If you have skills and job offers, this is a great way to apply to live in Canada quickly.
· Fill out an express entry profile
· If you meet the requirements you will be added to a pool with other candidates who have applied
· You will receive a ranking based on a point system. This is based on factors such as job offers, provincial nominations and or skills.
· If you are ranked high you should receive an ITA (invitation to apply)
· You then have 60 days to file an application for permanent residency.
If you want to check if you are eligible for express entry, you can fill out a quick form on the Canadian immigration site: http://www.cic.gc.ca/ctc-vac/ee-start.asp
Estimated wait time for Skilled Workers applying through online express entry: 6 Months
Social media was flooded on election day with Americans putting out requests looking for a Canadian to marry to gain access to Canada. While this can significantly cut down the number of steps Americans need to take in gaining residency, it doesn’t mean it will be easy. If you are already living in Canada with a temporary work visa or student permit you can stay in Canada while you wait for approval. If you do not, your spouse must apply to be your sponsor while you go through the approval process. Even a marriage license isn’t enough - the Canadian Government is well aware of people trying to scam the system with fake or temporary marriages. However, Americans set on this approach can check out sites like “Maple Match” to find their Canadian soul mate.
Estimated wait time for a spouse or common law partner living outside of Canada 12 months.
If you have any family currently living in Canada already there are a few steps that need to be taken in order for you to come to Canada through this method of immigration.
· Ensure the sponsor is a full Canadian citizen
· Ensure you will not need any financial assistance from the government
· Have your Canadian relative apply to be a sponsor
· Have your family member fill out an application for permanent residence and send them both at the same time.
Estimated wait time for a dependent child is 16 months, parents and grandparents is at least 3 years (they are still working on applications from January 2014) and all other relatives is around 33 months.
Every province in Canada is looking for people with specific skill sets and experiences to contribute to their individual economies. For example, Ontario is interested in Masters and PHD students as well as business owners and workers. By applying for a provincial nomination you can gain access quickly with express entry applications and permanent resident applications.
· Apply for a nomination for a specific province or territory
· If you meet their requirements you will receive your nomination
· Apply through the paper-based system or through express entry (noted above)
Wait time for Provincial Nominee if applying online for express entry: 6 months
Wait time for Provincial nominee NOT applying online for express entry: 16 months
This is for people who are moving to Canada specifically to work or for students who have co-op work terms. These work permits last for a maximum of 4 years, after which you must leave the country and cannot apply again until you have spent 4 years either outside of Canada or in Canada and not working. These permits can take up to 12 weeks to process.
To go the start up route, you must have the support of a designated organization. They must provide you with a letter of support and you have to include this letter in your application. You must also prove that your business will meet the ownership requirements.
The amount of funds that you require to support your family depends on the number of family members you have on your application. The Canadian government does not give financial assistance to start up applicants, so the more members of family you have the more money you must have to be approved for immigration.
Estimated wait time for start up: Currently not available
Two categories here: Start up and Self-Employed. If you are interested in starting a business or contributing to Canada’s economy through areas such as cultural activities, athletics or farming this could be the right path to immigration for you.
Self-Employed means:
A foreign national who: has relevant experience, intends and is able to be self-employed in Canada, and can contribute to Canada’s economy in one of the required areas. They also must have relevant experience and for a self employed person this means at least two years of experience.
Estimated wait time for Self-Employed Federal: 86 Months