Many reasons drive Canadian immigration. Canada offers high-class education, comprehensive healthcare, and a great quality of life. Canada has about 100 immigration routes. Thus, every Canadian immigration path is unique.
Professionals and labourers can obtain Canada Immigration permanent resident visas in several ways. Canada’s principal avenue for economic class skilled workers is Express Entry. Express Entry eligibility is best achieved by meeting FSWP or CEC standards.
PNP is Canada’s second-largest skilled worker stream. The PNP is used by almost all provinces and territories to select immigrants for their labour markets. The Quebec Skilled Worker Program and Quebec Experience Class are the third major immigration options.
The Federal Self-Employed Program, Start-up Visa, PNP, and Quebec entrepreneur programs can help business immigrants get Canadian permanent residence.
Canada offers family class sponsorship programs. These programs allow Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor relatives for immigration. LGBTQ2 people and couples have equal immigration rights to Canada.
Why Canada Needs Immigrants
Canada accepts economic, familial, and refugee and humanitarian immigrants. Skilled workers maintain Canada’s high living standards. Most immigrants to Canada are skilled professionals due to its elderly population and low birth rate.
Canada needs qualified workers to support its workforce and economy. These talented professionals have great language skills, work experience, education, and ambition. Thus, they help Canada support economic growth and social services like education and universal health care.
Family sponsorship brings the second most immigrants. Strong families are the foundation of Canada’s society and economy, so Canada welcomes their relatives. By allowing immediate relatives to immigrate to Canada, we are providing them with the emotional support and social network they need to thrive in Canadian society and the economy.
Refugees and humanitarians are the third largest class. Canada has a moral commitment to protect refugees, and since the Second World War, it has shown humanitarian leadership. Canada received the UN’s top refugee aid award, the Nansen Medal, in 1986. Only Canada has received the Nansen Medal.
Why Canadians Support Immigration?
Canada has world-leading public support for immigration. Immigration support in Canada has grown since the early 1990s. 80% of Canadians believe immigration boosts the economy. The Canadian government targets 500,000 new immigrants every year due to public backing.
Canadians support immigration for these reasons:
- Canadian history: Immigration. British and French settlers helped Indigenous peoples create Canada. Since 1867, Canada has welcomed millions of immigrants from around the world. All Canadians except Indigenous peoples are immigrants or their descendants. At Halifax’s Canadian Museum of Immigration, “A Canadian is an immigrant with seniority.”
- Geography: Canada is surrounded by ocean and only borders the US, so it can control who enters. Canada may filter immigrants to ensure they meet policy goals due to strong control.
- Policy: Canada spends billions on immigration and settlement services including job training. To improve living standards for Canadians and immigrants, Canada spends billions on education, health care, infrastructure, and other sectors.
- Politics: Immigrants flood Canada’s greatest cities and provinces. Democratic elections require immigrant support.
Skills-Based Immigration
Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan seeks roughly 400,000 immigrants annually. 60% of these immigrants are skilled. Express Entry is the main way skilled people can come to Canada. The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Quebec’s skilled worker programs, and other specific federal initiatives are the next primary ways.
Skilled Workers Can Move to Canada with Family
Skilled employees can bring close relatives to Canada. These relatives become permanent residents.
- Your spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, and their offspring and close family members.
- Dependent children are under 22 who are unmarried.
- 22 or older, depending on their parents financially before 22 and cannot sustain themselves owing to a medical or mental illness.
Express Entry
Canada’s three main economic class immigration programs manage skilled worker applications through Express Entry:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Express Entry candidates can upload their profiles to the federal government’s website. Age, education, language skills, and work experience determine candidates’ Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores.
IRCC invites the best CRS scorers to apply for permanent residence every two weeks. IRCC processes permanent residence applications in six months or less. Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan seeks 110,000 Express Entry immigrants per year.
Provincial Nominee Program
Provinces and territories can propose prospective immigrants through Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). Canada seeks one hundred thousand newcomers annually under the PNP.
Quebec and Nunavut are the only provinces without PNPs. Each province has its own eligibility requirements. Similar to Express Entry, PNPs use EOI systems to invite the highest-scoring applicants in regular draws.
Apply without Express Entry. Apply to a PNP stream. Base streams. Apply to Express Entry-aligned PNP streams. Enhanced streams. Enhanced streams offer more alternatives.
Express Entry candidates receive 600 CRS points for provincial nominations. This almost guarantees an Express Entry draw invitation to apply for permanent residency.
Quebec Immigration
Quebec has its own immigration system and selection standards, apart from IRCC and the PNP. Immigrants to Quebec receive a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ). Quebec’s Immigration Ministry issues it.
Quebec immigration programs allow CSQ applications. The Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) helps skilled workers immigrate to Quebec and become Canadian citizens.
International post-secondary students in Quebec like the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). This program is for international skilled professionals with provincial job experience.
Quebec has business immigration options for entrepreneurs, self-employed people, and immigrant investors who seek to start a business in the province.
Atlantic Immigrant Program
AIP is Atlantic Canada’s immigration program. The AIP that helps employers hire foreigners. Four Atlantic Canadian provinces:
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
Employers seeking AIP benefits must hire a suitable individual. No LMIA is needed. After the candidate accepts the offer, the employer must refer them to a settlement plan organization. Temporary work permits might help employers fill the post swiftly.
Other Federal Skilled Worker Programs
Targeted federal skilled worker programs assist some immigrants obtain permanent residence. Federal programs:
- Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)
- Agri-Food Immigration Pilot
- Home Child Care Provider Pilot
- Home Support Worker Pilot
The RNIP helps remote Canadian communities hire immigrant employees. Participating communities recruit immigrants and find them work.
The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot allows qualifying temporary foreign employees in agriculture and agri-food to become permanent residents of Canada. Candidates must have 12 months of job experience, a high school diploma, and minimum language qualifications.
Foreign caregivers including childcare providers and home assistance workers can obtain permanent residency through the remaining immigration programs. Caregivers must have two years of relevant job experience to apply for the program.
Summary:
- Canada has 100 immigration pathways, each one unique.
- Express Entry is Canada’s main economic class skilled worker stream, while the PNP is second.
- Canada invites economic, familial, refugee, and humanitarian immigrants. Skilled employees sustain Canada’s high living standards.
- Canadian history, geography, legislation, and politics favour immigration.
- Skilled workers can bring family to Canada, and the PNP lets provinces and territories designate immigrants who want to settle there.
