immigrants

For Canada, welcoming newcomers from across the globe is a long-standing national tradition. Every year the country opens its borders to an estimated 250,000 immigrants. If your ultimate goal is to join them one day, you may wonder what the easiest way to migrate to Canada is.

The answer is: It depends. On you.

There isn’t a single way to come to Canada. For you, the easiest option is the one most compatible with your personal situation, which includes:

  • Family connections
  • Work skills
  • Personal net worth, and more.

There are visas aimed at wealthy investors, students, family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, self-employed artists, and more. Let’s take a closer look at the most popular ways of immigrating to Canada to see which one may be the most feasible for you.

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Business Visas

Business immigrants are those individuals who want to come to Canada to start or invest in a business and contribute to the strength and prosperity of the national economy.  Examples include:

  • The Entrepreneur Start-Up Visa Program: This program grants permanent residence to immigrant entrepreneurs. Successful applicants connect with Canadian organizations that will provide them with the guidance and funding needed to open and operate their businesses.
  • Provincial Nominee Programs: Some Canadian provinces nominate applicants for permanent residence under their dedicated business immigration programs. Examples include the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program aimed at farm establishment and the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program- Entrepreneur Stream, which is for business owners and senior managers.

Express Entry

One of the most commonly used ways of immigrating to Canada is the Express Entry system. If you are a skilled worker with the required levels of education and job experience, this can be an easy pathway to permanent residence and eventual citizenship. It’s also quick: If you qualify, the processing time is typically six months or less.

Express Entry manages applications for permanent residence under these federal programs:

Temporary Work Permit With Job Offerjob offer

Thousands of people come to Canada every year on temporary work permits. If you are a skilled and educated worker with a job offer from a Canadian employer, this option can be an ideal way to immigrate.

  • The process begins when your employer applies for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
  • If the ESDC is satisfied that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to do the job, the employer will send you the documentation needed to apply for a temporary work permit from the ESDC.
  • If your application is successful, the Canada Border Services Agency will issue your temporary work permit when you arrive in Canada.

Those with temporary work permits may eventually become permanent residents after living and working in Canada for three to five years.

Self-Employment

Canada has a Self-Employed Program aimed at those who have the professional experience to make a significant contribution to the athletic or cultural life of Canada. Examples of accepted occupations include:

  • Professional athletes
  • Musicians and singers
  • Dancers
  • Actors and comedians
  • Authors and writers
  • Film and video camera operators

If you have enjoyed significant artistic or athletic accomplishments at home, the Self-Employment program could enable you to use those abilities to enrich the Canadian athletic or cultural framework.

Spousal Sponsorship

What is the easiest way to go to Canada? Having a partner or spouse who is a Canadian citizen. Unless you are inadmissible to Canada for some reason, an intimate and committed relationship with a Canadian practically guarantees you permanent residence. For this reason, some aspiring immigrants enter into a sham marriage with a Canadian citizen – sometimes without their spouse ever realizing their dishonesty.

If you have a Canadian spouse or common-law partner, he or she can sponsor you for permanent residency. Eventually, you can qualify for citizenship if you were physically present in the country for at least 1,095 days in the five years before applying.

One thing to bear in mind: Immigration authorities are cracking down on fraudulent marriages, so be prepared for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to check up on you for around two years after you are approved.

Family Sponsorship

If you have an adult child who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, they can sponsor you through the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship program, which is a lottery-style system. You must fill out an application form whenever the program is open. If you are one of the 10,000 accepted applications, you may apply for your child to sponsor you.

Canadian Parentage

If one or both of your parents are Canadian citizens by birth or naturalization, you are a citizen by descent. You can apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate and start making travel plans!

Student Visa

If you can afford it, studying at a Canadian college or university is an easy way to migrate to Canada. Once you have completed your studies, you can apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP), which is valid for up to three years. After working in a skilled job or trade for at least one year, you may be able to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class.

Other options for international students who want to remain in Canada are the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, or the Provincial Nominee Program. Applicants are ranked through the Express Entry system, with extra points being awarded to those who have graduated from a Canadian college or university. If you receive one of the highest rankings in the Express Entry system, you will be invited to apply for permanent residency.

In Conclusion

The ideal way to migrate to Canada will depend on your situation. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Once you have a successful application and start building your life in one of the most highly-esteemed countries in the world, all that research, paperwork, and waiting will have been worth it.