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Are you planning on moving to Canada from Uganda? You won’t be alone, every year hundreds of people from all corners of Uganda including Kampala, Mbale, and Arua apply for Canadian immigration to pursue new lives in the top-rated country with ample job and education opportunities for newcomers and their families.
The friendly nature of Ugandans allows them to seamlessly integrate into Canadian culture that’s known to be just as friendly and welcoming to foreign nationals. The great news is that you’re in a better position now than ever to move to Canada with the new generous immigration targets. Canada aims to welcome 1.23 million new immigrants by 2023. Here are five things you should know before packing your bags for Canada!
What You Need to Know Before Immigrating to Canada from Uganda
1. The majority of Ugandans live in Saskatchewan, Canada
While the majority of immigrants in Canada tend to settle in popular metropolitan cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, Ugandans are attracted to the prairie province situated almost perfectly in the middle of Canada and bordered by the United States to the south. Saskatchewan’s major cities are Saskatoon and Regina. The province may not have a coastline but it is home to roughly 100,000 lakes, stunning grasslands like Cypress Hills and it boasts the most roads than any other province. Perhaps this is the reason why Saskatchewan has a high-demand for foreign truck drivers and welcomes them through the Saskatchewan Provincial Nomination Program (SINP).
The SINP is an immigration program managed by the Saskatchewan provincial government to help foreign workers, who meet the labor market demands of the region, become permanent residents of Canada and settle permanently in Saskatchewan.
The SINP is divided into various immigration streams for skilled and intermediate skilled foreign workers. The requirements differ for each stream but more often than not, you must either have a valid job offer from an employer in Saskatchewan, or eligible foreign or local work experience, and sometimes both. Check the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system to see if your occupation features under NOC A, O, or B, or you can simply search the code number. Find out more about each immigration stream below:
| Saskatchewan Provincial Nomination Program | |
|---|---|
| Stream | What You Need to Qualify |
| International Skilled Worker Category Employment Offer | A job offer in NOC A, O, or B |
| International Skilled Worker Category Occupation In-Demand | 12 months of foreign work experience in an in-demand occupation in NOC A, O, or B |
| International Skilled Worker Category Saskatchewan Express Entry | Express Entry profile with foreign work experience in an in-demand occupation in NOC A, O, or B |
| Saskatchewan Work Experience Category Skilled Worker With Exciting Work Permit | Six months of work experience in Saskatchewan in NOC A, O, or B or a designated trade |
| Saskatchewan Work Experience Category Semi-Skilled Agriculture Worker With Existing Work Permit | Six months of work experience in Saskatchewan in NOC 8431: General Farm Worker or NOC 8432: Greenhouse Worker with a valid job offer |
| Saskatchewan Work Experience Category Health Professionals Category | Six months of work experience in Saskatchewan in NOC 3111: Specialist Physician or NOC 3112: General Practitioner and Family Physician, Nursing Occupation, or other Healthcare Occupation with a valid job offer |
| Saskatchewan Work Experience Category Hospitality Sector | Six months of work experience in Saskatchewan in NOC 6513: Food and Beverage Server or NOC 6711: Food Counter Attendant, and NOC 6731: Housekeeping Staff with a valid job offer |
| Saskatchewan Work Experience Category Long-Haul Truck Driver Project | Six months of work experience in Saskatchewan in NOC 7511: Transport Truck Driver with a valid job offer |
GOOD TO KNOW
It costs $350 to apply to the SINP and it takes approximately 18-months to process your application for a provincial nomination. If successful, you have to apply to the Canadian federal government with your nomination certificate for permanent residency in Canada.
2. You need to collect specific immigration documents
When applying to move to Canada from Uganda, you will need to collect a few supporting documents to submit with your immigration application. These documents may be at an additional cost and it can take a while to collect them. For example, you need to prove your English or French language proficiency by taking an approved language test for immigration purposes. You are required to include your test scores in your application. A few other documents you may need to collect are the following:
- Valid passport/travel document
- Medical examination certificate for immigration purposes
- Biometrics
- Police certificate
- Education Credential Assessment (ECA)
- Valid job offer letter (if applicable)
- Family information (if applicable)
- Proof of previous relevant work experience
- Proof of funds
3. Know the in-demand jobs in Canada for Ugandans
Canada is the second-biggest country in the world with a smaller population than most other countries including Uganda, France, and England and not to mention that a large portion of the population are at retirement age. One in four workers in Canada are currently retiring and as a result, this creates gaps in the Canadian labor market.
The top five unskilled jobs in Canada include farmworkers, caregivers, truck drivers, nurse aides, and food processing laborers. On the other hand, skilled workers such as computer programmers, software engineers, accountants, cooks, and administrative assistants are in high demand in Canada, and these foreign workers had the highest success rate in 2019 Express Entry immigration draws.
According to Randstad, there are 20 jobs in Canada in 2021 that are extremely popular due to COVID-19. Ugandans can work in Canada by finding a job and applying for a Canadian work permit.
4. Studying in Canada is a great way to secure a future in the country
International students are more likely to stay and work in Canada after their studies. It’s easy for them to do so with Post-Graduate Work Permits that allow them to work in the country for the same duration of time as their studies lasted. So, if you completed a three-year Bachelor’s degree then you can work in Canada for three years. Having a Canadian qualification and work experience plus a full-time job offer can make moving to Canada from Uganda so much easier because you will have all the advantages for a successful immigration application.
Looking for an affordable way to study in Canada? Speak to our student advisors for inexpensive short courses that you can apply for.
5. The Express Entry system is the fastest way to immigrate to Canada from Uganda
The Express Entry system is the fastest way to move to Canada from Uganda if you are a skilled worker but it can also be the most competitive route to take since it’s a points-based system that chooses the highest-scoring candidates for permanent residency in Canada. Candidates are given scores for the following:
- Age;
- Years of work experience;
- Level of education;
- English or French language proficiency;
- Spouse’s credentials;
- Provincial nomination achieved; and
- Job offer
In 2021, 108,500 new residents will be invited to live in Canada through one of three Express Entry immigration programs, namely the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Trades Worker Program (FTWP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The reason for its popularity is the fast application processing times of as little as six months.
What’s the Next Step?
We’ve mentioned five important things that you should know about the Canadian immigration process, and touched on a few of the exciting immigration paths to Canada. Are you ready to move to Canada from Uganda? Need help navigating through the complex process? Put your application in the trusted hands of our immigration professionals. Simply, fill in the form below and we’ll get started with an in-depth eligibility assessment.
