Canada is the second-largest country by total area and fourth-largest by land. According to careful estimates, there are only over 38 million Canadians and therefore the country is sparsely populated. As Canada is a new world country so immigration plays a major role in the population growth of the country.
Canadian Immigration Policy over Time
In the nineteenth century, Canada followed an open-door immigration policy and in that period, many European and American residents immigrated to and settled in the country. From the late nineteenth century to the late twentieth century, the country imposed various restrictions on the immigration of several groups due to domestic compulsions and international political and economical conditions.
In 1976, a new immigration act was enacted and since then the Canadian immigration policy became more equitable. After the 1976 immigration act, the immigration policy sought to promote the country’s demographic, economic, social, and cultural goals. Besides, the act also prioritized family reunion, diversity, and non-discrimination.
Economic Immigration in Focus
From the 1980s onwards, Canadian policymakers and immigration officials encouraged entrepreneurs and start-ups to immigrate to Canada. This emphasis on economic immigration boosted Canadian economic growth and now businesses in the country are flourishing.
To this day, entrepreneurs and startups are welcomed in the country due to which the economy is growing faster but now many industrial sectors of Canada are facing acute labor shortages. This acute labor shortage has compelled the incumbent government to ease the immigration procedures for allowing more skilled workers to immigrate to Canada.
In December 2021, Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced that the government has achieved the target of 401,000 new permanent residents for the year. 2021 was a record-breaking year for the Canadian government in terms of permanently settling 401,000 newcomers in the country.
Canada’s Immigration Target for 2022
After achieving the highest-ever immigration milestone since 1913, now the federal government is setting an even higher target for the current year. In 2022, Ottawa wants 411,000 newcomers in Canada. This influx of newcomers will replace the retiring labor force of the country and will solve the labor shortage problem which is negatively impacting the country’s economic growth.
With the ease of immigration procedures, the welcoming Canadian immigration policy will encourage more foreign nationals to immigrate to Canada in 2022. If you are one of the potential candidates who want to immigrate to and then seek permanent residence in Canada then here are the five simple ways to immigrate to the country.
1. Express Entry System
Under Express Entry System, the Canadian government receives online applications from skilled and experienced workers. Before applying, you have to fill out your profile online. After the profile creation, the applicants’ profiles are ranked according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). CRS is a point-based system through which the government assesses and grades the applicants’ profiles. Generally, the points are allotted on the following factors.
- Skills
- Education
- Language ability
- Work experience
- Other factors
Once all the profiles in the Express Entry pool are graded then the applicants with the highest scores are invited to submit a full application for permanent residence. After receiving the invitation, you have 60 days to submit the application. Once the application is submitted, the officials process it within 6 months or less.
You can submit your profile under any of the three federal immigration programs or a provincial nomination program. The three federal immigration programs are as under.
Canadian Experience Class:
Under this program, only those skilled workers can submit their applications who have Canadian work experience and this experience must have been gained in the 3 years before the application.
Federal Skilled Worker Program:
Under this program, applications are accepted from those skilled workers who have foreign work experience. Besides, the applicant must also fulfill the criteria for education and other factors.
Federal Skilled Trades Program:
Under this program, applications are accepted from those skilled workers who are qualified in a specific skilled trade. In addition, the applicant must have also a valid job offer or a certificate of qualification.
After approval of the application, you must undergo medical for permanent residence (PR) and obtain police certificates. The authorities will send you instructions about how the medical examination is to be gets done. If you are residing in Canada then one of the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) panel physicians will carry out the medical examination.
2. Provincial Nominee Program
In Canada, the provinces and territories also have greater freedom when it comes to immigration. The immigration system of the country is two-tiered — one tier exists at the federal level and the other at the provincial level. The provinces and the territories offer Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) for immigrating skilled workers who may contribute to the local economies.
If you have the skills, education, and work experience to contribute to the economy of a specific province or territory and want to live in that province permanently, then you can apply for permanent residence through the specific PNP. After selecting the desired PNP, you can either submit a paper application or can fill out your profile through the Express Entry System.
For a paper application, you must fulfill the eligibility criteria of the selected PNP. Then you will need to apply to the province or territory for nomination under a Non-express Entry Stream. After the nomination, a paper application for permanent residence has to be submitted to IRCC.
On the other hand, if you want to apply online via Express Entry Stream, then you have to contact the concerned province or territory and apply for a nomination under an Express Entry Stream. You can also create your Express Entry profile and show the provinces and territories your interest in the particular PNP. Once you get a nomination from the province or territory then you will need to update your Express Entry Profile. A provincial nomination has 200 points in the CRS and therefore with a provincial nomination, you will have more chances to be invited by the immigration authorities.
After getting the invitation, a full application for permanent residence must be submitted to IRCC within the prescribed timeframe. IRCC panel physician will carry out your detailed medical examination after approval of your application. If you are already living in Canada let’s say in Toronto then a medical officer of the Toronto panel physician will be responsible for the medical examination.
3. Start-Up Visa Program
For the last four decades, the Canadian immigration policy is informed by the need of generating more economic activity in the country. So, if you are an entrepreneur with an innovative business idea and want to launch a start-up in the country then you can easily immigrate to Canada under the Start-up visa program.
Before applying under the Start-up visa program, you must get a letter of support from any of the three designated Canadian business groups (Venture Capital Funds, Angel Investor Groups, and Business Incubators). You must also convince one of the businesses of Venture Capital Funds to invest a minimum of 200,000$ in your start-up. A designated group of the Angel Investor Groups must invest 75,000$ at least in your start-up.
To approve your business idea from any of these designated Canadian business groups, you have to submit your business idea to the designated group. The designated business entity will guide you on whether a business plan is enough or you need to submit a detailed business proposal. After the submission, the designated entity will review your business concept and if they approve it, they will issue you a letter of support.
After getting the letter of support, you can now submit a full application to IRCC. For submitting the application, you need to download the application package from the Canadian government’s website. The package includes the application and documents checklist. Fill out the application and attach all the required documents then send it to IRCC.
A start-up can have a maximum of five co-founders and all of them must submit a separate application. After submitting the application, you will need to give biometrics and photos, pass the language test, and obtain police certificates. Also, you will need to undergo a medical examination for permanent residence before settling in the country.
4. Quebec-selected Skilled Worker
Out of all provinces and territories, Quebec province has unique demographic needs so it has contracted a special immigration agreement with the federal government. Under the agreement, Quebec chooses immigrants according to its own rules. If you are a skilled worker then you can immigrate to Canada and live in Quebec permanently under Quebec immigration rules.
If you want to immigrate to Quebec then you must first apply to the Quebec government. The provincial government will assess your application and if they found you suitable then they will issue a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ).
After getting the CSQ, you will need to submit a full application to IRCC for permanent residence. For submitting the application to IRCC, download the application package from the federal government’s website. The application package includes the application and documents checklist. Fill out the application and attach all the required documents then send it to IRCC.
After submitting the application, you will need to give biometrics and photos and pass the language test. Your application will be processed within 17 months and you must get your medical examination done by an IRCC panel physician.
5. Family Sponsorship
If you have a relative in Canada who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada or a Canadian citizen or registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act then he/she can sponsor your immigration into the country. For sponsoring a relative, the sponsor must sign a deed to the effect that he/she will be responsible for the maintenance of the immigrating relatives for up to 20 years depending upon the circumstances.
A sponsor can sponsor only spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, son or daughter, parent, grandparent, orphaned brother or sister, orphaned nephew or niece, and orphaned grandchild. The sponsor must make sure that the immigrating relative has no criminal record.
For sponsoring a relative, both the sponsor and the relative will need to submit separate applications to the Canadian government simultaneously. For submitting the applications, download the application packages from the federal government’s website. The application package includes the application and documents checklist. Fill out the application and attach all the required documents then send it to IRCC.
After submitting the application and paying the application processing your relative will need to give biometrics and photos and pass the language test. After the approval, your relative must get the medical examination done by an IRCC approved panel physician and obtain police certificates before immigrating to Canada.