Even in the midst of the global pandemic, Canada is still welcoming immigrants and staying on course to reach its goal of inviting 401,000 new immigrants in 2021. In June Canada invited 35,700 new permanent residents and 39,500 in July, which brings the total so far to more than 184,000.
Canada will continue to run its programs until the goal is reached which is why now is the right time to immigrate to Canada.
Reasons to Immigrate to Canada
1. Canada has great healthcare
If you move to Canada as a permanent resident, you can apply for public health insurance. Most services will then be free of charge to you and your family. Canada’s universal healthcare system is free because they are paid for by taxes. Each province has its own rules and healthcare cards, however, all territories and provinces will provide free emergency medical services.
Right now the healthcare system is even more important than before because of the pandemic that has affected the entire world. Canada has been taking serious precautions in dealing with COVID-19 and is doing everything it can to ensure all people living in Canada are being vaccinated. Currently, 73.5 percent of Canada’s population has at least one dose of the vaccine and 65.9 percent of the population is fully vaccinated.
2. High-level public education
Canada is currently the most educated country in the world and spends more on education per capita than any other industrial nation in the world. This is why Canada is known for providing world-class education starting from kindergarten level to higher secondary levels. A great benefit of being a Canadian permanent resident is that schooling will be free of charge to your dependents. International students are now able to enter Canada, as long as they meet these guidelines:
- have a valid study permit or letter of introduction that shows you have been approved for a study permit;
- attend a designated learning institution with a COVID-19 readiness plan approved by its province or territory.
3. A safe place to live
Canada is considered one of the safest places in the world, with 5,301 incidents per 100,000 population in 2020. Crime rates are considerably low in comparison to other countries, police in Canada are trusted by the people living in Canada and they are known for being quick to respond and easy to contact.
4. Canada has diversity
Canada is known to be one of the most diverse and multicultural places. As of 2020, there were just over eight million immigrants with permanent residents living in Canada, that’s roughly 21.5 percent of the population. When living in Canada you’re encouraged to keep your traditions, religion, language and culture. This makes moving to a new country that much easier as you will feel respected and accepted.
5. Overall high quality of life
All the above benefits mentioned along with others including a high minimum wage of $15 per hour, as of July 2021, 94,000 jobs have been added due to COVID-19 restrictions being lifted and great work benefits such as paid maternity and paternity leave for parents. This all equals to the high standard of life that Canada is so well known for.
How to Immigrate to Canada as a Permanent Resident
Express Entry
The Express Entry system is a great way to move to Canada as a permanent resident and it’s also responsible for issuing 108,500 invitations to apply (ITA) in 2021. The Express Entry system is made of three federal immigration programs. They are the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program and the Canadian Experience Class.
The Express Entry system acts as one of the largest entry points for Canadian immigration and skilled workers.
If you meet the Express Entry requirements, you need to create an online profile with the following:
- Your passport or travel document;
- Education credential assessment report;
- Language test results;
- Certificate of qualification in a trade occupation issued by a Canadian province or territory (if you have one);
- Proof of work experience (if you have one); and
- Provincial Nomination (if you have one).
Once your profile is submitted, you’ll get placed into the Express Entry draw pool with other eligible applicants. Once in the pool, you are eligible to be issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for one of the three federal programs whose requirements you meet based on the information on your profile. An ITA allows you to apply for Canadian permanent residency.
The ITA is issued to applicants who rank the highest in a round of invitations, based on their score in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The ITA is auto-generated and is issued to Express Entry applicants through their online profiles.
Why go through the Express Entry system?
If you’re unsuccessful the first time your profile will remain in the pool for one year. During this time, you can work on improving your CRS score. This can be done by:
- Improving your language test scores
- Gain more work experience;
- Complete another qualification
- Receive a Provincial Nomination;
- Apply with your common-law partner or spouse; and
- Get a job offer.
Draws can happen as frequently as every two weeks and everything is online, making it easily accessible to you.
Provincial Nominee Program
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is an agreement made by the government for local provinces to nominate eligible economic immigrants who want to work and live in a certain province in Canada. The PNP is yet another great way to move to Canada as a permanent resident.
To increase your chances of successfully receiving a nomination, it’s always a good idea to apply to a particular province where your skill is in demand. The current top 10 occupations in demand in Canada are:
- Web Developer;
- Human Resource Manager;
- Electrical Engineer;
- Veterinarians;
- Financial Advisor;
- Pharmacist;
- Welder;
- General Labourer;
- Project Manager; and
- Registered Nurse.
How to apply for a PNP
The two ways to gain Canadian permanent residency through the PNP are:
1. Direct Application Process
- Send the application directly to your province of choice;
- Submit a paper application via mail or courier; and
- Receive your application results between 15 and 19 months.
2. Express Entry Application Process
There are two options when applying through the Express Entry system:
- Expression of Interest - you express interest in the province through your Express Entry profile. The province will nominate you if you have the right skills and experience.
- Apply through a Provincial Nominee Express Entry Stream.
Applying via the Express Entry system will save you time as the processing times are as short as six months.
The PNP is expected to result in over 80,000 immigrants per year becoming permanent residents between now and 2023, which is why now is the right time to immigrate to Canada or at least to get started.
Start Your New Life in Canada
Canada is a great place for immigrants to settle in and start a new life. As mentioned before, it has great employment opportunities, is safe for you and your family and there are over 100 immigrations programs and visas to choose from to do so.
You could be part of a country that is considered one of the best countries in the world for immigration and also for being happy. Don’t ask why now is the right time to move to Canada, start your Canadian journey and see it for yourself.