Canada leads the world in welcoming immigrants. In fact, part of the Canadian identity rests on bringing in highly skilled immigrants as a way to continue to improve the brain power of the country and increase diversity. While Canada is very open to immigrants, it is not necessarily simple to immigrate to Canada, even if you are just traveling a few miles from the United States.
Like any other first world country, Canada has a strict policy for immigration. Fortunately, following the necessary steps and allowing ample time for the necessary paperwork will often lead to a successful transition.
Moving to Canada on a permanent basis will require following one of the multiple paths available for permanent residency. The paths are separated by the type of work you plan to perform and your personal credentials including education and your financial background. The more educated and financially strong your background, the more likely your immigration to Canada will be seamless.
Express Entry
The most common means of permanent residency is through an application for the skilled worker class. Prior to 2015, this was called the Federal Skilled Worker Program, but the process is now called Express Entry. To qualify for Express Entry you must meet many criteria regarding your education and work experience.
In addition you must also be legally admissible to Canada. Some factors like legal convictions will make your ineligible to enter Canada, regardless of other factors. To a certain extent the economic climate of Canada will influence your ability to use this program. Finally, you must also plan to settle outside of the province of Quebec.
Education Credential Assessment
To apply for express entry, your first step will be an Educational Credential Assessment, or ECA, of your completed foreign educational credentials. The ECA will verify that your diploma, college degree, certificates and other credentials are both valid and equivalent to the same credential in Canada. If you don’t have a Canadian diploma or degree, your ECA report must show your US-based education is equal to the degrees and diplomas in Canada.
Work Experience
The next step will be to examine your skilled work experience. Canada expects immigrants to have at least 1,560 hours of full or part-time paid work in the previous year in the same job. You must also show that the work you completed during this time fits the description of the occupation in Canada as well.
Language
To be considered for express entry, you must also meet the minimum level of the Canadian Language Benchmark in either French or English. This test assesses your abilities in language while speaking, listening, reading and writing. Even if you pass the test for entry, potential immigrants are warned that their language skills may not be as developed as necessary for employment in Canada.
Your Immigration Score
If your work history and your education criteria are suitable under the minimum requirements for Express Entry, you will be given a score out of 100 for six selection factors. The higher your score on this matrix, the more likely you will be granted permission to move to Canada. Currently the “passing” score on this point system is 67 points. The factors considered are:
- Your language skills in either English or French
- Your educational background and degrees
- Your work experience
- Your age
- Whether you already have a job offer waiting in Canada
- How likely you are to settle in Canada for the long term.
Financial Evidence
One of the last hurdles to clear for the Express Entry program is demonstrating that you have enough money to support yourself and your family in Canada. This means you cannot walk into Canada with a few dollars in your pocket and hope for the best. The only exceptions would individuals who are currently able to work legally in Canada thanks to previous work visas or arrangements and individuals who already have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada.
Determining a Principal Applicant
Finally, if you are married or live with a common-law partner, one of you must apply as the principal applicant for your family. It is best for the individual with the most impressive credentials to apply as the principal applicant to give both of you the best opportunity for a smooth immigration process.
Regulated Occupations
If you work in a regulated occupation, such as electrician, engineers and architects, you will have additional steps in your immigration process. Regulated professions are controlled by provincial and territorial laws. These fields are also governed by a regulatory body or perhaps an apprenticeship authority. About 20 percent of the jobs in Canada are regulated, and they are carefully monitored to protect public health and safety.
To work in a regulated occupation and use the traditional title in your field, you must have a license or certificate in the field. You may also be registered with the regulatory body in the province or territory where you plan to work. Each regulatory body will have its own criteria and necessary steps for a Canadian license or certificate.
If you are immigrating and work in a regulated occupation, you must investigate the regulatory body for your field and determine what additional assessments will be needed. This process will officially recognize your credentials as part of the immigration process. You can expect questions about licensing and work experience as well as some mandatory fees for the processing of your application.
If you are entering Canada in a regulated field, your application process will likely include:
- A thorough examination of your training and skills compared to the profession’s recognized standards. Your educational documentation including transcripts and course descriptions will be compared to Canadian equivalents as well.
- An interview or a written examination to determine knowledge and experience.
- An evaluation of your language skills in either English or French to determine your ability to communicate at a professional level.
- A period of work where you will be supervised and monitored.
It is important to realize that immigrating to Canada in a regulated field is a very individualized experience. Your personal situation and the expectations of the providence or territory you plan to move into will be considered in isolation to others seeking entry to the country. There is not a set checklist or any form of guaranteed admission.
There are similar entry criteria for occupations that are non-regulated, but still require applicants be registered or certified by professional associations. In some cases a credential assessment agency can be paid to assess your skills and competence in a field. This information can be included on your resume to ease the job-finding process.
Family Sponsorship
If you already have family living in Canada, you may be eligible to take advantage of the Family Sponsorship program. Close relatives who have a Canadian citizenship or permanent residency qualifications may sponsor close individuals in their family. This program is not good for extended family members such as cousins, but does allow close, specific relatives an opportunity to immigrate to Canada. The Family Sponsorship program extends to spouses, partners, parents, grandparents, children and certain dependents.
Becoming a Canadian Citizen
If your application is accepted through any of Canada’s immigration programs, you will be invited to apply for a Permanent Resident Card. This starts a new round of application processes, but you will have fewer steps at least as your eligibility will already be determined. After the application and processing time, you will be sent a Canadian Permanent Resident Card.
As a permanent resident, you will eligible for benefits and employment in Canada. Should you wish to become a Canadian citizen, you will need to meet additional requirements. Applying for Canadian citizenship requires you be at least 18 years old and proficient in English or French. You must also pass a test on Canadian society and the systems of government in the country. You must also:
- Have a Permanent Resident Card in good standing.
- Have resided in Canada for 1460 days of the previous six years.
- Been physically present in the country for 183 days in each of the previous four out of six years.
- File your income taxes correctly in the previous four out of six days.
- Declare your intent to reside in Canada.
- Not have an indictable criminal offense in the four previous years.
- Not be in prison or on probation.