5 Ways to Immigrate to Canada in 2021
The chaos that has ensued since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic has heightened uncertainty all around us. With Canada’s current COVID-19 travel restrictions in place since last March, the state of Canada’s immigration system for 2021 is no exception. Despite the ever evolving health crisis, future newcomers can rest assured that there are certainties in place for 2021 when it comes to immigrating to Canada. Today more than ever, Canada remains unequivocally committed to welcoming immigrants. Under its 2021-2023 Immigrational Levels Plan, Canada has outlined a goal of welcoming over 400,000 new immigrants per year. Although the pandemic might have hindered this goal for 2021, Canada continues to process applications to help new immigrants move to Canada at a later time.
Immigrating to Canada is not easy and requires successfully completing many steps over a number of months or in some cases, even a few years. In order to enhance your chances of a successful application, it is important to know what options are available to you. With that being said, the following are 5 effective ways to immigrate to Canada in 2021:
1. Express Entry Program
Express Entry has been Canada’s primary method of welcoming skilled workers who wish to become permanent residents since it was first launched in 2015. It is the fastest pathway to immigrating to Canada. Essentially, Express Entry contains two main steps. Firstly, interested candidates submit an online profile indicating their interest in obtaining Canadian permanent resident status. If eligible, the candidate is accepted into the Express Entry pool and ranked according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS score takes into account factors such as the candidate’s age, work experience, language skills, education, etc. Next, the Canadian government selects the candidates with the highest scores and invites them to apply for permanent residence. Throughout the ongoing pandemic, Canada continues to hold Express Entry draws on a regular basis.
2. The Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) offers the possibility of permanent residence in Canada for individuals who wish to immigrate to a specific Canadian province or territory. Each of Canada’s provinces and territories has its own PNP with a unique set of requirements. Therefore, the eligibility factors for PNPs differ from province to province. In order to be eligible, you must show that you will be able to contribute to the province’s economy and display a real intention to reside in that province. A PNP is a two-part process as provinces cannot approve permanent residence status on their own. The decision regarding permanent residence will have to later be approved by the federal government. To learn more about the specific requirements by province, it will be necessary to follow the province’s unique instructions. Consult the Government of Canada’s site for more detailed information:
3. Family Sponsorship
Family sponsorship is an immigration option that applies to eligible family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are at least 18 years of age. Eligible family members for sponsorship include: Spouse or common law/ conjugal partner, dependent child under the age of 22. In order to sponsor these family members, the Canadian citizen or permanent resident must be able to support the family member financially. Family sponsorship applications include 2 steps: 1. Application to become a sponsor 2. Your spouse, partner or child’s application for permanent residence. Both applications must be sent together at the same time.
4. LMIA Work Visa
Another pathway that can eventually lead to Canadian immigration involves obtaining a Canadian job offer and applying for a work visa. After receiving a Canadian job offer, the Canadian employer will need to apply through Service Canada for an LMIA (Labor Market Impact Assessment). The LMIA consists of a document required by an employer before hiring a foreign worker. If positive, the LMIA will show that there is a need for the foreign worker to fulfill the position, and that there is no Canadian worker available to fill it. Once the LMIA is approved, the applicant will need to apply for a work permit. This process can then lead in certain cases to permanent residence in Canada.
5. Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP)
Depending on an applicant’s experience, skills and net worth, he/she might be eligible to obtain an investor visa under the pretext of contributing to developing Canada’s economy. Quebec is interested in welcoming immigrant investors with a minimum personal net worth of $2 million CAD who wish to invest in Quebec. The applicant must intend to settle in Quebec and sign an agreement to make a five year, guaranteed investment of $1.2 million CAD with an approved financial intermediary. This program is currently closed and will be accepting new applicants as of April 1st, 2021.
Do not hesitate to contact our best Quebec Immigration Lawyers with any questions or comments!