Canada Immigration: Explore Your PR Visa Options
Canada has set a target of welcoming 500,000 new immigrants by 2025.
Canada offers one of the world’s most open and dynamic immigration systems. There are over 100 different Canadian immigration pathways for skilled workers, business people, and families. This comprehensive page helps you explore which options may be best for you.
Overview
Do you want to immigrate to Canada? Then you have come to the right place. We will help you figure out how you can make your Canada dream come true.
People choose to immigrate to Canada for many reasons. Whether it’s to pursue a high-quality education, to feel secure with free universal healthcare, or to benefit from Canada’s high quality of life, Canada’s got it all.
There are over 100 different ways to immigrate to Canada. For that reason, everyone’s path to Canadian immigration will be unique.
For example, there are many different ways for professionals and workers to qualify for a Canada Immigration permanent resident visa. The most prominent option is through Express Entry, which is Canada’s main pathway for economic-class skilled workers. Your best bet to be eligible under Express Entry is to meet the requirements of either the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Canada’s second-largest pathway for skilled workers is the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Nearly every province and territory operates the PNP so they can select immigrants that meet the needs of their local job markets. The third major option is immigrating to the province of Quebec, which operates notable pathways such as the Quebec Skilled Worker Program and the Quebec Experience Class.
If you want to obtain Canadian permanent residence as a business immigrant, you have a number of options such as the Federal Self-Employed Program, the Start-up Visa, and entrepreneur programs operated under the PNP and by Quebec.
Canada offers a number of family-class sponsorship programs. Through these programs, Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor family members and loved ones for Canadian immigration.
LGBTQ2 individuals and couples are afforded the same rights and opportunities as other persons when it comes to immigration to Canada.
Why Does Canada Need Immigrants?
Canada welcomes immigrants under three classes: the economic class, the family class, and the refugee and humanitarian class.
Skilled workers are welcomed under the economic class to support Canada’s high living standards. Canada has an aging population and low birth rate which is why most of the immigrants it welcomes are skilled workers. Canada needs these skilled workers to support its labor force and economic growth. These skilled workers arrive with strong language skills, work experience, education, and a desire to succeed. Hence, they play a vital role in Canada’s efforts to support economic growth and social services such as education and universal health care.
The second largest immigrant class arrives through family sponsorship. Canada welcomes the loved ones of Canadian citizens and permanent residents since strong families are the bedrock of Canada’s society and economy. Allowing close family members to build a life in Canada provides families with the emotional support they need to thrive in the country’s society and economy.
The third largest class is welcomed as refugees and for humanitarian purposes. As one of the world’s most privileged nations, Canada has a moral obligation to provide safety to those fleeing persecution and other hardship, and Canada has a long tradition since the end of the Second World War of demonstrating humanitarian leadership. In 1986, the United Nations awarded the People of Canada the Nansen Medal, which is the UN’s highest honor for those who demonstrate excellence in helping refugees. Canada remains the first and only country to receive the Nansen Medal.
Why Do Canadians Support Immigration?
One of the most unique things about Canada is it reports some of the strongest levels of public support for immigration in the world. Since the early 1990s, public support for immigration in Canada has steadily increased. Today, some 80 percent of Canadians agree that immigration is beneficial to the economy. The strong public support allows the Canadian government to target the arrival of 500,000 new immigrants per year.
Public support for immigration in Canada is due to the following factors:
History: Canada has a history of immigration. British and French settlers joined Canada’s Indigenous peoples to build the country. Since Canada’s Confederation in 1867, it has welcomed millions of immigrants from all corners of the globe. Hence, other than Canada’s Indigenous peoples, all Canadians are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. As the saying goes at the Canadian Museum of Immigration in Halifax, Nova Scotia, “A Canadian is an immigrant with seniority.”
Geography: Canada is able to exercise great control over who enters the country since it is surrounded by vast bodies of water and only shares its border with one country, the United States. The strong control allows Canada to screen people before they enter the country to make sure they meet Canada’s policy goals.
Policy: Canada invests billions of dollars each year in welcoming immigrants and providing them with settlement support such as job training. In addition, Canada invests billions in education, health care, infrastructure, and other important areas to keep living standards high for Canadians and immigrants.
Politics: Canada’s largest cities and provinces have high levels of immigration. Politicians need support from immigrants in order to win democratic elections.
Skilled Worker Immigration Pathways
Under its Immigration Levels Plan, Canada aims to welcome well over 400,000 immigrants every year. Some 60 percent of these immigrants arrive as skilled workers. The main way skilled workers can immigrate to Canada is through the Express Entry application management system. The second main way is through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), followed by Quebec’s skilled worker programs, and then a few other targeted federal programs.
Skilled Workers Can Move to Canada with their Family
Skilled workers can also bring close family members with them to Canada. These family members also gain permanent resident status.
Close family members include:
- your spouse or common-law partner
- dependent children
- dependent children of your spouse or common-law partner
- dependent children of dependent children
Dependent children are:
- under 22 years old and not a spouse or common-law partner
- 22 years of age or older, depended significantly on financial support from their parents before the age of 22 and can not support themselves financially due to a physical or mental condition
Express Entry
Express Entry is Canada’s main way of managing skilled worker applications through the three main economic class immigration programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Candidates who are eligible for Express Entry can upload their profile onto the federal government’s website.
Candidates receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on criteria such as age, education, language skills, and work experience.
Approximately every two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invite candidates with the highest CRS scores to apply for permanent residence.
IRCC aims to process permanent residence applications in six months or less.
Under its Immigration Levels Plan, Canada seeks to welcome an average of 110,000 immigrants through Express Entry each year.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Through the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), Canada’s provinces and territories can nominate people who wish to immigrate to Canada and reside in a particular province. Canada seeks to welcome over 100,000 immigrants per year under the PNP.
All provinces and territories, except for Quebec and Nunavut, have their own PNP. Each province determines its own criteria for choosing eligible candidates. PNPs operate Expression of Interest (EOI) systems, similar to Express Entry, and invite the highest scoring candidates in regular draws.
You do not need to have an Express Entry profile to apply. You can apply directly to a PNP stream. These are called ‘base’ streams.
You can also apply to PNP streams that are aligned with Express Entry. These are called ‘enhanced’ streams. The benefit of applying to an enhanced stream is that it gives you more options.
Receiving a provincial nomination through these streams awards Express Entry candidates an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. This practically guarantees to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry draw.
Quebec Immigration
The province of Quebec has its own immigration system with its own selection criteria that is separate from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) programs and the PNP. Applicants who are selected to immigrate to Quebec are given a Quebec Selection Certificate, or Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ). This is a document that is issued by Quebec’s Immigration Ministry.
You are able to apply for a CSQ through one of Quebec’s immigration programs.
The Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) is for skilled workers who wish to immigrate to Quebec and become permanent residents of Canada.
The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) is popular among international students who have completed their post-secondary education in Quebec. This program is also for foreign skilled workers with work experience in the province.
Quebec also boasts business immigration programs aimed at entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals who wish to run a business in Quebec, as well as those who want to obtain permanent residence in the province as immigrant investors.
Atlantic Immigration Program
Atlantic Canada has its own immigration program called the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). The AIP allows employers to attract and retain foreign talent. Atlantic Canada includes four provinces:
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
Employers who wish to benefit from the AIP must find a suitable candidate and offer them a job. They do not need to conduct a Labour Market Impact Assessment. Once the candidate accepts the offer, the employer must connect the candidate with a designated organization that will help him or her develop a settlement plan. Employers who wish to quickly fill the position may also have access to a temporary work permit.
Other Federal Skilled Worker Programs
Additional targeted federal skilled worker programs exist that help certain immigration candidates gain permanent residence. The additional federal programs include:
- Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)
- Agri-Food Immigration Pilot
- Home Child Care Provider Pilot
- Home Support Worker Pilot
The RNIP allows small and remote communities across Canada to attract and retain foreign workers. Participating communities take the lead in attracting new immigrants and matching them with suitable jobs.
The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot provides a pathway to Canadian permanent residence to eligible temporary foreign workers in the Agriculture and Agri-Food industry. In order to qualify, candidates need to have completed 12 months of work experience, hold a high school diploma and meet minimum language requirements.
The remaining immigration programs provide pathways to permanent residence for foreign caregivers, including childcare providers and home support workers. Caregivers are required to have at least two years of work experience relevant to the program they are applying for.
Business Immigration
Business people have several options that may allow them to fast-track the Canadian immigration process.
For example, you may be able to immigrate to Canada through the Federal Start-Up Visa Program, or the Federal Self-Employed Persons Program.
If you wish to immigrate to Quebec, the province also has its own business immigration programs. Many PNP streams also have immigration streams specifically for entrepreneurs and other business people.
Family Class Sponsorship
The Canadian government is committed to keeping families together. As such, Canada aims to welcome over 100,000 new immigrants every year to join their families.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their spouses or common-law partners, parents and grandparents, and dependent children.
You will need to sign an ‘undertaking’ in order to sponsor your family. This means that you will be financially responsible for the person you will sponsor. For example, if they require social assistance, you may have to pay it back.
For parents and grandparents, there is also the Super Visa program option.