Canadian visa for Colombians is within your reach. When it comes to getting one, you need a valid passport and a few more documents and you are good to go. This visa, if taken for work and temporary residence in Canada, can lead to you becoming a Canadian citizen and a permanent resident, taken that you have spent enough time in Canada and are still admissible. You, as the principal applicant, have a variety of Canadian immigration programs to apply for and be on your way to Canada in as little as six months with some programs.

All Colombian citizens who want to immigrate to Canada from Colombia can do so through any program offered to them. Regular migration pathways are enriched with some programs and bilateral agreements which make immigration from Latin America to Canada even easier, and the online process for most programs means that you can optimize, make the application process shorter, and make it work around your schedule.

Not only that, but most programs also allow your spouse or a common-law partner to come with you. If not, you can travel alone, and then bring in your family members, for as long as they are foreign nationals, even though they may be living with you in Canada on a TRV Visa. You can also apply for a study permit, not only a work permit, and use this official document to get some work experience and use that to stay in Canada permanently later on.

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Community of Colombians in Canada

This is the pathway that hundreds of thousands of Colombians have used to move to Canada. Through the official Canadian visa application center, or by using pre-arrival services to help them find their way in Canada even before moving there themselves, many have managed to get permanent residence in this beautiful country and secure a good education and an even better healthcare system for their family members. When it comes to irregular migration pathways (those used less often), they are here to make immigration to Canada easier, not more difficult.

All this has led to the creation of a Colombian community within Canada. Even today, the provinces of Ontario and Quebec are very popular for Colombians to move to. You do not have to leave behind your rich culture and Latino heritage just to have a better life for yourself and your family. It is important to note that you can find many friends in other parts of Canada as well, and being distant from your mother country can only make the friendships made in Canada stronger.

There are over 43,000 Colombians who moved to Canada from 2006 to 2015 alone. This 10-year period is a strong indicator of how many people from Colombia want to move to Canada. The approximately 4,500 immigrants moving from Colombia to Canada per year were only reduced by the pandemic from 2020 and 2021, but we can already see that the normal migration patterns are resuming. So, moving to Canada will not rid you of your roots, but could help enrich your international experience instead.

Do Colombians Need a Visa for Canada?

This being said the Canadian visa for Colombians is a necessary document. As Colombia is not a visa-exempt country, simply using eTA for travel purposes to Canada is not enough. You will need to gather some 10 documents to make your application at the nearest visa application center, and you will need to make the application in person. You will also need to present an eligible travel document and be able to provide information on your method of travel, travel history, and the purpose of your visit – as even the TRV needs to know for what reason you plan to visit Canada.

The most commonly taken visa is the TRV – Temporary Residence Visa. This type of visa is so popular because it allows you to stay in Canada for a period of up to six months and it allows you to choose your day of travel and return, within six months. This type of visa also costs very little, CAD100, without any additional fees that you may have to pay to travel to the visa center or to gather some documents.

This is also a preferred visa type among Colombians because the TRV allows you to travel for short business purposes. After all, many who plan to move to Canada permanently may find getting Canadian work visas a bit difficult, so using a TRV to get accustomed to the country and be sure that this is where you would like to work could be a good option for many to try out and see whether they could live in the country or not.

Some youngsters also use this visa to travel for tourist purposes. If they happen to like Canada and the way of life there, they can go for a Canadian study visa or a study permit upon their return to Canada. The entry requirements are very easy to satisfy, with a notable exception of significant financial funds that they may need to gather to prove that they can support themselves during their stay in Canada. When it comes to the temporary resident visa, this is truly a great document to apply for, especially as you will be able to satisfy additional entry requirements and go through the processing faster when you apply for another type of visa.

Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Work Permit

The Canada-Colombia free trade agreement work permit allows Colombians to move to Canada if they are professional workers or technicians working in deficient professions – those that the agreement should cover when it comes to manpower from Colombia. When it comes to these, the prerequisites are a bit easier than with some other immigration programs:

  • you should be a Colombian citizen
  • alternatively, you can also be a Colombian permanent resident
  • you should be a professional with education in one of the eligible occupations and have some work experience
  • you should be entering Canada to work in a pre-arranged work position (you should have a valid job offer)

This program is intended for highly educated individuals who work in positions that in Canada would be classified as TEER 0 in the NOC system. You should also have a lot of specialized knowledge in the area. Work experience in the area is also a big plus. The areas that are accepted should all need a four-year college or University degree.

Here are some examples of professions that you should be employed in to be eligible for the CCoFTA:

  • Civil Engineering Technologist
  • Civil Engineering Technician
  • Industrial Engineering and Manufacturing Technologist
  • Machinist supervisor
  • Mining and Quarrying supervisor
  • Food supervisor
  • Tobacco Processing supervisor
  • Plastic and Rubber Product supervisor
  • Forest Product Processing supervisor
  • Textile Processing supervisor
  • Electrical Trades supervisor
  • Carpentry Trades supervisor
  • Mechanic Trades supervisor
  • Heavy Construction Equipment Crew supervisor
  • Telecommunications supervisor
  • Electricians
  • Plumbers
  • Interior Designers
  • Chefs

This list is, by no means, extensive. Many more occupations are eligible for the program.

How to Immigrate to Canada from Colombia?

However, the CCoFTA is not the only way that you can immigrate to Canada from Colombia. There are many more entry document types, and your active passport can provide you with more opportunities to move to Canada than you have previously thought. So, do Colombians need visas for Canada? Yes, they do, but this is not a problem – in fact, it could be an opportunity. Here are the different ways that you can use when migrating to Canada:

  • Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (CCoFTA)
  • Express Entry
  • PNP – Provincial Nominee Programs
  • Study Permits

As we have covered the CCoFTA, the Express Entry is the next on the list. The Express Entry is not a single immigration program. Quite on the contrary, this is a platform that hosts three other basic immigration streams to Canada:

  • the FST – the Federal Skilled Trades Program
  • the FSW – the Federal Skilled Worker Program
  • the CEC – the Canadian Experience Class program

Each of these has its own prerequisites and eligibility criteria, as well as its necessary documents to make the application in the first place. As all of these depend on your country of nationality, it is necessary to check the eligibility criteria for each of them separately and make sure to specify what country you come from. For as long as you have a Colombian passport, the rest is a breeze, especially for those who are willing to work and invest in themselves.

Express Entry is one of the most popular ways to immigrate to Colombia, and what makes the program so popular is that it allows for very fast processing of your immigration application by the government of Canada. This is achieved by using a two-step application process and by only having you gather the documents and submit the application once the Canada immigration services are sure that you can pass based on the self-reported information provided.

Another popular option to immigrate to Canada is the PNP program. Some of these are available on the Express Entry platform and they are a result of the specific needs that individual provinces may have. These programs are easy to apply for, and we would recommend you apply through the Express Entry platform. This way, you can simply tick the boxes next to the provinces that you would like to live and work in.

The last option for Colombians who would like to migrate to Canada is the study permit. These permits are issued to all who would like to study in Canada and then take this knowledge back to their country of origin. When it comes to the study programs themselves, you will need to secure a spot in one before making an application for the study permit, as applying for it if you have not been accepted by a Canadian DLI (Designated Learning Institution) will result in a rejection.

So, only a handful of countries can travel to Canada using this many options. Economic pathways, business pathways, and many more await those willing to invest their time and effort to move to Canada. Besides these, Colombians can also use:

  • Canada Entrepreneur Visa
  • Canada Investor Visa
  • Canada Super Visa for parents and grandparents
  • Family Sponsorship Programs
  • TRV for temporary visits to Canada
  • Intra-Company Transfer Work Permits

Check Out How to Immigrate from Colombia to Canada:

How Does Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) Work?

We’ve explained, in essence, what a PNP (a Provincial Nominee Program) is. But how do they work? Well, after you have submitted your application through the Express Entry platform, your application will stay in the pool of candidates for up to a year. During this time, and approximately once every two weeks, the system will pull the best candidates present in the pool at that moment. Once the EE draw is over, the PNP programs can screen the candidates for those that they may be seeking.

And if you happen to be one of the lucky candidates, your information will be pulled from the system, based on the current preferences of a particular province. You will be issued a PNP status (you will become a provincial nominee), and you will get an ITA – Invitation to Apply. You will also receive 600 CRS points and will be very likely to receive your PR, as there are only 1,200 CRS points that a candidate could get. When it comes to the PR (Permanent Residence), the application for this will have to be submitted separately from the PNP application, and you will need to do that on your own.

Remember, while the PNP programs are a great solution for those who would like to immigrate to Canada, they are drawn to a specific profession that is deemed a priority at that moment. In case you do not get drawn for a long time, this does not mean that your profile is not attractive. Quite on the contrary, you may just have to wait for a longer time. You can use this time to secure a better profile for yourself, by working on your language skills or getting more experience in your field.

How To Study in Canada as an International Student From Colombia?

If you would like to study in Canada and use your time in Canada to work as well, there is a program for that as well. The Direct Student Stream allows you to make an application that generally takes 20 days or less to process. When it comes to the application form, you will need to make sure that you are accepted into a DLI – Designated Learning Institution.

This has to be a Canadian college or University. Once you have been accepted, you will need to pay your first year of tuition fees. As they can get a bit high (still among the cheapest among the developed countries), you can also look for scholarships and grants and use this money for the payment. What you need to do next is to gather all the required documents, an official proof of you being able to support yourself during your stay in Canada (your or your parent’s bank statement is usually enough) and you need to present them all.

Make sure that the application is complete – essential services that deal with them will prolong or decline the processing of incomplete applications or those that seem to be falsified. Once in Canada, you can start looking for a job, but you can only start working from the first day of school. When the classes are in session, you can work a maximum of 20 hours a week, and when you are on a break, you can work full-time. Remember, you can use this work experience when you later apply for a permanent residence. When it comes to finishing your studies or graduating, you can also receive a PGWP – Post Graduation Work Permit for a period of up to three years, or shorter, if your study program is shorter. This is a great immigration pathway that many talented youngsters take.

What are the Advantages of Migrating to Canada

Needless to say, there are many advantages to moving to Canada. When moving, it is important to understand that many things will be different, not necessarily better when compared to your old country. However, this could be a big advantage for you, as Canada has a lot to offer. When it comes to the biggest advantages that Canada can offer to somebody for Colombia, they are:

  • good job opportunities
  • affordable healthcare
  • low crime rate
  • great educational system
  • good social welfare programs
  • beautiful outdoors

Job Opportunities

Canada jobs for Colombians are many and open all the time – this is one of the reasons why so many Colombians live and work in Canada, and even become dual citizens. When it comes to job opportunities, there are many, and one of the biggest advantages that just about anyone from Colombia can see is a stable labour market, where their rights are respected and where they are paid livable wages. Some of the most in-demand jobs in Canada are:

  • Accountants
  • Account managers
  • Aircraft plots
  • Consultants
  • Cashiers
  • College instructors
  • Vocational instructors
  • Cooks
  • Developers
  • Drivers
  • General labourers
  • Managers in human resources
  • Project managers
  • Receptionists
  • Sales associates

Affordable Healthcare

Colombian immigrants in Canada can also enjoy the benefit of having access to affordable healthcare. When it comes to these plans, it is clear that this can make life for immigrants much easier and that these healthcare plans can also protect them while they are at work. Canada has universal healthcare, meaning that their services are available to everyone in the country, for as long as they make their arrangements with the insurance house or agency. When it comes to accessing it, this is as simple as paying a visit to the doctor – all the payments are made automatically, and you barely ever have to take your wallet out.

Low Crime Rate

Canada is also a very safe country. When it comes to this, it is clear that Canada has a very safe society, as any crimes and offences are taken care of in the shortest term possible. However, this safety comes at its price – better-integrating immigrants are less likely to commit any crimes or offences and their PR status and their visas are more likely to be accepted or approved again. When it comes to those who do not fit in very well, drink and drive, have no respect for legal boundaries, etc., their visa application is less likely to be approved. At the same time, you will need to take out a police clearance certificate when making an application for a Canadian visa and you will need to have it for every country that you have lived in for a period longer than 6 months ever since you were 18 years of age.

Great Educational System

So, how to immigrate to Canada from Colombia to enjoy the benefits of a great educational system? By simply moving there and becoming a Canadian permanent resident or citizen, your children will gain access to the Canadian educational system. When it comes to this one, they will have a chance to attend school just like any other child would – and all of it at no cost up to the level of post-secondary education. Life for migrants in Canada is a simple one – no paperwork hassle, no additional payments, and no headaches – for as long as their status is legal.

Social Welfare Programs

Canada is a great country to live in and work in as well. We can see that with the educational example, but the same goes for other social services. Canada believes in equity, not only equality, so those who need assistance do get it. If you are on social assistance, you can even sponsor your family members to come to Canada and offer everyday and emotional support – possible only to those receiving assistance for reasons of disability.

Beautiful Outdoors

Canada is a beautiful country, that goes without saying. Canada has something to offer to everybody, including its natural wonders. Canada is famous for its many lakes, mountains, rivers, access to three oceans, and even different climate zones in different parts of the country. The flora and fauna are also amazingly rich and varied from mixed-type forests in the south, towards the US, to taigas and permafrost landscapes up north. There is truly something for everybody, and if the weather is a concern for you, you may want to consider living on the coast or in the vicinity of the Great Lakes – these massive bodies of water cool during the summer and heat the surrounding landscape during the winter.

Canada Jobs for Colombians

Considering that there are many federal programs and provincial programs for you to immigrate to Canada, it would be a shame not to use one of them if you plan on moving to Canada. Foreign worker programs are also many and they allow you to seek a job once in Canada or to find one using your network of people before even applying for a program.

Finding a job in Canada is easy. Job Bank Canada allows you access to thousands of job offers after a simple online application form has been submitted, and social networks and LinkedIn allow you to search on your own. You can even set up an appointment in advance and discuss your work contract with your potential employer before setting anything up.

Not only that, but you can also use intra-company transfers to secure you get access to Canadian soil without even looking for a job. With these programs, you can easily move to Canada, although mostly temporarily and you can then ensure that you stay in the Canadian branch of your company by providing excellent service and being a valuable worker.

FAQs

Can a Friend Sponsor Me to Canada?

No, your friends cannot sponsor your arrival to Canada. You can be sponsored by your children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, and in some cases, by your siblings or even extended family members. In addition to this, you can make a Canada visa application on your own, but bear in mind that, although friends can provide financial and logistic support on your way to immigrating to Canada, they cannot sponsor you.

What Is TRV and eTA?

TRV and eTA are two different documents, issued for different purposes. When it comes to the TRV, this is a Temporary Resident Visa and it is issued to all who would like to travel to Canada for reasons of professional or tourist nature and would like to stay there for a period no longer than 180 days. An eTA, on the other hand, is an electronic Travel Authorization, a document that is issued to those coming from visa-exempt countries who would like to visit Canada. It costs CAD7 and is processed within 5 minutes from the application itself.

How Can I Legally Move to Canada from Cambodia?

There are many ways to move to Canada from Cambodia. Canada is very easy to immigrate to. There are several programs available, depending on the purpose of your visit to Canada. If you would like to study there, you can get a study permit. If, on the other hand, you would like to work, Express Entry, PNP programs, LMIA work permits, intra-company transfers, and even PGWP for past Cambodian students in Canada are all available to you.

What Is the Easiest Visa to Canada if You’re from Cambodia?

The easiest visa to get to Canada if you are from Cambodia would be any visa available on the Express Entry. They are easy to set up, the first cycle of application is self-reported and you only need to gather documents when you have received your ITA – Invitation to Apply. When it comes to the cheapest visa, that would be the TRV, with CAD100 as the processing fee.

Final Thoughts

Moving to Canada can be a big step. For this reason, you need to be prepared. You will need to make sure you have enough funds, all the necessary documents, sufficient and appropriate education, and language skills high enough to help you prepare for the move and the visa application process itself. If you are from Colombia and are looking for a way to move to Canada, you can do that by following our guide and ensuring that you get to make an informed, educated decision on the best type of visa for your immigration to Canada.