Best programme to use to move to Canada
Dear Mrs Powell,
What is the best programme to use to move to Canada? My wife and I are professionals, and we are interested in making Canada our home. Most people said I should apply via the Express Entry. Is that the best route? Who can apply via Express Entry? Hope to hear from you soon.
NF
Dear NF,
Canada has several pathways for individuals and families to become permanent residence. The most appropriate pathway for you and your family would be based on your age, education, occupation, work experience and family connection in Canada. I would recommend that you contact a Canadian immigration lawyer to schedule an online meeting to find out the best pathway for you and your family based on your background and experience.
I will outline below some key facts about the Express Entry System, as this is the most popular and most economical pathway used by most professionals, especially if you do not have a relative in Canada.
WHAT IS EXPRESS ENTRY?
The Express Entry system manages the programmes such as the Federal Skilled Workers Programme, Federal SkilledTrade Programme, the Canadian Experience Class and some Provincial Nominee Programme. Applicants must ensure that you qualify under at least one of these programmes before creating a profile.
To qualify under the Federal Skilled Workers Programme, you would need to score at least 67 points based on the key selection criteria. Points are given based on your age, education, work experience, language, adaptability, and other factors, such as receiving a job offer, having siblings in Canada, and being nominated by a province.
Under the Federal Skilled Trade Programme, points are given based on the above criteria. However, the main difference is that this programme is targeting individuals with education and work experience to work in jobs such as plumbers, electricians, welders, technical trades, transportation officers, agriculture, natural resources, manufacturing, utilities, aircraft assembler, cooks, butchers and bakers, to name a few. Each applicant must have a valid job offer from an authorised Canadian employer to qualify.
If you have a minimum of one year education, or work experience in Canada, you may be able to qualify under the Canadian Experience Class. The education and work experience must be within the last three year prior to applying. Additionally, you must have a minimum of two continuous years work experience in the occupation within the last five years, or the equivalent of a combination of fulltime or part-time work experience. You must have a provincial trade certificate or a certificate of qualification which proves that you are qualified to work in a certain skilled trade in Canada. The certificate must be issued by the body that governs the trade, to show that you meet all the requirements to practise the trade in that province or territory. You may find information on the websites of each province or territory. Popular websites are https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/become-certified/ and https://www.ontario.ca/page/work-your-profession-or-trade. Some provinces use the Express Entry System to scout for suitable candidates based on the employment demands, and will send you an expression of interest if you are in the Express Entry pool. Some provinces will accept your application directly, and if you qualify you will receive a provincial nomination. A provincial nomination usually means that you stand a strong chance of being granted an invitation to apply for permanent residence, as you will be granted 600 points towards your comprehensive ranking score.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
All programmes require you to provide proof of your education. If you studied outside of Canada, you must provide an educational credential assessment (ECA) report for Canadian immigration purposes from one of the designated bodies. You will need to provide them with a copy of your transcript and certificate, for them to provide a report to show that your international study would be accepted in Canada.
You must choose the correct organisation to complete the assessment based on your occupation. For example, if your primary occupation is a medical doctor, specialist in clinical and laboratory medicine, specialist in surgery, general practitioner, or family physician, you must get an ECA report for your primary medical diploma from the Medical Council of Canada.
If you are a pharmacist and would like to receive a licence to practise as such, you need to get an ECA from the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada.
If your occupation falls in any other profession, you may request and ECA from one of the following organisations: Comparative Education Service – University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, International Credential Assessment Service of Canada, World Education Services, International Qualifications Assessment Service, International Credential Evaluation Service – British Columbia Institute of Technology.
You are required to provide proof of your language ability in at least one of Canada’s official languages. The acceptable English examinations are the CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program General Test; IELTS: International English Language Testing System General Training option; and the PTE Core: Pearson Test of English.
For French, you must provide the TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français or the TCF Canada: Test de connaissance du français. You may contact your nearest Alliance Française office for information to schedule the examination in your home country.
For additional information, you may request a telephone consultation by calling 613-695-8777, or sending a WhatsApp message.