Express Entry stream nomination or confirmed your nomination.
- Receive an ITA for permanent residence if you have accepted your nomination.
- Fill out application and upload required documents.