Over the past few years, Canada has become the most favourite immigration destination for aspirants from across the world. Canada considers immigration as pivotal for supporting the country’s economic growth and sustaining a healthy population growth. As per the Immigration Levels Plan of Canada for 2021-23, the country will be welcoming more than 1.2 million new immigrants during these three years. If you are thinking about migrating to Canada, this is the right time to start the process. Now let’s check out the best ways to immigrate to Canada and find out the best one for you.
Express Entry
Express entry is one of the fastest and best ways to immigrate to Canada. Under Express Entry, Canada chooses candidates based on their ability to contribute towards the Canadian economy for permanently settling in the country. The Program manages applications for immigration under three economic immigration programs, which are:
Besides, provinces and territories select candidates from the Express Entry pool based on their labour market needs.
Federal Skilled Worker Program
The Program targets skilled workers who have foreign work experience and want to settle permanently in Canada.
To be eligible under this Program, the candidates need to meet minimum requirements for skilled work experience, language ability, and education.
Skilled Work Experience
- Skilled Work Experience in one of the occupations classified under National Occupational Classification (NOC) O, A or B.
- Continuous, paid work experience in one of the occupations, acquired within the past ten years. The experience can be in a full-time job or equivalent part-time job/s.
Language ability
- Language ability equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)7 in English or French, in all the four abilities— writing, reading, listening and speaking.
- The results should not be older than two years and must remain valid when applying for permanent residence.
Education
A certificate, diploma from a secondary institution or post-secondary institution in Canada or abroad. If the candidate has earned his credentials from outside Canada, they must have their Educational Credential Assessment done If a candidate meets these minimum requirements, they will be assessed based on the following factors:
- Age
- Education
- Work experience
- Job offer
- Language skills
- Adaptability
Based on this assessment, the candidate will be awarded a score out of 100. A candidate needs to score at least 67 to be eligible under the Program.
Federal Skilled Trades Program
The Federal Skilled Trades Program is the best ways to Immigrate to Canada for skilled workers who are qualified in a skilled trade. The requirements are,
- Meet the required level of language proficiency(CLB 5 for speaking and listening. CLB 4 for reading and writing)
- At least two years of full-time work experience in a skilled trade earned within the past five years
- Meet the job requirements for the skilled trade specified in the National Occupational Classification
- A full-time valid job offer for at least one year
- Certificate of qualification in their skilled trade, issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.
Canadian Experience Class
Canadian Experience Class is a pathway for skilled workers with Canadian work experience to become permanent residents in the country. Eligibility requirements are listed below
- Language proficiency equal to CLB 7 for NOC 0 or A jobs and CLB 5 for NOC B jobs.
- At least one year of skilled work experience in Canada acquired within the last three years
- Canadian work experience under temporary resident status with a valid work permit.
Provincial Nominee Programs
Provincial Nominee Programs have a prominent place among the best ways to immigrate to Canada. Each of the Provincial Nominee Programs aims to nominate foreign workers who have the skills, education, and work experience to contribute to that particular Province’s economy to become permanent residents in Canada. The Provincial Nominee Programs have separate streams for students, business people, skilled workers, and semi-skilled workers.
There are two types of the application process for Provincial Nominee Programs– paper-based and online-based. Online-based applications are mainly for Express Entry-aligned PNP streams. There are two types of Express Entry PNP process, first, an Express Entry candidate applying to the Province for a nomination, and second the Province selecting candidates from the Express Entry pool and sending them a notification of interest.
As part of the process, the applicant needs to undergo a medical exam and obtain a police clearance certificate.
The Provincial Nominee Programs of different provinces and territories are as follows:
Alberta
The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program(AINP) targets candidates who can fill labour shortages in the Province or plan to run a business in the Province. The streams under AINP are:
- Streams for workers
- Alberta Opportunity Stream
- Alberta Express Entry Stream
- Streams for entrepreneurs
- International Graduate Entrepreneur
- Self-employed Farmer Stream
- Foreign Graduate Start-Up Visa Stream
British Columbia
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program allows high-demand foreign workers and experienced entrepreneurs to settle permanently in the Province. BC PNP Pathways are
- Skills Immigration
- Skilled Worker
- International Graduate
- Entry-level or semi-skilled worker
- Healthcare professional
- International Graduate
- Express Entry BC
- EEBC-Skilled Worker
- EEBC-International Graduate
- EEBC-Healthcare Professional
- EEBC-International Post-graduate
- Entrepreneur Immigration
- Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot
- Entrepreneur Immigration base category
BC PNP regularly conducts Tech Pilot draws to expedite the immigration of people with tech skills. This is one of the best ways to immigrate to Canada for tech skills and experience in a tech job.
Manitoba
Through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP), recent graduates, skilled workers, and business people can migrate to the Province with their families.
The MPNP Pathways are:
- Skilled Workers in Manitoba
- Skilled Workers Overseas
- International Education Stream-Career Employment Pathway
- International Education Stream- Graduate Internship Pathway
- International Education Stream- International Student Entrepreneur Pilot
- Business Investor Stream-Entrepreneur Pathway
- Business Investor Stream-Farm Investor Pathway
New Brunswick
The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program(NBPNP) nominates eligible candidates who have the ability to establish themselves in the Province economically. The pathways under NBPNP are:
- New Brunswick Skilled Worker Stream
- New Brunswick Express Entry Stream
- New Brunswick Business Immigration Stream
- New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream for French-Speaking immigrants
- Atlantic Immigration Pilot for New Brunswick Employers
Newfoundland and Labrador
The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program(NLPNP) allows the Province to nominate qualified skilled workers, international graduates and entrepreneurs to settle permanently in the Province with their families.
The NLPNP categories for immigration are:
- Express Entry Skilled Worker
- International Graduate
- International Entrepreneur
- International Graduate Entrepreneur
Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories Nominee Program has two options—Business Stream and Employer-Driven Stream. Business Stream is for those who want to open or purchase or invest in Northwest Territories. Employer-Driven Stream is for candidates who have a job offer from a Northwest Territories employer.
Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia Nominee Program aims to nominate candidates with skills and experience in demand in the Province for permanent residence. The various streams under NSNP are:
- Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities
- Labour Market Priorities for Physicians
- Physician
- Entrepreneur
- International Graduate Entrepreneur
- Skilled Worker
- Occupations in Demand
- Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry
Ontario
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) aims to support the Province’s employers by facilitating the immigration of foreign workers and international students who can meet the labor market needs of the Province. The OINP has three major immigration categories: Human Capital Category, Employer Job Offer Category, and Business Immigration Category.
The Streams under Human Capital Category are:
- Express Entry French-speaking Skilled Worker Stream
- Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream
- Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream
- Masters Graduate Stream
- PhD Graduate Stream
Streams under Employer Job Offer Category:
- Foreign Worker Stream
- International Student Stream
- In-demand Skills Stream
- Regional Immigration Pilot
Entrepreneur Stream is the only Stream under Business Category.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program selects candidates based on their ability to be economically established in the Province and their intention to live and work here.
The pathways for immigration under PEI PNP are:
For workers:
- PEI PNP Critical Workers Stream
- PEI PNP Skilled Workers outside Canada Stream
- PEI PNP International Graduates Stream
- PEI PNP Skilled Workers in PEI stream
- PEI Express Entry Stream
Entrepreneurs can apply to settle in Prince Edward Island through Work Permit Stream.
Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) aims to attract skilled workers, workers in sectors with labor shortages, workers with job offers, and entrepreneurs. The streams are divided into three categories:
- International Skilled Worker
- International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer
- International Skilled Worker: Express Entry
- International Skilled Worker: Occupation In-demand
- Saskatchewan Experience
- Saskatchewan Entrepreneur and Farm
- Saskatchewan Entrepreneur
- Saskatchewan Farm Owners and Operators
Yukon
You can immigrate to Yukon either as a worker under the Yukon Nominee Program or as an entrepreneur under the Yukon Business Nominee Program. The Streams under the Program are:
- Critical Impact Worker
- Skilled Worker
- Express Entry
- Yukon Community Program
Caregiver Program for Canada immigration
Caregiver programs are one of the best ways to immigrate to Canada for those who have the required qualifications and experience to apply under these programs. Caregivers have options to become permanent residents under the following programs:
- Home Child Care Provider
- Home Support Worker
- Live-in Caregiver
- Caring for Children
- Caring for People with High Medical Needs
- Interim Pathway for Caregivers
To apply for permanent residence under either the Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker program, you must have a job offer. These pilots give applicants an open work permit to come to Canada and work temporarily. This work permit is occupation-restricted, and it does not need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It allows you to earn work experience to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
The Live-in Caregiver Program is closed for new applicants. To apply under this Program, you need to have at least two years of work experience. The Caring for Children Program, Caring for People with High Medical Needs Program and Interim Pathway for Caregivers are closed now. But the applications submitted before the closing of the programs will continue to be processed.
Atlantic Immigration Pilot
Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are the four Atlantic Provinces of Canada. One of the prominent immigration routes to Canada, the pilot program aims to allow foreign workers who want to immigrate to Atlantic Canada and international graduates who want to stay in Atlantic Canada after their studies to become permanent residents. As this is an employer-driven program, it allows the employers in Atlantic Canada provinces to hire skilled foreign workers, in case they are unable to fill vacancies with local talent. To be eligible under the Program, the candidate must either be a recent graduate from a publicly funded higher education institution in Atlantic Canada or an eligible skilled worker. The candidate must also have received a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada.
The three programs under Atlantic Canada are:
- Atlantic International Graduate Program
- Atlantic High Skilled Program
- Atlantic Immediate-Skilled Program
The Canadian government is planning to make Atlantic Immigration Pilot a permanent program that will continue to complement the provincial nominee programs of Atlantic Provinces.
Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is a community-driven program that aims to help smaller communities enjoy the benefits of economic immigration. It allows skilled foreign workers who want to work and live in such communities to obtain permanent residence in Canada.
Applying for permanent residence under the Pilot involves four steps:
- Checking whether you meet both IRCC eligibility requirements and community-specific requirements.
- Finding an eligible job and obtaining a job offer.
- Applying for the recommendation of the community
- Applying for permanent residence
Each community has its eligibility requirements, job search process, and application process for community recommendation.
The participating communities are:
- North Bay, ON
- Sudbury, ON
- Timmins, ON
- Sault Ste. Marie, ON
- Thunder Bay, ON
- Brandon, MB
- Altona/Rhineland, MB
- Moose Jaw, SK
- Claresholm, AB
- Vernon, BC
- West Kootenay (Trail, Castlegar, Rossland, Nelson), BC
The above described are the major Canadian immigration routes. With the help of an expert Canadian immigration consultant, you can choose the best ways to immigrate to Canada. ImmiLaw Global, the best Canadian immigration consultant in Kerala, can guide you through the application process and realize your dream to settle in Canada with your family. Contact us now.
