Immigrating to Canada requires you to meet the requirements of one of the immigration programs available. The basis of the programs are the ability to become economically established in Canada. Therefore to be eligible you must fullfill certain requirements such as education level, your abilities in English and/or French, your work experience, skills, available funds, etc.
Express Entry
Express Entry is an online system used by Immigration Canada. To qualify for Express Entry, you need to meet the eligibility for one of the three programs.
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW)
This program is for skilled workers with no Canadian Work Experience but want to immigrate to Canada permanently. The selection factors are:
- Skilled work experience
- Language ability
- Education
- Proof of funds
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
In this Class workers already have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents. The minimum requirements are:
- Language ability
- At least 1 year of qualifying skilled work experience in Canada, in the last 3 years before you apply
- Have gained your work experience by working in Canada legally.
Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
This program is for skilled workers who are qualified in a skilled trade. The selection factors are:
- Language ability
- Have at least 2 years of qualifying work experience in a skilled trade
- Meet the job requirements for that skilled trade
- Have a qualifying and valid job offer or a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian authority.
Visitors Visa
Nationals of certain countries may need a Visitor Visa to visit Canada. It is important that you verify if your country of nationality requires you to have a visitor visa to come to Canada. If you wish to extend your stay in Canada, you must apply to do so.
Basic requirements to enter Canada
All visitors, even those who do not need a visa to enter Canada, must meet the following basic requirements:
- have a valid travel document, such as a passport;
- be in good health;
- satisfy an Immigration Officer that you have ties, such as a job, home, financial assets and family, that will take you back to your country of origin;
- satisfy an Immigration Officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit; and
- have enough money for your stay. The amount of money you will need can vary with the circumstances of the visit, how long you will stay and whether you will stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives.
Visitors may also be required to undergo a medical exam, or provide a letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.
Study Permit
If you plan to study in Canada for longer than 24 weeks, you need to get a study permit. To apply you must have a letter of acceptance from your learning institution inside Canada. You are allowed to work up to 20 hours a week while completing your study course.
Study permits in Canada are subject to the following conditions:
- They shall enroll at a designated learning institution and remain enrolled at a designated learning institution until they complete their studies.
- They should be able to demonstrate that they are making reasonable progress toward the completion of their courses in the time allotted by the program.
A study permit will not be issued to a foreign national who has worked or studied in Canada without authorization or to a foreign national who previously had a permit and failed to comply with the conditions of their permit (e.g. remained in Canada on their permit while not enrolled at a designated learning institution).
Work Permit
To work in Canada you must have a valid work permit. A work permit can be for a specific employer or an open work permit which allows you to work with any employer in Canada.
LMIA is a Labor Market Impact Assessment which must be submitted by the Canadian Employer.
Work Permit Duration
All Canadian work permits have an expiry date. The only way to work in Canada permanently, or for an unspecified length of time, is to acquire permanent resident status.
The total number of months individuals may work in Canada—whether worked consecutively or with gaps between permits—is 48, or four years total.
Once the maximum of four years work has been accumulated, foreign workers will have to leave Canada and remain outside of the country for at least 48 months (4 years) before being eligible to work in Canada.
Open Work Permit Canada
An open work Permit differs from a regular work permit in that it does not specify a particular job or employer. An Open Work Permit allows its holder to work for any Canadian employer, in almost any capacity.
As per Canadian immigration regulations, Open Work Permits may be applied for by:
- Spouses or common-law partners of temporary foreign workers in a level 0, A or B occupation, according to the National Occupation Classification (NOC);
- The spouses or common-law partners of foreign students engaged in full-time study;
- International students who have recently graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution
Because there are many different options to obtain a work permit we suggest you to book a consultation with us to advise you on the best choice of work permit that suits you and your job offer.