How to Immigrate to Canada – 3 Popular Ways to Move to Canada

There are several ways to immigrate to Canada – in fact, there are so many ways that it can be confusing just deciding how to immigrate to Canada at all. The first step, and sometimes hardest, in your immigration journey is to define the best immigration path according to your profile.

In this post you will learn about the basics of Canadian immigration, a brief explanation about the different statuses and permits in Canada,  the 3 most common ways to move to Canada and how COVID-19 is affecting the immigration process.

The 3 Statuses and Types of Visas in Canada

There is a lot of confusion over the different kinds of statuses and visas in Canada, mainly because a lot of terms are used interchangeably. For example, a visa and permit are usually the same thing.

Generally speaking, there are 3 types of Canadian statuses:

• Temporary (student, worker, visitor): This is the “ground level”, or lowest level of immigration status in Canada. It’s important to mention that under temporary status, your activities in Canada will be limited to the type of visa/permit you get. For example, you will not be allowed to work full time on a study permit or study on a work permit. These temporary visas are also often called permits (or vice versa), so you may here of a study visa/permit, work visa/permit, etc.
• Permanent resident (PR): The next “level up” in Canadian immigration is getting your permanent resident status, which gives you more flexibility on your activities in Canada. As a PR, you can work for any company, study in any program and gain other rights that you don’t have under temporary status.
• Citizenship: It’s the last step on the immigration ladder. To be eligible to become a Canadian citizen, you must meet some requirements, including: (a) be a permanent resident; (b) have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years; (c) have filed your taxes (if required to).

3 Popular Ways to Move to Canada

Option 1: Express Entry

Express Entry (EE) is the system used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to process permanent resident applications for skilled workers. To learn more specifics about the program, you can read our extended guide on Express Entry here. Some key details about EE:

• It is an online-only process and benefits from quicker than normal PR processing (as little as 4-6 months)
• You will be able to live anywhere in Canada (although technically you should not be planning to settle in Quebec)

What you’ll need to start:

• Language exam – You will need a language exam, even if English or French is your first language. You can find the language tests accepted by the Canadian government here. Be aware that your test results must be valid (less than two years old) by the time you apply for your permanent residence.
• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) – If you got your degree from outside Canada, you will need to have your education assessed. An ECA is the official name for the process of verifying your foreign diploma or certificate to confirm validity and equivalence to a Canadian qualification. Find more information on how to get your education assessed here.

Considering it is a points based system, it may be a promising option if:

• You have Canadian work experience: Those with foreign work experience only may struggle to get a high enough score unless you meet one of the following two options;
• You have a graduate or Canadian degree: Unless you have more than a bachelor’s degree (master’s, professional degree, PhD, etc.), you will have a hard time meeting the EE score requirements, unless you obtained your degree from inside Canada; or
• You have a job offer – A job offer may be the way to get a lot extra points on your CRS score for Express Entry or allow you to be nominated under some of the PNPs – which allows you to get bonus points too.

Costs:

Here are some of the basic costs of applying for EE, and you can also check our full guide on the costs of EE here:

• Government filing fee: $1,325 CAD (more if you’re including family members)
• English/French exam: Prices are going to vary by country and type of exam, but you should budget $200-300 CAD
• College/university degree assessment: ~$150 CAD (again depending on country)
• Other fees (translating documents, medical exam, etc.): ~$200 CAD

To get a full guide on calculating your score and starting the EE process, sign up for the free Visto portal.

Option 2: Study Permit as an International Student

Studying in Canada has become even more popular in recent years, and IRCC is welcoming it. In 2015, IRCC approved 219,000 study permits – and in 2019, they approved almost double that amount for a total of 402,000. This is a very good sign for those interested in studying in Canada.

The study permit is also a smooth path to permanent residency, since you will get extra points towards Express Entry when you get a Canadian degree. In most cases, once you graduate you will be eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP), a type of work permit that allows you to work in Canada after you graduate – and earning Canadian work experience gives you even more points for EE.

Difficulties on getting a study permit may include:

• Getting an approval letter from a College or University: depending on your previous degrees, grades and/or work experience, it may be easier or harder to get an approval letter from a Canadian college or university. Make sure to check out our full guide on how to get a letter of acceptance here to learn more.
• Finances/costs: International tuition can be very costly, so you may or may not be able to afford it. Make sure to look into the specific funds required to get a study permit, and also consider that you may be allowed to work part-time while studying in Canada which can help reduce the financial burden.

If you’re serious about studying in Canada, check out our full guide to the study permit here.

Option 3: Get a Work Permit as an International Worker

Getting sponsored by a Canadian company is another way to move to Canada, through what’s called a closed work permit. A closed work permit is an option if you’re able to land a job with a Canadian company that is willing to sponsor you, usually by applying for what’s called a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The LMIA allows you to apply for a closed work permit so you can work in Canada for that specific company only.

Getting a closed work permit can lead to a smooth path to PR (depending on your EE profile) because just getting a closed work permit will gain you a minimum of 50 points for EE, and because any Canadian work experience of 1 or more years gets you more points as well.

Opportunities: Getting sponsored by a Canadian company can be challenging, however, it may be promising if:

• You work in a high demand industry (such as tech or healthcare)
• You have connections with a Canadian company that may sponsor you
• You work for a company that has offices in Canada, and they’d be willing to transfer you to a Canadian office

Make sure to check out our recent report on in-demand jobs in Canada here.

Bonus: Business Programs
If you’re a cofounder of a tech company, a long-time entrepreneur or high net worth individual these options might be good for you. Tech founders can look at the Startup Visa requirements, while other business owners or investors can look into the PNPs and the Owner-Operator LMIA.

Evaluate Your Options

Considering the 3 options provided above, evaluate the best option for you based on your own profile, skills, experience, or other factors that may apply. If you need even more in-depth information on each, you can also use our free immigration portal here.

Talk to a Professional

We know that there’s so much confusing information on the internet and it can be overwhelming when you are about to make a life-changing decision. An immigration professional can help you navigate the different options above, or point out a different path that you haven’t considered yet. Make sure to be very careful when choosing a professional to work with, due to the many poor service providers or scammers in the market.

You can also book a consultation with one of our reliable immigration lawyers in the Visto portal here.

The Visto Portal is completely free and will help you understand the basics of Canadian immigration – all in one place. Also, our new tool, Visto Qualify, is the first Canadian immigration calculator that will check your eligibility for more than 65 Canadian immigration programs – including Express Entry, work permit, all PNPs, AIPP, etc. Make sure to check it out, and we will be happy to help you on every step of your immigration journey!