How to Immigrate to Canada from the US

Moving to Canada from the United States or obtaining your permanent residence in the Great White North can be a complicated matter. You can hear long stories of countless forms to submit, obstacles to overcome, etc., etc. To be frank, it really doesn’t have to be. Canada’s population is seven times smaller than that of the United States, even though it is an even larger country. While the bulk of this population is concentrated in the south of the country for obvious climatic reasons, there is a great deal of beauty to be discovered in between.

If you’ve had enough of good old America or just have an exciting new prospect north of the border, there are a few paths you can take to get permanent residency in Canada. In fact, last year alone, over 10,000 Americans were granted permanent US resettlement in Canada. While waiting for the opening of the borders, why not take a leap in your immigration process?

Immigration Programs

Canada needs workers, its workforce is aging, and there is not enough young blood to meet the demands of the expanding economy. It is precisely for these reasons that the country is becoming a multicultural population with a positive outlook, bright hope for the future, and a positive attitude. Some of us remember when that was what made America known. However, due to the demands of your job, there are immigration routes to permanent residence whether you are a semi-skilled worker, a skilled trader, or a professional.

Express Entry Program

Let’s start with the usual suspect before looking at the more interesting alternatives. The Express Entry system is fairly straightforward. You must create an online profile, select a category that may apply to you among:

• Federal Skilled Worker program – for people in managerial and professional occupations with qualifications and/or experience;
• Federal Skilled Trades program – for skilled tradesmen such as welders, electricians, and butchers;
• Canada Experience Class – if you are already working in Canada or have one year of working experience within the last three years in a managerial, professional, or skilled trade.

then create a profile and submit your information. You then enter a pool of applicants from around the world and have the option of being invited to apply for permanent residence in bimonthly draws.Advertisements

Provincial Nomination Program

Apply directly to the province in which you want to settle and work. If the provincial government believes that your skills or experience will add value to the province’s economy, they will offer you permanent residency. A provincial nomination can be applied to your Express Entry profile and will virtually guarantee an invitation to apply. Each province has its own immigration streams, some of which are dedicated to occupations that do not qualify for the Express Entry system. Examples include long-haul truck drivers, cooks, and farm or factory workers.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot

If you can get a job offer in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Labrador, or Prince Edward Island, you may be eligible for permanent residence through this program. The Maritime provinces of Atlantic Canada urgently need workers in a myriad of diverse industries, from fast food servers and bakers to engineers, nurses, and doctors. You can apply for permanent residence in Canada in three ways:

• Atlantic International Graduate Program – study at a post-secondary school in Atlantic Canada and be eligible for PR status after graduation
• Atlantic High Skilled Program – for people with management, professional or technical/skilled trade job offer
• Atlantic Intermediate Skilled Program – for people with a job offer that requires a high school diploma and/or on-the-job training; this includes factory workers, servers, and retail workers.

All you need is a valid job offer for permanent employment, a work permit, and to be eligible for immigration (no criminal record, good health, etc.)

Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot

Participating communities can provide reasons for an applicant’s permanent residence application with IRCC if the applicant obtains employment with a designated employer in one of the communities. Currently, the communities participating in this pilot are:

Care Provider Pilots

The last one that we will briefly look at is about home care provider pilot projects. The Family Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot grant open work permits to people with a valid job offer who have a job offer to care for children, the elderly, or someone unable to take care of herself. Permanent residency is granted to workers in these fields after they have accumulated two years of experience in Canada as a caregiver and meet other eligibility criteria.