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Moving to Canada from the United States
So What's Required to Move to Canada?
There are five possible ways to move to Canada from the USA
Overview
Have you ever thought about moving to another country? Nowadays, more and more Americans have been looking for ways to move to Canada. Once you look over Canada's perks, can you genuinely blame our neighbour's next door?
We will discuss the five most common ways to gain permanent residence in Canada. Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, Family Sponsorship, Work Permits and Care Giver Programs. Also, in a class of its own, there is the Canada USA Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), which can be found separately on our website under International Mobility.
We will start from the quickest to the more complex ones. Let's Go!
Express Entry
Let us start with the fastest method. The Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) describes Express Entry as a process for skilled immigrants who want to contribute to the country’s economy. It provides three Canadian immigration programs:
- Canadian Experience Class is for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience. You must accumulate at least 12 months of full-time employment experience within three years before applying to be eligible.
- As the name suggests, the Federal Skilled Trades Program requires that you have experience with a trades occupation. Moreover, you will need to have a valid job offer or a qualification certificate.
- Federal Skilled Worker Program is for people who have professional work experience from other countries and from within Canada. It would probably be your best ticket to a Canadian permanent residence opportunity as an American.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PnP)
Many of Canada's 11 provinces and territories urgently require specific workers to help boost the economic growth within each one, so the government launched a program to assist them: the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). Canada's provinces and territories also establish community-driven new opportunities called "Pilot programs" to meet economic shortfalls that need to be filled.
As a result, it has become an ideal choice for Americans with particular qualifications. Here are the usual type of businesses, workers or students that the PNPs and Pilot programs need:
- Business people and Entrepreneurs
- Skilled workers
- Semi-skilled workers
- International Students and Graduates
- Health Care Professionals
- In-Demand Occupations
- French Speaking Skilled Workers
- Farm Investors and Self-Employed Farmers
Each application's eligibility will depend on the PNP and Pilots minimum requirements, which will be unique to each province and territory. We can help you select the best place to welcome you, and your skills will be appreciated. Canada needs you!
Family CLASS sPONSORSHIP
Suppose you have an immediate family living in Canada or outside Canada who is a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident. In that case, they may be able to sponsor you as a Permanent Resident under the Family Sponsorship program under the following circumstances:
- Spouse – You must be legally married to someone in Canada and be at least 18 years of age, and Same-sex marriages are included in family sponsorship.
- Common-law partner – The Canadian citizenship website highlights that you must not be legally married to your common-law partner. Also, this person should have lived with you for a minimum of 12 months, and any time you spent away from each other should have been short and temporary.
- Conjugal partner – The requirements are similar to those for a common-law partner. However, you will have to prove that you two could not live together in the same country for “significant legal and immigration reasons.”
- Dependent children – Your parents could sponsor your application for permanent residence if you are under 22 years of age and you do not have a spouse. Offspring who are older than 22 years of age may qualify if they have a physical or mental condition.
- Parents and grandparents – Your children in Canada could sponsor you if you are relatives by blood or by adoption. This may also apply to any dependent children your parents or grandparents have under 22 at the time of applying.
An application for spousal or common-law sponsorship made by a Canadian citizen can be submitted from the United States if the couple is living there or from within Canada. If the sponsor is a permanent resident rather than a Canadian citizen, the sponsor must be a resident of Canada to submit the sponsorship application. Contact us.
wORK pERMIT (wITH OR wITHOUT A lmia)
To get a Work Permit, temporary foreign workers interested in working in Canada must have a full-time job offer from a Canadian employer supported by an LMIA.
The Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), a document released by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), is required by Canadian employers to justify hiring foreign workers. LMIAs usually go hand-in-hand with Work Permits.
The LMIA is usually given for 1 to 2 years, and the work permit issued will match that period. If you want to renew your work permit beyond this period, you will likely need a new LMIA.
Obtaining a Work Permit that does not require an LMIA is called an Open Work Permit (OWP). If you have a spouse or common-law partner applying to come to Canada as a student, you could be eligible to apply for an Open Work Permit simultaneously. This means that you can work for any employer in Canada for the duration of your spouse's or common-law partner's study permit or when your passport expires.
The other way to obtain an Open Work Permit is if you are sponsored In-Canada with a spousal sponsorship. When applying for support and permanent residence, you can also apply for an Open Work Permit simultaneously. Unfortunately, this does not apply to Spousal Sponsorship and Permanent residence applications made outside of Canada if the sponsored person is not currently living in Canada with their spouse or common-law partner.
cAREGIVERS
Canada’s Caregiver Program has changed throughout the years. Still, this immigration pathway continues to be a solid option for those interested in either working temporarily or permanently in Canada, as long as you meet the minimum eligibility requirements.
This program can lead to permanent residency with the added benefit of being able to bring your family members with you. We will guide you in navigating through the process to help maximize your chances of success. Get assessed today.