Different Ways to Come to Canada

The idea of traveling or immigrating to Canada, a new world country can be very exciting. Canada as a country presents travelers  and immigrants with a wonderful destination to visit, to pursue higher education,or  become a permanent resident.

In this article we will cover the different routes of Immigrating and traveling to Canada. The difference lies in the type of visa you procure and your purpose of travel; Temporary or Permanent.

Temporary Routes

If you are planning on coming to Canada on a temporary visit basis as a visitor, worker, student; you can apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). Below we will discuss the different visas that fall under the category of TRV.

Visitor Visa: Any individual traveling to the country of Canada for pleasure, family, business can apply for the Visitor Visa.

Student Visa: Any individual who plans to pursue higher education in Canada and plans to return to their home country after the completion of their studies can apply for a student visa/study permit. However, you will have to get a visitor visa alongside the study permit, as the study permit in itself cannot allow you entry into Canada.

Business Visa: Any individual traveling to Canada for specific business involvement/activities or meetings with companies in Canada. In such cases you can apply for a Business Visa, instead of getting a work permit which may not be necessary.

Work Permit: If you have a skill set that is in demand or you have experience that attracts a Canadian company to offer you employment, then you can come to Canada as a worker. This period of work permit can vary from 1-3 years and can be extended based on the ongoing employment.

Spouses of students and workers in Canada may also be eligible to apply for open work permits, which allows them to work for any employer in Canada.

Permanent Routes

If you are planning to move or immigrate to Canada as an individual or with your family, you can apply through a different number of programs and visas.

Skilled Migration: If you are planning on immigrating or moving to Canada, you can do so through the Express Entry Program. Any skilled worker who meets the necessary requirement will be chosen for Permanent Residence based on the following factors: Age, Education, Work Experience (based on relevant NOC code), Language proficiency and other factors.

Business or Entrepreneur: Any individual who wants to start a business in Canada can apply for permanent residence through this program. The individual should have enough funds to invest into the business, possess language skill, and have sufficient experience in the industry. Furthermore, the business should create a positive impact on the economy and it should create employment opportunities.

Family: The family program designed by the government of Canada aims to reconnect separated families. If you hold a Canadian PR or are already a citizen of Canada you can apply to get your family to Canada.

Investors: This program is designed to bring business professionals with experience to contribute towards the long-term growth and success of the Canadian Economy by bringing them as investors. Canada offer business immigration largely at the provincial level, which allows individual provinces to streamline and identify prospective applicants based on their specific needs and requirements. Among other requirements one needs to be able to invest a specific minimum amount of funds into eligible business and ability to show legal net-worth of specific amount in order to be eligible under these programs.
Canada does NOT offer immigration by way of purchase of bonds or real estate, though the province of Quebec having a separate immigration program does have an option by way of investing $1.2million in prescribed (government guaranteed) investment.

Farming: Any individual who is a farmer or is an owner of a farm in their own country, can apply for immigration through this program, which is offered by different provinces to encourage investment into its Agro industry. However, the individual must have enough finances to purchase a farm in Canada as well as experience in management and operations. Only if you have the capability to fulfill this, then you can apply for permanent residence. Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island are some of the most popular destinations for this program.

Refugees: As a country Canada has been on the forefront in recognizing basic human rights to safety and protection from persecution. To be granted a refugee status, the individual must show a legitimate reason of persecution. The reasons for persecution can vary from race, religion, political opinion etc. Only if the individual can satisfy a legitimate reason for persecution, will they be accepted for this status.

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