How do I get to Canada?
This is a question that we get very often. These days, when people think of migrating to the “West” for better opportunities, it is not the United States which springs to mind, but the “great white north,” being Canada. Therefore, it is not surprising that a large number of inquiries about resettling in Canada come to our desk throughout the year.
For all those inquirers who may be considering a jump across the Atlantic (or Pacific depending on where you are), we have put together this article, to explain how different people can get a visa to Canada, including the challenges and advantages of each approach.
Permanent Residency through Express Entry
If you have a degree, 5 plus years work experience and are 35 years of age or under, this is the standard category to apply in. You can get your PR card for your family and yourself in about 6 months, and it is a great ticket to the Great White North. Its total cost is around USD 3000 (including all fees), but it is not all due upfront.
Challenges: If you don’t meet the three main requirements mentioned above, then it is a bit of a risk to apply in this category. However, the government doesn’t take any fees until you’re pulled into the “accepted” list, so there’s never any harm in applying.
Permanent Residency through Family Sponsorship
If you have a wife, or brother/sister/parent in Canada, you’re in luck! They may be able to sponsor you if they are your spouse or if they have no first degree relatives who are Canadian citizens.
Challenges: This is a pretty low risk category but the time it takes is excessively long. Some applications can take a year or more.
Refugee/Asylee Class
This applies only to a select class of people, who face life threatening discrimination, or are fleeing armed conflict. The process will vary on a case to case basis.
Challenges: Can be a very long process sometimes. Some countries have waiting times of almost 8 years! One wonders what the point would be in even applying in certain cases.
Study!
This category has the most opportunities perhaps. All the candidate has to do is gain acceptance into a university or college, ensure they have the funds to pay their bills, and a pathway to a future in Canada opens up. This includes the opportunity to sponsor your family in Canada, gain a work permit, and eventually naturalize.
Challenges: Be prepared to shell out approximately USD 5000 per annum minimum on tuition fees, and be sure you have the bank balance to prove that you can pay for your studies. All in all, this option costs about USD 10–12000, at minimum (though it's not all payable at once). The key to success is having a good bank balance.
Visit, Do Business, Search for a Job
Though visiting Canada and applying for jobs is not necessarily a violation of the terms of one’s visa, if you mention this on your application, it’ll almost certainly get denied (so don’t mention it to IRCC if you want to do this!). However, as a signatory to the General Agreement for Trade in Services (GATS), Canada allows citizens of most countries to come to Canada and do business freely. In addition, most visit visas are granted for 5 years on a multiple re-entry basis. So, there are opportunities to test the waters with a visit visa.
Challenges: Canadian visit visas are heavily scrutinized and routinely rejected. Applicants must ensure that they have a good amount of cash in the bank to show the government, and strong ties to their country of residence. This includes proof of ownership of property, letters from your employer, family members you are leaving behind, and evidence of your travel history. Also, if you are planning on searching for a job, most provinces (barring the maritime provinces, being Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick etc), require a Labor Market Impact Assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada. This means, you can only receive the job offer if the offer is certified with an LMIA, which basically indicates to the Canadian Immigration authorities that hiring a “foreigner” will not impact the labor market, by reducing opportunities for Permanent Residents or Canadian Citizens.
Job offer and Work Permit
Though this is more rare, certain workers, such as seasonal agricultural workers, those recruited by Canadian companies with staffing shortages, or caregivers, may receive a work permit prior to entering Canada.
Challenges: One will have to find the job before arriving in Canada. This is extremely rare, and difficult to achieve. Till date, we have not seen one such case like this.
NAFTA Visas and CETA Visas
North Americans and European workers and business people have the opportunity to work without an LMIA, and as freely as citizens or permanent residents (with a work permit)! This is under various treaties signed between Canada and the EU/North American countries.
Challenges: These treaties apply to certain professions, and lead to the issuance of temporary visas which need to be renewed.
Invest, do Business
If you’re interested in investing in Canadian business, and have the means, there are pathways open to business people in various provinces. There are opportunities for temporary residence, as well as permanent residency.
Challenges: You have to show a detailed business plan, and show proof of funds to the government. Some provinces even require a deposit of cash. The amount you need to even consider this, goes into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Conclusions
So in a nutshell, these are the ways to get to Canada in the current political climate (though the list may not be exhaustive). With an election this year, things can change! so be sure to watch this space.