A Guide to Canadian Immigration

 Welcome to the Monster guide to Canadian immigration, courtesy of our Canadian Immigration expert David Cohen. Moving to a new country is an exciting and somewhat intimidating process. This guide is aimed to help you understand the process in place for you to live and work in Canada. 

There are two main paths to Canada. One way is to obtain a permanent residence visa. The other way is to come to Canada on a temporary work permit. What does it mean to be a Canadian Permanent Resident? Once you are issued a Canadian Immigration Visa for permanent residency, you have most of the same rights and obligations as Canadian citizens. 

As the name suggests, you may hold this status indefinitely, so long as you accumulate 2 years of residency days in each 5 year period. After 3 years of Canadian residency, you may apply for Canadian citizenship. Canada recognizes dual citizenship, so you do not have to give up your current passport. 

There are a few differences in practice between permanent residency and citizenship in Canada. The first is that as a permanent resident, you may not vote in elections. The second is that while citizenship is a right that may not be taken away, as a permanent resident, you may be deported if you commit a serious crime. There are 6 main categories of Canadian Immigration.

The categories are Federal Skilled Worker, Quebec Skilled Worker, Provincial Nominee Program, Family Sponsorship, Business Immigrant, and Canadian Experience Class. Each category caters to a slightly different group of immigrants and comes with its own set of requirements. You can also come to Canada under the Asylum category or the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Read below to find out which category applies to you.

Federal Skilled Worker: The requirements of the skilled worker category are intended to assess applicants, who are likely to become economically established in Canada after arrival. 

To be eligible, applicants must either:

•  Have at least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience in the past 10 years in one of the 38 qualifying occupations, or
•  Have been living in Canada with legal status as a Temporary Foreign Worker or an international student for at least one year; or
•  Qualify for Arranged Employment with a full-time permanent job offer from a Canadian employer.

In addition to that, there are three other characteristics an individual must possess in order to be eligible to immigrate under the skilled worker category. The first is a minimum level of work experience. A skilled worker must have at least one year of continuous full-time employment (or the equivalent part-time). 

This work experience must be of a skilled nature, satisfying either Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B in Canada's National Occupation Classification (NOC) system. This work experience must have come within the 10 year period before applying. The second element of the skilled worker category is one of the financial resources. This is a straightforward requirement-- an applicant must demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources to support themselves and their dependents for 6 months after arrival in Canada. If you have an approved job offer, this requirement is waived.

The third element of the skilled worker category is a points-based assessment. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) uses a points-based system to measure an applicant's potential for establishing themselves in Canada. Applicants are awarded points based on six different selection factors. An individual must reach 67 points on this assessment to qualify for immigration to Canada. A satisfactory score on this evaluation does not, however, guarantee approval, as Canadian Immigration Visa Officers may use their discretion to approve or refuse an application based on a substituted evaluation. 

The selection factors that make up the assessment are: 

Education (maximum 25 points). 

• Ranges from 5 points for completing high school to 25 points for completing a master's or Ph.D. 
• The system also gives credit for trade certificates or apprenticeship programs. 

Language Skills (maximum 24 points).

Canada uses both English and French as official languages, and you may receive credit for proficiency in either one or both. Marks are awarded separately for abilities to listen, speak, read, and write each official language. 

Experience (maximum 21 points).

•  Full points for four or more years of experience at an appropriate level.

Age (maximum 10 points).

•  Full points for being between the ages of 21-49. 

Arranged Employment (maximum 10 points). 

• If you hold a permanent job offer from a Canadian employer or are applying from within Canada and hold a temporary work permit, you may receive credit for your Canadian employment. 

Adaptability (maximum 10 points). 

• This category brings in several factors related to an applicant's ability to adapt to living in Canada, including previous experience working or studying in Canada or having family in Canada. 

Altogether these three elements, along with other requirements such as security clearances and medical examinations, make up the bulk of the criteria to come to Canada under the Skilled Worker category. If you are applying to live or work in Montreal or elsewhere in Quebec, however, you must meet the selection criteria of the Province of Quebec, outlined below.

Quebec Skilled Worker. 

According to an agreement between the Province of Quebec and the Government of Canada, the Province of Quebec has its selection process for the skilled worker category of immigration. If you intend to live in Quebec upon arrival in Canada, you will be assessed based on the Quebec Selection criteria and not the evaluation used by CIC. The application process for immigration to Quebec uses a similar points-based system but with slightly different criteria. 

Like the federal system, Quebec immigration uses a points-based system to assess potential immigrants. To qualify for a Quebec Selection Certificate, single applicants must score at least 60 points from the ten selection criteria. In contrast, an applicant with a spouse or common-law partner must score a minimum of 68 points. 

The selection factors for immigration to Quebec as a skilled worker are:

Training (maximum 29 points):. 

• Points are awarded separately for both education and job-related training.
• Additional points are awarded for having more than one area of specialty. 

Validated Employment Offer (maximum 10 points).

• Points are awarded for having a job offer from an employer in Quebec, with greater points awarded for a job outside of the area of Montreal. 

Experience (maximum 9 points).

• Full points are awarded for four or more years of experience at the appropriate skill level, according to the NOC. 

Age (maximum 18 points). 

• Full points are awarded for being between the ages of 18-35. 

Language Proficiency (maximum 22 points).

• French is the official language of the Province of Quebec. The Quebec selection criteria place value on oral language abilities rather than written comprehension. Up to 16 points are available for oral interaction in French, with an additional 6 available for oral interaction in English. 

Stay and Family in Quebec (maximum 9 points). 

• Having previously spent time living, working, or studying in Quebec, as well as having family in the province, will help prospective immigrants establish themselves more easily. Points are awarded for both of these areas. 

Spouse's Characteristics (maximum 18 points). 

• If an applicant is accompanied by a spouse or common-law partner, points may be awarded for the spouse's education, training, work experience, age, and language.

 Children (maximum 8 points). 

• Up to the maximum, 4 points are awarded for each child under 12 years of age, and 2 points for each child between 13 and 21.

 Financial Self-Sufficiency (1 point).

• One point is awarded for having sufficient funds for financial self-sufficiency upon arrival. However, without satisfying this requirement the application is automatically refused. 

Adaptability (maximum 8 points).

• This category uses an overall assessment of the applicant's ability to adapt to life in Quebec. 

Satisfying these requirements will lead to the issue of a Quebec Selection Certificate, which is recognized by CIC for immigration to Quebec. The applicant must still pass a security clearance and medical examination.