Canada is the ideal nation globally, for immigration and for settling permanently. Why not! After all, it has an open and welcoming economy, free education and healthcare provisions, and, not to forget, a multi-cultural and multi-diverse setting. Who won’t love to move to Canada? Irrespective of the fact to which category, occupation, or class you fall in, Canada woos all categories of immigrants and that too in high numbers.
So, to move to Canada as an immigrant and become a Canada permanent resident, you just need to apply for Canada permanent resident visa. Once your visa gets approved by the immigration department, you are all set to fly to Canada. Of course, you will have to decide which Canada immigration category or stream is suitable for you to get selected.
For that, here are the different Canada immigration programs to let you move to Canada. Let us see these here and now—
- Business immigration programs
- Economic immigration programs
- Family sponsorship programs, and
- Humanitarian and Refugee Pathways
Business Immigration Programs
For giving a fillip to businesses in Canada, the federal government offers numerous chances to aspiring immigrants having skill-sets in great demand here. For this, there are a couple of immigration schemes to extend fast Canada permanent residence to business persons wanting to come and assist Canadian businesses. In addition, self-employed people having special skills and wanting to work in Canada are also welcomed under these immigration streams.
Entrepreneur Immigration Programs—Foreigners having sufficient experience as self-employed business persons or entrepreneurs and a track record of being successful are welcome under this Canada immigration business stream. Foreigners having experience in launching new businesses and the ones having experience in business management can welcome can choose from different programs available for them.
Investor Immigration Programs—Those having a net worth of millions of dollars and ready to invest in the economy of Canada are eligible under this immigration stream.
Self-employed Programs—These immigration programs are meant for foreigners who are self-employed and wiling to come to Canada as Canada permanent residents. They shall have to furnish evidence of being self-employed along with intent to continue their self-employment after they move to Canada.
Economic Immigration Programs
Canada’s Economic Immigration Programs welcome most of new immigrants through this scheme. Aim of such immigration programs is to assist immigrants having requisite education and/or required work experience.
Following categories are available in Economic immigration
Express Entry—
Canada Express Entry was launched by the government way back in January 2015. Its sole purpose was to manage applications for Canada permanent residency under Canada economic programs.
The three programs in Express Entry are—
- Federal Skilled Worker or FSW
- Federal Skilled Trades or FST
- Canadian Experience Class or CEC
You also need to keep in mind that Canada has different Provincial Nominee Programs known as PNPs managed by its respective territories and provinces. Meanwhile, a few PNPs have been arranged with Express Entry. Well, it simply implies that a province has the power for nomination or selection of any foreigner under Express Entry Canada immigration.
Talking of Express Entry, well, this is an immigration process based on merit. In simple words, after fulfilling the basic eligibility conditions, you shall get ranked against other eligible candidates based on different factors. Those who are found to be highly competitive among the list of candidates shall be sent an invitation for applying to Canada permanent residence.
- PNPs—Provincial Nominee Programs are for three Canadian territories and ten Canadian provinces for immigration to Canada. Every PNP has its own set of eligibility conditions, application process and types of immigration programs. Meanwhile, you need to know that only Quebec is the only exception to these rules.
- Quebec Immigration—Quebec immigration schemes allow a range of routes for immigration. These routes are available only in Quebec province and not in any other Canadian province. That’s because this Canadian province has independence and control over its own immigration rules and schemes.
To make an application for Quebec permanent residence, you shall need to make an application for CSQ (certificate de selection du Quebec). After receiving CSQ, you can apply for Quebec permanent residence to Canada’s federal immigration officials.
There are two economic immigration schemes for Quebec immigration. These are—
- Quebec Experience Program or PEQ
- Quebec skilled Worker or QSW
Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
Introduced in 2017, this immigration scheme is meant to spur economic development in the area. It targets to allow not more than 2,000 new foreigners every year. However, by this year, the annual intake is going to increase to 4,000 immigrants.
This immigration scheme enables designated employers in Atlantic Provinces (Labrador, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia) to recruit foreigners even without getting LMIA (Labor Market Impact Assessment). Eligible foreign candidates are helped by designated employers in making applications for Atlantic permanent residency. In addition, they are also helped for getting settled in Canada for a long period of time.
Family Sponsorship Immigration Programs
The government of Canada acknowledges the importance of reunion of family members. Hence, these immigration programs are meant to reunite members living in Canada with their families living abroad. Under family reunification, Canada permanent residents and Canada citizens are allowed to offer sponsorship to their spouses/common-law partners, children and/or dependents, parents as well as grandparents to help them come to Canada.
Sponsorship of Spouse/Common-Law Partner: Canada government allows Canada citizens or Canada permanent residents having eligibility to offer sponsorship to their spouse/common-law partner for immigration to Canada. To sponsor spouse, the requirement is that marriage should be considered legal in Canada and in the nation where the marriage was solemnized. For sponsoring a common-law partner, the requirement is that the couple should fulfil the definition of Canada’s lawful common-law partnership. However, there are certain exceptions to this ruling as well.
Sponsorship of Parent or Grandparent: Canadian citizens or Canada permanent residents are allowed to offer sponsorship to their parents or grandparents for enabling them to meet them in Canada. Meanwhile, the eligibility conditions include financial requisites providing proof of being able to support their parent or grandparents in Canada financially, if needed. A lottery process is used for selection of sponsors with the maximum limit for new applicants being fixed at 10,000.
Sponsorship of children and/or Dependents: Sponsorship of children and/or legal dependents is allowed by Canada immigration department for the purpose of Canada permanent residency. To sponsor, the parent needs to have Canadian citizenship or Canada permanent residency. In addition, the child/children or the legal dependent should fulfil the definition of a legal dependent as per Canada rules.
As per the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, a dependent child is a child below 22 years and should not have any common law partner/spouse. Meanwhile, even if a child is aged more than 22 years, he or she may be considered to be qualified as a dependent child, provided he or she is not able to support himself/herself financially due to some physical/mental issues.
Humanitarian and Refugee Pathways
Canada welcomes and gives priority to refugees and other foreigners on the basis of humanitarian and compassionate grounds. The Canadian government has set aside a notable percentage of its annual immigration target to allowing refugees in the nation. Want to become a Canada permanent resident? Ask Straight Visas or get a free consultation today to realize your dream of immigration to Canada at the earliest.
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