How to Immigrate to Canada
Canada aims to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024, 500,000 in 2025 and plateau at 500,000 in 2026 There are many pathways to immigrate to Canada and secure Canadian permanent residence, however, the Canadim Team is committed to helping you keep things simple.
- Easiest Ways to Immigrate to Canada in 2024
- Canadian Immigration Programs Overview
- Economic and Business Immigration Options
- Family Sponsorship
- Humanitarian and Refugee Immigration
- How Much Money do You Need to Immigrate to Canada?
- What are the Requirements to Immigrate to Canada?
- What is the Fastest Way to Immigrate to Canada?
- What is the Maximum Age for Canadian Immigration?
- Which is the best pathway for me?
- What is a Permanent Resident?
- What is a Citizen?
Easiest Ways to Immigrate to Canada
It should be noted that there is no one simple way to immigrate to Canada. While some programs may be easier for you to apply to, the process is long and involves many steps.
While immigrating to Canada does require a significant financial and emotional investment, the end result is worth it. Canada consistently ranks among the best countries for quality of life and is known for its positive attitude toward immigration.
These are the four most popular ways for overseas applicants to migrate to Canada:
#1 – Express Entry
Express Entry is Canada’s fastest and most popular immigration program. Candidates that apply through the Express Entry system can receive permanent residence status as soon as six months.
By 2025, Canada plans to invite half a million newcomers. Of which a large percentage will come through one of the three streams of Express Entry:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW);
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC); and
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
The Express Entry system involves submitting an online profile that is scored by Canada’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). To submit an Express Entry profile, you must first be eligible under one of Canada’s above three federal streams. The Canadian government then issues invitations to apply for permanent residence to the highest-ranking candidates in the Express Entry pool.
The Express Entry process may be the easiest way to come to Canada for certain candidates eligible to submit a profile. It can be difficult to meet the CRS cut-off in the federal draw. However, just by being in the pool of candidates, you could be nominated for permanent residence by a province.
The cost of immigrating to Canada through Express Entry is typically about $2,300 CAD for a single applicant, or about $4,500 CAD for a couple. This does not include the settlement funds that must also be shown as part of the eligibility requirement, which will vary by family size.
Visit our Express Entry page to learn more about submitting a profile and how to increase your ranking in the pool.
#2 – Provincial Nominee Programs
Throughout the pandemic, provinces continued to nominate overseas workers for Canadian permanent residence. By 2025, Canada plans to welcome 117,500 new immigrants through PNPs.
There are countless nominee programs offered by Canada’s ten provinces and three territories. Each PNP has its own unique eligibility criteria. Many PNPs require a connection to the province to apply for nomination. However, there are some programs that invite overseas candidates solely based on their ability to respond to the province’s labour market needs.
Each PNP has its own application processing time. After receiving a nomination, PNP candidates must apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence. The time it takes to process the permanent residence application will depend on whether the PNP operates using the Express Entry system.
The cost of immigrating to Canada through a PNP is usually the same as Express Entry, with some additional fees, depending on the province. Certain provinces don’t charge a fee to process PNP applications, while others, such as Ontario, can charge up to $1,500 CAD.
#3 – Business Immigration
If you have experience managing or owning your own business, the easiest way to work and reside in Canada could be through a federal or provincial business immigration program.
The federal government offers immigration programs for individuals that plan to be self-employed in Canada or start up a business in Canada.
There are also several PNPs specific to overseas candidates interested in starting a business in a certain Canadian province.
Business immigration programs typically require a significant investment in the company you intend to start in Canada. The amount required will depend on the program you are interested in. Many PNPs have regional entrepreneur programs that require a lower investment for candidates interested in starting a business in a less populated area.
- Easiest Ways to Immigrate to Canada in 2024
- Canadian Immigration Programs Overview
- Economic and Business Immigration Options
- Family Sponsorship
- Humanitarian and Refugee Immigration
- How Much Money do You Need to Immigrate to Canada?
- What are the Requirements to Immigrate to Canada?
- What is the Fastest Way to Immigrate to Canada?
- What is the Maximum Age for Canadian Immigration?
- Which is the best pathway for me?
- What is a Permanent Resident?
- What is a Citizen?