Moving to Canada can be a lifelong dream, a sudden opportunity, a “Plan B” or a desired change of scenery for a limited duration of time. Wherever your interest in moving to Canada lies, the important first step is understanding the various and most common immigration routes that Canada has to offer. This will assist you to:
- Do some of your own research to gain a better understanding of requirements and processes.
- Reach out to an Immigration Services company with targeted and specific questions based on the route you are interested in.
- If you are planning for the long-term, start putting requirements in place that may be beneficial in the immigration process in the long run.
This article aims to provide you with a brief overview of the most common and broadly distinctive routes for your move to Canada.
Are you looking for overseas experience and only moving temporarily (for now)?
If you are, for the moment, seeking to move only on a temporary basis, the most common options are:
- Study Permit – to take up studies at a designated learning institution, and reside in Canada for the duration of the course of studies
- Work Permit – there are various categories of work permits, many of which will require the employer to undergo a Labour Market Impact Assessment, to justify the hiring of a foreign worker. Most work permits are issued for 2 years and can be renewed.
- Intra-Company Transfer Permit – if you are employed by a company in South Africa, that has Canadian operations, the company may transfer you to Canada as an Executive, Senior Manager and Specialised Worker.
Have you already fallen in love with Canada and know it is the place of your future?
The above routes do not necessarily cut off any option of permanent residence, but if you are already set on Canada as your permanent destination, you would likely be considering one of the Permanent Residence Routes:
- Express Entry – Express Entry is the flagship Canadian permanent residence program, most importantly through the Federal Skilled Worker Program. The comprehensive ranking system will determine your score within a pool of candidates, who will be invited to apply for permanent residence. In many cases it will be beneficial or essential to have a job offer to support your Express Entry application.
- Provincial Nominees Programme – A unique feature of the Canadian immigration system is the ability of each province, to regulate their own residency programs for persons wishing to reside within that specific province. If you know which region in Canada you want to live, you might discover some new options.
- Business owners – Business investors can consider the Start-up visa programme, with a route to permanent residence. The Canadian government wants to attract innovative businesses that can make a positive contribution to the Canadian economy and the application must be supported by a designated organisation in Canada.
Lastly, it is important to note that if you have family members that are Canadian citizens or permanent resident, this will be of benefit in some of the above-mentioned routes, as well as potentially providing a route of its own.
The most important step will be to decide where your aims for immigration to Canada lie and we hope the above can help you understand into which of the common immigration routes your intentions may fit.
Canadian immigration can be complex and there may be other, less common available routes for your particular circumstances and of course, the space here is limited to provide the full details for each of the described routes.
CONTACT US today and we will be happy to advise and assist you in your immigration process to Canada.
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