Individuals willing to migrate to Canada from the US are presented with a number of options today. Depending on your settlement goals and individual circumstances. you can choose to immigrate to Canada under various programs. Whether you have a close family living in Canada or not, you can choose from more than a hundred Canadian economic-class immigration programs. Individuals interested in moving with family can choose to immigrate as a family class.
There are various ways under which individuals can become eligible to move to Canada. Assuming the immigrants belong to the economic class, they can build a career in the country after receiving proper training. Each program requires you to have enough educational qualifications and work experience to become eligible. Along with that, language proficiency in English also plays a role in these processes even if it is your second or third language.
As recommended by the leading immigration lawyer in Canada, Ronen Kurzfeld, it is always best to experience the Canadian lifestyle before entering the labor market as an immigrant. Various studies have shown that individuals having previous working or studying experience in Canada are preferred candidates as it boosts their earning potential significantly.
Below we have listed the ways through which individuals can immigrate to Canada from the US:
- Study Permits and Post-Graduation Work Permits
- CUSMA: Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement
- Temporary Foreign Worker Program and International Mobility Program
- Express Entry draws
- Provincial Nominee Program
- Family Sponsorship
1. Study Permits and Post-Graduation Work Permits
Study permits are provided to the individuals who want to enter the country for educational purposes. One can apply after receiving a letter of acceptance from a Canadian Institution. You can also choose to work part time while studying in Canada.
Certain immigration programs require you to get an education from a Designated Learning Institution. And after receiving education from most of these institutions, you can also qualify for a post-graduation permit, through which you can also work in the country for up to three years.
2. CUSMA: Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement
CUSMA is formerly known as NAFTA which facilitates the immigration of individuals from the US to Canada. By qualifying through the CUSMA, you can conveniently skip the Labour Market Impact Assessment which can be expensive and lengthy.
The CUSMA work permits have four categories:
- CUSMA Professionals
- CUSMA Intra-Company Transfers
- CUSMA Traders
- CUSMA Investors
3. Temporary Foreign Worker Program and International Mobility Program
The major difference between work permits under the International Mobility Program (IMP) and Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is the requirement for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
The TFWP offers individuals to work in Canada for a fixed amount of time on a temporary basis when there iss no domestic worker available to fill the role. The individuals applying for this work permit will have to go through the LMIA process.
On the other hand, the IMP is more focused on expanding the cultural, social, and economic interest of Canada and hence does not require an LMIA.
4. Express Entry
Express Entry offers an online application process for three immigration programs of Canada:
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
It is a shorter process to gain permanent residency in the country using an online application management system. The CEC program is for the individuals who are already in Canada. The FSWP requires individuals to have one year of continuous skilled experience and the FSTP is for skilled trades workers who have at least two years of full time working experience in a relatable field.
5. Provincial Nominee Program
Except for Quebec and Nunavut, every province of Canada has the Provincial Nominee Program better known as PNP. The PNPs have two categories: enhanced programs and base programs. These programs operate independently from the Express Entry system.
6. Family-class Sponsorship
Through Family-class sponsorship, citizens and permanent residents in Canada can sponsor their common-law partner, spouse, parents, children, or grandparents. They are also allowed to support other relatives such as brother, aunt, uncle, sister, etc. under specific circumstances. However, any of the relatives should not be criminally or medically inadmissible.
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