PERMANENT RESIDENCY

The Government of Canada anticipates welcoming 1.3 million Permanent Residents in the next three years. To facilitate this process, a number of immigration streams are available for interested candidates.

Express Entry

Express Entry is an online application process with the goal of reducing the time between submitting a completed application and approval for Permanent Residency to 6 months.

Express Entry’s primary focus is on the skilled work experience the applicant has gained inside or outside of Canada. Express Entry is divided into three immigration streams:

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Provincial Nomination Program (PNP)

While the immigration process is handled by the federal government, each Canadian province has its own immigration programs to encourage foreign nationals to settle in their respective regions.

PNPs often require applicants to have specific experience or credentials to be eligible to apply. Some requirements would include:

A degree/diploma from a Canadian Educational Institution
Work experience in the province
Experience in an in-demand profession for the local economy

A provincial government also has the ability to select candidates from the express entry pool for nomination.

Family Sponsorship

While the majority of Permanent Residency candidates immigrate through economic streams, the Canadian government is committed to family reunification through immigration.

Through family sponsorship a Canadian citizen or permanent resident is proving a genuine family connection to the foreign national(s) being sponsored and is committed to providing financial support for a determined period of time.

Individuals that can be considered for family sponsorship include:

Spouse or Common-Law Partner
Parent(s) or Grandparent(s)
Dependent Children

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

The Atlantic Immigration Program is a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a Canadian institution who want to work and live in 1 of Canada’s 4 Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador. The program helps employers hire qualified candidates for jobs they haven’t been able to fill locally.

The AIP is a collaborative effort between the provincial governments and employer to ensure that a foreign national immigrating through the program can successfully integrate into the local community.

Job Offer Requirements:

The job offer must be:

full time
non-seasonal
at least 1 year in duration (1 year from the time the candidate becomes a permanent resident) if you’re offering a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 level job
a permanent position if you’re offering a NOC TEER 4 level job
at the same skill level as, or higher than, the work experience that qualifies the candidate for the position