Are you tired of having to renew your visa periodically? Looking for a way to join the 2 million immigrants who comprise 21.9 percent of Canada’s entire population?
If your answer to both questions is a resounding “yes,” Pathways Visas is here to help— we know of several ways on how to do it.
One of the fastest ways to start your life as a Canadian is to get a Canada Express Entry visa. But before we delve deeper into this, it is important that to first determine if you are qualified based on some factors that affect your immigration to the Great White North.
Determining Factors for Canada’s Skilled Worker Immigration System
Foreigners who want to acquire permanent residency in Canada have several options and one of them is through the Express Entry visa system.
To become qualified, an aspiring immigrant needs to pass a point-based rating process where his or her eligibility is measured through a skilled worker point grid with a passing score of 67 out of 100.
In this point grid, an applicant is assessed based on several factors, including:
- Education
- Employment experience
- Language
- Age
- Employment arrangement
- Adaptability
- A legal citizen of Canada
- A permanent resident in the country
- Registered under the Canadian Indian Act
Education
Applicants must be assessed by a third-party entity to determine the Canadian equivalent of their education acquired from their home country. Set to have a maximum attainable rating of 25 points for those with doctoral degrees, education makes up the second largest chunk of point-system pie.
Employment Experience
This determining factor can gain you from 9 to 15 points in the immigration rating system. Under the updated rules, Express Entry visas can only be granted to applicants with at least 1 year and a maximum of 6 years’ worth of work experience on 347 eligible occupations according to Canadian immigration laws.
Language
Language is the most significant determining factor for skilled workers who wish to become permanent Canadian residents with a maximum of 28 points assigned to it on the scorecard. The score is determined according to the level of proficiency of an applicant in speaking or writing in
To gain a passing score of 16 points, an applicant must have intermediate to high level proficiency in either of the two languages. Those with higher aptitude scores in this arena are granted 24 points, with an additional 4 points for bilingualism.
Age
Assigned with 12 points on the scorecard, this factor ensures that immigrants who enter the country in a quest for permanent residency are between 18 and 35 years of age.
The rule of thumb is that 1 point shall be deducted from the maximum score for every elapsing year after they celebrate their 35th birthday. This means that people aged 47 will get no points.
Employment Arrangement
This factor entails the validation of an applicant’s employment with a maximum score of 10 points and a minimum of zero.
Under this provision, the applicant’s employer must prove to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada that hiring him or her will have no unfavorable impact on the country’s economy.
Adaptability
In terms of adaptability, it is measured depending on an applicant’s length and level of work experience in Canada. Those who held professional, managerial, technical or skilled trade positions for a minimum of 1 year will get a maximum score of 10 points.
There are also some other non-employment-related factors considered here, including an adult relative living in the country or a spouse, or applicants who have studied in the country, or a specific language proficiency level.
After getting a passing score based on any of these factors, an applicant must also present an agreeable settlement funding and pass a medical examination and security background check.
Other Ways to Gain Permanent Residency in Canada
Aside from the skilled worker visa program, there are other routes that you can try to legally reside in Canada permanently, and Pathways Visas can also assist you with some of them.
Work in Quebec
While it may still be part of the skilled worker immigration program in the country, a Quebec-based entry involves a different process because of the province’s special agreement with the Canadian government.
The requirements for Quebec skilled worker visa includes passing a language proficiency exam for English or French. This may be the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Test du Evaluation du Francais (TEF) or the Test Du Evaluation du Francais pour le Quebec (TEFaq).
Family Sponsorship
As the name states, this process involves immigrant application through sponsorship from a family member. The sponsor should be of legal age (18 years old and above) and be either of the following:
Provincial Nomination
Provinces in Canada— with the sole exception of Quebec which offers the Quebec skilled worker visa— can also nominate immigrants based on their “streams,” or the target groups with specific skillsets under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Students, semi-skilled workers, and business people may also qualify for this kind of immigration process.
Ready to Become a Permanent Canadian Resident?
Applying for permanent residence in Canada can be less stressful if you fully understand the process you need to undergo and the requirements needed for you to qualify.
Pathway Visas is committed to making your dream of spending the rest of your life living and working in Canada a reality. Ask us how, today.