Moving to Canada as a Family: What You Need to Know

Moving to Canada as a family has become a popular decision for international immigrants from all around the world. This fact has emboldened the Canadian government with confidence about their prospects that over 1.2 million people will make their way from abroad with the hope they’ll obtain permanent residency and become Canadians between 2023 to 2025.

The aim to add to the country’s growing population is due to the economy that continues to grow at a fast pace, requiring more skilled and educated workers by the day. Since there is a high demand for such workers, Canada has a pool of jobs that are waiting to be filled.

Whether you would like a change of environment, give yourself a career boost, or want to live in a country that is both secure and offers you and your family plenty of opportunities, Canada is the place to be.

The Best Programs to Help You Move to Canada

There are over 100 Canada immigration programs to choose from, but there are two in particular that make the Canadian immigration application process much easier.

Express Entry

The Express Entry System is one of the most popular immigration programs among immigrants because it is a fast-track process (as quick as six months) to obtaining permanent residency status in Canada.

In the next three years (2023-2025), Canada aims to welcome over 500,000 people to Canada with the Express Entry program, which is a system that was introduced in 2015 by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

This program works with a selection process to choose the most suitable candidates for immigration to Canada through one of the various Federal Economic Immigration programs.

If you are applying for permanent residence for you and your family via the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class program, you must do it through the Express Entry system.

As one of the most popular options to immigrate to Canada, the application process involves that you meet a certain set of requirements (based on demographic data such as age, work experience, marital status, education, criminal record and medical history) that allows you to accumulate a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS score) out of 1,200 points.

The more requirements you meet, the higher you will score, which means that you will be ranked as more eligible to immigrate to Canada than other applicants. Should you get selected, you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), which you must accept in order to gain permanent residency status in Canada.

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

If you are not among the potential applicants that qualify for Express Entry but you have a valid job offer with a contract of at least one year then the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is just the program for you.

When you apply for this program, the first thing you have to do is decide which province in Canada you would like to move to. Since your goal is to gain permanent residency and you will be spending one year minimum in Canada, this is a very important decision to make as it is the place where you will live and work.

To be eligible for the Provincial Nominee Program you must have a set of educational and occupational skills and experience that meets the in-demand occupations list of the province that you want to apply to.

To apply for the PNP program after you have selected a province and submitted your application, the province of your choice will assess whether you intend to settle in that specific province. This is done because Canadian immigration programs are aimed to boost local economies and support the aging population.

The following is a list of the application requirements for Provincial Nominee programs:

• A local job offer in the province you wish to reside in
• Work experience in the province of your choice;
• Your adaptability to living in ; and
• Familial ties to someone living in the province

Family Sponsorships

A huge consideration motivating most migrants when it comes to immigrating with their families is that they don’t want to leave their family members behind. When immigrants are unable to bring their families, spouses and dependents with them to Canada, it becomes very difficult for them to continue to make the decision to stay in Canada.

The Canadian government, being aware of the aforementioned problem, has decided to cater to this need that prospective immigrants have by liaising with the IRCC to roll out a set of sponsorship immigration programs that allows you sponsor your spouse and common-law partner, parents and grandparents, dependent and adopted child, relative and super visa.

Spouse/Partner Sponsorship

The Spouse/Partner Sponsorship Program enables Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouses and common-law or conjugal partners to come to Canada. You must be 18 or older to be sponsored by your spouse or partner.

Dependent Child Sponsorship

The Dependent Child Sponsorship Program enables Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their dependent children to come to Canada.

Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship

The Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program enables Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents to come to Canada.

Adopted Child Sponsorship

The Adopted Child Sponsorship Program enables Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their adopted children to come to Canada.

Relative Sponsorship

This program allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor an orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece, or grandchild if they're blood-related and under 18.

Canada Super Visa

The Canada Super Visa is a temporary visa for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. It enables them to stay in Canada for up to five years multiple times over ten years.

Here is a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to apply for a Canadian Family Sponsorship Program.

Settle Into Your New Home

In recent years, the most popular province and territory to immigrate to is Ontario, with roughly 127,191 new immigrants from 2021 to 2022. British Columbia is the second most popular, with 44,889 immigrants, Alberta with 35,519, and Quebec with 33,295.

Every province and territory is unique, offering beautiful landscapes, a rich cultural experience, housing, schools, parks, amenities, and all of the benefits that contributed to why you decided to move to Canada in the first place.

As a part of the application process, where you should live in Canada is a big decision. Since you will be moving from your home or current country of residence, you must find an area best suited for you, which will be especially difficult if you don’t know anything about either of the provinces or territories.

If you’ve never physically been to Canada, it is best not to decide on where to live on a whim. Instead, you should research every province, and if you know anyone living in them, consult them about what it’s like to live there.

If you thought that small factors and details don’t matter as long as you can move to Canada, remember that Canada is one of the largest countries in the world. That means it requires significant effort to travel from one province to another.

So, before you choose, you must make sure that it is the right place for you, which is why everything from the province’s weather, job availability, type of lifestyle, education, healthcare, and the cost of each must be taken into account.

Once you have a clear idea of where you want to live, you can search for the ideal home for you and your family. With this, you must consider the type of home you would like to either rent or buy, ranging from condos, single or detached houses, semi-detached houses, townhouses, and semi-detached houses. To find the ideal home for you and your family, refer to one of Canada’s most popular and trusted real estate websites.

The Average Cost of Living in All Provinces and Territories in Canada

Canada is a really big country, so choosing a province to live in can seem quite daunting; so, to simplify it, you can pick a few provinces and review each of their cities to narrow your search.

To find even lower-cost places to live in, you can also review a list of smaller towns or inland areas in Canada, which tend to be cheaper than cities, most of which are quite charming. However, with this option, there may be fewer work opportunities.

How we can Help you Move to Canada With Your Family

When you ask for advice from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), you can rest assured that you are working with someone that specializes in Canadian immigration.

An RCIC can simplify the process of moving to Canada as a family, and as licensed professionals, address any of your doubts about your application process or answer relevant questions on how to get to Canada and make it happen fast.

From checking your eligibility status to advising you on what to do every step of the way, including reviewing your application process before you submit it, for you to stand the best chance of gaining permanent Canadian residency, with the help of a government-approved RCIC you’ll be on your way to submitting a successful application in no time.

FAQs

What is the Safest City to Immigrate to Canada With Your Family?

Ottawa, Ontario is generally considered to be the safest city in Canada. For anyone looking to raise a family in Canada in a secure environment, we recommend Ottawa as a destination to settle in.

What is the Worst City to Immigrate to Canada With Your Family?

North Battleford, Saskatchewan is generally considered to be the most unsafe place in Canada. It has even earned the infamous moniker of “Crime capital of Canada” and hence we do not recommend moving with your family to this town.

Does Canada Provide Benefits to Newcomers Immigrating With Their Families?

The only incentives the IRCC provides to immigrants moving with their families is that immigrant families are normally prioritized over individual immigrants to receive permanent residency status.