It should be noted that there is no one simple way to immigrate to Canada. While some programs may be easier for you to apply to, the process is long and involves many steps.

While immigrating to Canada does require a significant financial and emotional investment, the end result is worth it. Canada consistently ranks among the best countries for quality of life and is known for its positive attitude toward immigration.

These are the four most popular ways for overseas applicants to migrate to Canada:

#1 – Express Entry

Express Entry is Canada’s fastest and most popular immigration program. Candidates that apply through the Express Entry system can receive permanent residence status as soon as six months.

By 2025, Canada plans to invite half a million newcomers. Of which a large percentage will come through one of the three streams of Express Entry:

• Federal Skilled Worker (FSW);
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC); and
• Federal Skilled Trades (FST)

The Express Entry system involves submitting an online profile that is scored by Canada’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). To submit an Express Entry profile, you must first be eligible under one of Canada’s above three federal streams. The Canadian government then issues invitations to apply for permanent residence to the highest-ranking candidates in the Express Entry pool.

The Express Entry process may be the easiest way to come to Canada for certain candidates eligible to submit a profile. It can be difficult to meet the CRS cut-off in the federal draw. However, just by being in the pool of candidates, you could be nominated for permanent residence by a province.

The cost of immigrating to Canada through Express Entry is typically about $2,300 CAD for a single applicant, or about $4,500 CAD for a couple. This does not include the settlement funds that must also be shown as part of the eligibility requirement, which will vary by family size.

Visit our Express Entry page to learn more about submitting a profile and how to increase your ranking in the pool. Find out if you’re eligible to enter the Express Entry pool

#2 – Provincial Nominee Programs

Throughout the pandemic, provinces continued to nominate overseas workers for Canadian permanent residence. By 2025, Canada plans to welcome 117,500 new immigrants through PNPs.

There are countless nominee programs offered by Canada’s ten provinces and three territories. Each PNP has its own unique eligibility criteria. Many PNPs require a connection to the province to apply for nomination. However, there are some programs that invite overseas candidates solely based on their ability to respond to the province’s labour market needs.

Each PNP has its own application processing time. After receiving a nomination, PNP candidates must apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence. The time it takes to process the permanent residence application will depend on whether the PNP operates using the Express Entry system.

The cost of immigrating to Canada through a PNP is usually the same as Express Entry, with some additional fees, depending on the province. Certain provinces don’t charge a fee to process PNP applications, while others, such as Ontario, can charge up to $1,500 CAD. Find out if you qualify to immigrate through a PNP

#3 – Business Immigration

If you have experience managing or owning your own business, the easiest way to work and reside in Canada could be through a federal or provincial business immigration program.

The federal government offers immigration programs for individuals that plan to be self-employed in Canada or start up a business in Canada.

There are also several PNPs specific to overseas candidates interested in starting a business in a certain Canadian province.

Business immigration programs typically require a significant investment in the company you intend to start in Canada. The amount required will depend on the program you are interested in. Many PNPs have regional entrepreneur programs that require a lower investment for candidates interested in starting a business in a less populated area.

#4 – Sponsorship

If you have a qualifying family member that is a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, family sponsorship will likely be the easiest way for you to reside in Canada.

Canada offers several immigration programs that give permanent residents and citizens the chance to bring their family members to the country. This year, Canada plans to welcome 105,000 new permanent residents through family sponsorship programs.

If your spouse, child, or grandchild is a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, you may be eligible for family sponsorship.

Sponsoring a relative typically costs about $1,135 CAD. Additional fees will apply if the sponsor resides in or intends to reside in Quebec.

The processing time for a sponsorship application will depend on the family member who is sponsoring you. For spousal sponsorship, applications typically take about 12 months to process from start to finish.

Canadian Immigration Programs Overview

There are more than 80 pathways to immigrate to Canada! We will outline the broad categories of Canadian immigration in an effort to keep things simple for our readers. Click on the links to the specific programs to learn more about the requirements and qualifications needed to be eligible to apply. 

Immigration Tip

Discover your Canadian immigration options by completing our free online assessment tool. In one simple form, we will evaluate you for the dozens of immigration programs available and let you know which one is best for you.  

Economic and Business Immigration Options

Economic and business immigration options are for professionals who have skills that support the Canadian economy. Each program differs greatly in the qualifications required so no one-size-fits-all description is possible. 

Economic and business immigration categories include:

• Provincial Nominee Programs
• Express Entry
• Quebec Immigration 
• Investor Programs
• Entrepreneur and Self-Employed Programs
• Other federal classes of immigration like the Caregivers Program, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, and the Agri-Food Pilot are also options under the umbrella of economic immigration to Canada. 

Family Sponsorship

Family sponsorship is a category of immigration available to the family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. 

Family members eligible to sponsor include:

• Spouse or common-law/conjugal partner
• Dependent child (adopted or biological) 
• Parents and grandparents 

In some circumstances, you may be eligible to sponsor other family members outside the above-mentioned categories. If you have no other eligible relatives to sponsor you may sponsor the following family members:

• Orphaned brother or sister
• Orphaned nephew or niece
• Orphaned grandchild

Humanitarian and Refugee Immigration

Canada has an international reputation as a leader in accepting new refugees and other immigrants for humanitarian and compassionate reasons. A significant portion of Canada’s annual immigration target is dedicated to admitting refugees.

How Much Money do You Need to Immigrate to Canada?

The cost of immigrating to Canada is generally about $2,300 CAD for a single applicant, or about $4,500 CAD for a couple. This amount does not include the settlement funds that many candidates must show to be eligible for Canadian immigration; this amount will vary by family size, starting at around $13,000 CAD for a single applicant. If a candidate is applying through a provincial program, additional fees may apply. Proof of settlement funds is not required for those with a Canadian job offer or who are applying under the Canadian Experience Class.

All forms of business immigration require significant investment in Canada. It might require the applicant to have invested in a Canadian company or require an applicant to make an interest-free loan to the federal or provincial government.

In most cases, you do not provide financial information to sponsor a spouse or dependent child. If you are sponsoring other family members like a parent or grandparent, there is a financial requirement that will need to be met in order to be eligible to apply.

If you are applying under humanitarian and compassionate grounds applications, no financial requirements exist. The only time financial information is required under this category of immigration is if the refugee is a privately sponsored applicant. In that case, the Canadian group sponsoring the refugee must demonstrate that they have raised sufficient funds to sponsor the resettlement of the refugee candidate.

What are the Requirements for Canadian Immigration?

Each immigration program has its own minimum eligibility requirements. It is important to verify your eligibility prior to applying.

When submitting an application, the Canadian government will request various documents to verify your work experience, education, identity, and criminal and medical background. The types of required documents depend on the program to which you are applying.

In order to determine the documents, you will require, first you have to determine which immigration program is best for you! Check if you are eligible to come to Canada

What is the Fastest Way to become a permanent resident in Canada?

The fastest method of immigrating to Canada is through Express Entry. Express Entry processes most applications in six months or less.  

What is the Maximum Age for Canadian Immigration?

There is no specific age limit requirement for any Canadian immigration program. That said, in most categories of economic immigration, applicants 25-35 receive the maximum points. That doesn’t mean older applicants cannot be selected. Having substantial work experience, high language proficiency, connections to Canada, and advanced education can easily offset any points lost for age in economic immigration. 

Family sponsorship and humanitarian and refugee immigration to Canada do not use a ranking system and therefore do not have any penalties for age whatsoever. 

Which is the best pathway for me?

With over 80 pathways of immigration, Canada has a range of options for all types of applicants. That said, moving to a new country requires some effort. Some immigration programs require higher qualifications and more documents than others. Using the services of a Canadian immigration lawyer can greatly assist in the immigration process from start to finish. 

Canadian immigration lawyers are the point of contact with the government for your application. They handle the submission of your application and advise you on the documents you need, the ones you might want to include, and the documents you should not provide. 

To learn more about how the skilled legal professionals and lawyers at the Canadim Law Firm can help you, check out our Canadian immigration services page.  

Do I Need a Job Offer to Immigrate to Canada?

No. The vast majority of all Canadian permanent residents do not have a job offer in Canada when they apply. While some Canadian immigration programs require applicants to have a Canadian job offer, there is a range of programs and options available to foreign nationals without an offer of employment in Canada. Here are two main immigration programs that do not require a Canadian job offer:

1. Express Entry

The Express Entry system is responsible for welcoming over 100,000 newcomers to Canada each year. If you are applying for an Express Entry program, it is likely that you will not need a job offer. In fact, about 90% of Express Entry candidates were invited to apply for permanent residency without holding a Canadian job offer, according to IRCC’s Year-End Report 2019.

Express Entry requires applicants to have adequate work and educational experience, as well as language skills. However, you will not lose points for not having an offer from a Canadian employer.

2. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)

There are also many Provincial Nominee Programs that do not require a job offer to apply.

Some provinces, such as Saskatchewan, will instead use Expression of Interest (EOI) points-based systems – similar to Express Entry – to determine which candidates will be invited to apply for nomination.

Other provinces, such as Ontario or Nova Scotia, will invite candidates directly from the Express Entry pool to fill specific demographic or labour market gaps. That means, just by having an Express Entry profile in the pool of candidates, you have the opportunity to be invited to settle permanently in a Canadian province.

So if you want to immigrate to Canada and do not yet have a valid job offer, don’t panic! There are many options available to become a permanent resident do not include a job offer requirement.

What is a Permanent Resident?

A Canadian permanent resident is a citizen of another country who has been granted permission to live in Canada as a permanent resident. Once a person has permanent resident status, they have the right to live and work anywhere in the country. Permanent residents receive a significant number of benefits in Canada, including access to healthcare and social services, the right to live, work, and study anywhere in Canada, and protection under Canadian law. As well, after being a permanent resident for a certain amount of time, permanent residents are eligible to apply to become Canadian citizens! Notably, Canadian permanent residents do not have the right to vote in Canadian elections.

What is a Citizen?

Canadian citizens have many rights and privileges in Canada. Citizens have access to healthcare, social services, support under the law. A citizen can live, work, and study, anywhere in Canada, and has the right to vote in Canadian elections. As well, citizenship cannot be revoked or removed. All people born in Canada automatically qualify for Canadian citizenship. As well, foreign nationals can become naturalized Canadian citizens by going through the proper application process with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Can I Work Anywhere in Canada?

Once a person has Canadian permanent resident status, they have the authorization to live and work anywhere in Canada. If a foreign national does not have Canadian permanent resident status, then they must have the proper authorization to work in Canada. Usually, this authorization comes in the form of a Canadian work permit.

Can I Bring My Family to Canada?

Certain immigration programs allow foreign nationals to immigrate to Canada with their family members. However, the family members able to accompany a foreign national varies depending on the immigration program. For example, those immigrating through Canada’s Express Entry system are eligible to include their spouse and dependent children on the application, but not their parents. However, Canada has family sponsorship programs enabling Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, and parents/grandparents. In order to determine whether or not your family members may join you, first you must determine which immigration pathway you choose to pursue!

Why is Canada Looking for Immigrants?

Canadian cities and rural areas depend on newcomers to keep their populations growing and to support their labour markets. Canada also has an aging population, and without a robust system of immigration, Canada would be on a similar trajectory to that of Japan in the 1990s. But unlike Japan, Canada embraced immigration and that has allowed us to maintain a large proportion of the population in prime working age, between 25 and 54. This would not be possible without mass immigration to Canada.

Source: https://www.canadim.com/

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Among other considerations, two of the most important things to remember about misrepresentation is that:

• It can occur even if applicants make an innocent mistake (more on this later) on their application details or in sending relevant documents to IRCC; and
• It is considered a form of fraud, and therefore a serious crime which can be persecuted as such.

How can misrepresentation occur on my immigration application?

Commonly, misrepresentation arises when people make mistakes on details of their application forms, or sending documents with incorrect, unauthorised, or forged details in support of their application. Withholding relevant information from IRCC in an immigration application can also be determined as misrepresentation.

Therefore, any mistakes, missing (relevant) information, or inaccuracies on any of the following documents could constitute misrepresentation to IRCC:

• Your application document (usually a form beginning with identification code “IMM”);
• Your passport(s) and other identification documents;
• Your visas or electronic travel authorisations (eTA);
• Your diplomas, degrees, education credential assessments (ECA), and proof of acceptance or graduation documents, or other papers used for the same purpose;
• Your proof of employment documents, like job offer letters, apprenticeship or trade papers or other documents used for the same purpose;
• Any relevant certificates of birth, marriage, final divorce, annulment, separation, or death;
• Police certificates and/or clearances; and
• Any other documents used in support of your permanent or temporary residence (including work, study, or visit visa) applications.

Additionally, any misrepresentation that occurred in receiving supporting documents (for example, lying about employment history to receive a job offer in Canada), may also be considered misrepresentation.

How can I avoid misrepresentation on my immigration application?

Perhaps the simplest way to avoid misrepresentation is to carefully check all details and documents that you are using to support your application. Anything that is submitted to IRCC as part of your application can leave you potentially liable, so double or even triple checking all information is advisable.

Due to the relative intricacy of immigration applications, and the often-large number and diverse kinds of documents and information needed, many applicants choose to hire an immigration lawyer—to better protect themselves and ensure their application has the best chance of being approved.

What are the possible consequences of being found guilty of misrepresentation?

As mentioned, misrepresentation is considered a type of fraud. As such, if you are found guilty of misrepresentation your immigration application will be refused.

Additionally, depending on the severity of misrepresentation, and the specifics of each case, possible consequences can include:

• Being forbidden from entering Canada for at least 5 years;
• Receiving a permanent record of fraud with IRCC;
• Removal of your status as a permanent resident or Canadian citizen;
• Any sponsors on your immigration application also being found guilty of misrepresentation;
• Being charged with a crime by IRCC; and/or
• Removal from Canada.

What can I do if I am at risk or found guilty of committing misrepresentation?

While misrepresentation can have serious consequences for applicants, there are potential preventions and remedies that applicants can explore.

Procedural Fairness Letter

Occasionally, before an officer makes a final decision on whether an applicant is guilty of misrepresentation, they will send the applicant a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL). These are emails or electronically sent letters that immigration officers send to allow applicants to explain concerns that officers have about documents or details of the immigration application.

While this can be frustrating, it is also an opportunity to clear up any mistakes or miscommunications on the applicant’s part. Immigration applicants should write a clear and comprehensive letter in response, doing their best to clarify any inaccuracies, mistakes, or omissions in their application. Many applicants choose to hire an immigration lawyer at this stage, as they can help in drafting the best possible letter to avoid accusations of misrepresentation.

Judicial Review

If you have already been found guilty of misrepresentation—and believe the claim is unreasonable—you can also appeal this decision at the Federal Court, through a process known as Judicial Review. While applicants can represent themselves here, most opt to hire an immigration lawyer at this stage of the journey as well. Note that the Federal Court cannot replace an immigration decision with its own, nor can they reconsider the facts of the case. The court can only determine if the accusation of misrepresentation was reasonably warranted or not. If the claim was found to be unreasonable, the Federal Court can overturn it, and thereby make you eligible once more for Canadian immigration.

While consequences for misrepresentation can be severe, IRCC’s own policies—specifically section ENF02 s. 9.3 of IRCC’s Enforcement Manual—acknowledge that “It must be recognised that honest errors and misunderstandings sometimes occur in completing application forms and responding to questions….reasonableness and fairness are to be applied in assessing these situations”. Thus, one popular defence for applicants in the Judicial Review process is the “innocent mistake” defence. This is when an applicant accused of misrepresentation attempts to explain inaccuracies in their application as an innocent mistake. While this can sometimes be a successful appeal, it is not always successful. The “innocent mistake” defence puts the responsibility of reasonably proving any misrepresentation in your application was the product of an innocent mistake, on your (the applicant’s) part; applicants must further satisfactorily explain why this is the case to the Federal Court.

The Cohen immigration law firm has over 45 years of expertise in helping clients get their immigration applications approved, with more than 60 lawyers, paralegals, and other legal professionals who handle the complete preparation to permanent residence and temporary work permit applications.

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As announced in the Immigration Levels Plan for 2024-2026, Canada aims to welcome a total of 485,000 permanent residents (PRs) in 2024. Alongside this increased level of immigration, Canada is expected to launch updates across various programs and leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to streamline the client experience.

Updates to the Express Entry System

In 2023, IRCC began conducting category-based Express Entry draws. These draws were implemented to help Canada find foreign nationals best suited to address the country’s most pressing labour gaps and demographic needs.

In the first year of category-based draws, IRCC chose to prioritize the following categories of immigration candidates.

• Those with French language proficiency
• Those with recent work experience in any of the following five industries: Healthcare; Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics (STEM); Trades, Transport and Agri-Food/Agriculture

In 2024, IRCC is expected to continue with category-based draws. However, the department has made it clear that they will reassess the focus categories chosen for 2023 and potentially alter them based on the changing needs of Canada’s labour market. This means that new sectors and proficiencies may be chosen as areas of focus by IRCC, potentially enabling new groups of newcomers to be eligible for category-based Express Entry draws this coming year.

New Provincial Nominee Program guidelines

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are immigration pathways that allow local governments to hand-select candidates that will best help them address labour market gaps. According to IRCC’s latest Immigration Levels Plan, PNPs are projected to make up the country’s biggest (by immigration targets) immigration pathway in 2024.

Provinces were recently provided with a new set of guiding principles for PNPs, detailed here.

IRCC is also introducing new multi-year plans for the PNP starting in 2024. This will enable provinces and territories to better planfor their immigration strategies, as they will know their 2025 allocation a year in advance.

Taken together, these new PNP developments mean that prospective newcomers pursuing this immigration pathway should have a clearer picture of their options to immigrate to their province or territory of choice due to better planning by each regional government.

More Parents and Grandparents Program admissions spaces

In 2023, Canada aimed to welcome 28,5000 immigrants through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).

In 2024, the latest Immigration Levels Plan indicates that PGP targets will grow to 32,000. Should IRCC prove able to improve “intake management and the alignment of [application] inputs and outputs”, more PGP applicants should be able to come to Canada in the coming year.

Enhancements to Canada’s International Student Program

To strengthen the integrity of the International Student Program across Canada and better protect incoming foreign nationals, IRCC has launched a reformed Letter of Acceptance (LOA) verification system that will continue to impact all study permit applicants.

Beginning on December 1 this year, Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) across Canada are now “required to confirm every applicant’s letter of acceptance directly with IRCC.” The department says that this “new, enhanced verification process aims to protect prospective students from fraud while ensuring that study permits are issued based only on genuine LOAs.”

IRCC also announced in November that, leading into 2024, the department will be conducting a review of its Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program. Many international students who intend to apply for PR benefit from the PGWP, as the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score treats Canadian work experience favourably.

This review is expected to result in IRCC “introducing reforms [that] better calibrate the [PGWP] to the needs of the country’s labour market, as well as regional and Francophone immigration goals.”

More: Be sure to stay updated with future stories from CICNews regarding this and other crucial developments for Canada’s international student population in 2024.

More changes are coming to Canadian immigration next year

IRCC has committed to several other changes intended to improve the experience and life of Canadian newcomers making their way through the immigration process.

Increasing the use of AI and technology

In an effort to “out-compete other countries for talent,” IRCC has committed to further the use of technology and AI in the immigration space in 2024. This initiative aims to reduce processing times, improve tools for IRCC officers, help Canada meet the country’s immigration, and diversity priorities.

Specifically, this digital transformation will improve the client experience for immigration candidates in several ways, including but not limited to:

• Improving service standards
• Strengthening partnerships with employers and institutions that rely on immigration, while addressing fraud and strengthening student and worker protections
• Making applications more user-friendly using digital and virtual technologies

Note: Changes like the above, and more, have all been outlined here as part of Canada’s Digital Platform Modernization initiative

New IRCC advisory board

Furthermore, IRCC will develop a new advisory body to focus on matters relating to immigration policy and service delivery. Uniquely, this board will include people “with lived experience in immigration”, allowing newcomers to Canada to have more say in programs and processes affecting them. This new advisory board hopes to “strengthen policy and program development [while ensuring that Canada’s immigration system remains anchored] in a human-centric approach.”

Introduction of the Chief International Talent Officer

Finally, Canada’s immigration department will introduce a brand-new role called the Chief International Talent Officer (CITO). Their primary responsibility is to improve the alignment between the country’s immigration system and its national labour market and sectoral strategies.

According to the department, “the responsibilities of [this individual] entails the ability to affect a huge amount of change in Canada’s annual immigration.” Prospective immigrants to this country in 2024 and beyond should pay attention to developments once someone is appointed.

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Every incomplete application will be returned to the appropriate applicant alongside a letter of explanation and a document checklist. These two pieces will outline why the application was returned and exactly what is missing.

In addition, IRCC notes that applicants who do have their application returned for incompleteness will receive a refund. IRCC states that “refunds can take up to eight weeks to complete [and] those who have waited longer can submit a refund request.”

Note: At the time of writing, IRCC’s help centre still indicates that incomplete applications – that the immigration department has created a digital copy of – will be returned by email. If no digital copy has been made, applicants will receive the return in the mail.

Steps required after receiving your incomplete application back from IRCC

Upon receiving your incomplete application, read the accompanying letter and review the included document checklist to understand why you received the return and what exactly was omitted.

At this time, when preparing to send your application back, be sure to add any document or information that was missing from your initial application. Resubmitted applications can include all the same documents and payment receipts from the initial application, provided that all signatures are still valid. If necessary, because of outdated signatures, applicants can fill out, sign and date new forms.

Next, write a letter to IRCC that explains why you are changing/updating your information.

Note: If your application was missing documents when returned as incomplete, and you cannot provide the initially omitted documents requested by IRCC, the reasons for this must be explained in the letter.

Applicants re-submitting an application that was returned to them as incomplete must also include the explanation letter and document checklist that they received from IRCC with their resubmission.

Key notes about resubmitting an incomplete application to IRCC

The following outlines important things that applicants must remember when re-submitting an incomplete immigration application.

1. Recipients of an incomplete application should be sure to re-review the application guide in case anything has changed since their initial submission

2. Paper applicants who received their returned application by email can review the steps to resubmit their documents here

3. Resubmitted applications must be received by IRCC within 90 days of when it was signed; it is important to know that the date of the signature on the new application can’t be in the future (postdated)

Note: Processing time for resubmitted applications only starts the day IRCC receives the newly completed application

The importance of submitting a complete application to IRCC

IRCC provides applicants to all programs with a completeness checklist to ensure that every application they receive is finished and ready for processing. This checklist emphasizes why it is so important to submit a full and complete application to IRCC.

Additionally, certain programs – including the three programs* contained within the popular Express Entry application management system – do not accept resubmissions and instead require applicants to restart their process all over again.

*The Express Entry system manages immigration applications for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

Note: IRCC policy outlines that the department will, under no circumstances, accept the same application back after it was returned due to incompletion. Therefore, Express Entry applicants must submit a new profile and re-enter the Express Entry pool in the hopes that they once again receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence (PR).

Submitting an incomplete application to an Express Entry program, therefore, can mean losing out on a first opportunity to apply for Canadian PR after receiving an ITA. As receiving an ITA for Canadian PR at all, let alone for a second time, is nowhere near a guarantee, submitting an incomplete application could be detrimental to your prospective future in Canada.

Whether there is a sudden change in the standard for Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores – used to rank candidates against each other for standard Express Entry draws – or a candidate later becomes ineligible for a given program under Express Entry, there are many factors that can make it difficult to get a “second chance” at PR in this country.

Appropriately, it is vital to do everything in your power to ensure your application is complete, as this would go a long way toward making sure you do not need to restart the Express Entry process with a brand-new Express Entry profile after your first application was returned as incomplete.

Click here for more on the importance of submitting a complete electronic application under Express Entry.

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The Strategy outlines changes that IRCC intends to make over the coming years to improve processing and create a more comprehensive approach to immigration. The department says it can achieve this by actioning items that fall under three pillars:

• Create a more welcoming experience for newcomers
• Align immigration with labour market needs
• Develop a comprehensive and coordinated growth plan

IRPA is the law that governs Canada’s immigration system and creates the framework for how IRCC operates. Potential changes to IRPA fall under the pillar of creating a more welcoming experience for newcomers when they are immigrating to Canada. IRCC says this means working to be modern, efficient, fair, transparent, predictable, and timely.

The department explains that it is time to assess the need for legislative amendments or reform because IRPA is the legislation that supports most of IRCC’s programs, policies, and procedures. It hasn’t been thoroughly examined since it came into force in 2002, 21 years ago.

IRPA’s last major update

IRPA did not exist in its current form until June 2002. Before that, Canada had the Immigration Act, which was established in 1976 and underwent several revisions throughout its period as Canada’s main immigration law.

IRPA was created to create clearer, more modern legislation that would ensure Canada’s immigration and refugee protection system can respond to new challenges and opportunities.

It also aimed to set out a clearer description of the major classes of foreign nationals — economic class, family class, and convention refugees and persons in similar circumstances.

How updating IRPA can help

IRPA contains legislation surrounding nearly every aspect of the immigration minister’s responsibilities and how they should be executed.

The Strategy says a review of IRPA will help remove barriers to welcoming the people Canada needs for the future

For example, IRPA contains legislation that makes the creation of new immigration pathways possible, such as the recent introduction of category-based Express Entry. A review and update could allow for the creation of more specialized pathways for newcomers with in-demand skills.

It also dictates how Canada’s federal and provincial governments work together to share responsibility for immigration. IRCC has agreements with the provinces and territories that allow provincial governments to nominate economic immigrants through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). The federal government allocates a specific number of nominations to each province.

To decide on how many nominations a province receives, by law, the Minister needs to consult with the provinces regarding the number of foreign nationals in each class who will become permanent residents each year and their distribution in Canada. To do this, IRPA says IRCC needs to consider regional economic and demographic requirements through consultations with relevant partners and stakeholders.

An update to IRPA could make it mandatory to conduct more consultations with other stakeholders such as settlement services to gain a better understanding of Canada’s capacity to integrate newcomers. This falls under the Strategy’s objective to adopt a whole-of-government approach to immigration.

Consultations also impact the federal Immigration Levels Plan, which sets Canada’s permanent resident admissions targets for the next three years. By law, the Plan must be released each year on or by November 1st in every non-election year. In the recently released Plan for 2024-2026, Canada will admit 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024 and 500,000 per year in both 2025 and 2026. Immigration Minister Marc Miller says the recent plan with grow and stabilize Canada’s economy.

Finally, IRPA also features legislation regarding how applications are to be submitted including the technology, format and processes to be followed.

By reviewing and updating the IRPA regulations surrounding how applications are submitted and processed, the department may be better able to meet the current rising demand now, and into the future.

Express Entry category-based selection

Despite the lack of a large-scale review, the act has undergone revisions to reflect the recent demand for immigration to Canada.

For example, IRPA was amended in 2022 to grant the immigration minister the authority to issue Invitations to Apply to Express Entry candidates who have a human capital attribute that aligns with one of the six newly introduced categories:

• Healthcare;
• STEM professions;
• Trades;
• Transport;
• Agriculture and agri-food; and
• French language proficiency

These categories are also in line with IRPA’s objective to permit Canada to pursue the maximum economic benefits of immigration. By selecting newcomers with in-demand still in high-vacancy sectors, IRCC can help support and strengthen the national economy.

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While Canada’s current immigration levels are already at record-breaking highs, a recent report from the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) suggests that immigration levels will likely need to rise again soon; further stating that Canada’s immigration rates, as they currently stand, will simply not be enough to uphold the country’s population and meet domestic labour market demand.

The current situation

Canada needs immigration for several reasons—most pressingly to address concerns around the country’s demography and labour market.

Canada has one of the world’s oldest populations, combined with a low-fertility rate (1.40 births per woman) that has come to currently typify many countries in the west. This combination of factors makes it impossible for Canada to replenish its population with just natural-born Canadians—making immigration crucial. Connected to this problem are further demands that Canada’s economy (the ninth largest in the world by Gross Domestic Product (GDP)) has on its labour market—which is impacted by the same replenishment problem that Canada’s population faces.

These two factors help underline the necessity of immigration to maintain Canada’s national health and prosperity in the future. Given this information, it would be reasonable to assume these are the reasons behind the record-breaking pace of immigration that can currently be seen in Canada. However, when considering the current stabilisation of immigration targets, this is only half the story.

Why immigration may need to rise again

Currently, immigration targets are set to normalise at 500,000 immigrants per year, until at least 2026. While this is a record-breaking number of newcomers welcomed annually (standing at roughly 1.3% of Canada’s current population), it is not enough to stabilise Canada’s population—and therefore further not enough to sustainably meet future labour demand.

According to RBC’s report, Canada would need an annual immigration rate equivalent to 2.1% of the current population—or 849,944 new permanent residents yearly (at the time of writing). This means that current immigration targets would have to increase by more than 300,000 annual immigrants in order to offset both the low fertility rate and the ageing population in Canada.

A Desjardins study released earlier in 2023 on the right amount of immigration for Canada noted similar findings. According to the report, not only would Canada have to ramp up its immigration efforts, but this would primarily have to be a function of growth in the working-age population (note that the 500,000-newcomer figure represents immigrants from all categories including family sponsorships and refugees). In the case of the Desjardins study (which also considered factored in Canada’s labour market and socialised healthcare infrastructure), annual growth of the working-age population would have to be at 2.2% annually (721,600 newcomers) to maintain current ratios of young to old working people; or by 4.5% annually (1,476,000 newcomers) to maintain the historic ratio of the working-aged to retired population.

Under both of these forecasts, Canada must continue to significantly increase its current immigration levels, not just for the sake of the country’s demography, but also to help meet labour demand, continue the growth of the economy, and support the country’s healthcare, infrastructure, and broader social institutions.

Canada’s population pyramid shows the country’s ageing demography

The need to stabilize levels between 2024-2026

Even though Canada’s long-term need for immigrants is well-noted, the RBC report argues IRCC’s decision to stabilise the current levels are also warranted.

Canada’s ability to welcome and integrate newcomers into its demography and economy is the key factor that will determine the overall success of its immigration program. In the wake of recent housing pains, the country’s ability to provide housing (not just new immigrants, but also Canadians) in an affordable manner has come under scrutiny—a fact that further has ignited further contention around the subject of immigration.

In response, IRCC has committed to readdressing the number of temporary residents (those on a study or work permit)—a category which saw a massive increase in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the federal government has committed to addressing key labour shortages in the construction sector (an area with persistent job vacancies) with balanced immigration that is reflective of the stabilised immigration targets—allowing for the balance between meeting labour shortages and increasing housing demand, that economists in Canada have been calling for.

Source:https://www.cicnews.com/

Image Source: https://www.pexels.com/

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Canada’s immigration levels will remain unchanged from its current targets. In 2024, the country will target the admission of 485,000 new immigrants. In 2025 and 2026, Canada will look to welcome 500,000 new immigrants in each year.

The targets are the same as those announced under the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025. The new information released today is the 2026 target, as well as updates to the levels of immigrants that will be admitted under each class and program between 2024-2026.

Breakdown of immigration targets by class

In 2024, Canada will look to welcome about 281,135 immigrants under the economic class, or 58% of the annual target. By 2026, this will rise to 301,250 immigrants, or 60% of the annual target.

The family class target, in 2024, will be 114,000 immigrants, or 24% of all admissions. This will rise to 118,000 immigrants by 2026, which will also be 24% of all admissions.

Humanitarian admission targets will be 89,865 immigrants in 2024, or about 19% of all admissions. These totals include refugees, protected persons, and those admitted for humanitarian, compassionate, or other reasons. By 2026, the target will be 80,832 immigrants, or 16% of admissions.

Note that figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Express Entry and PNP targets to rise

The Express Entry target will be 110,700 permanent resident admissions in 2024, and this will rise to 117,500 immigrants in each of 2025 and 2026.

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) target will be 110,000 immigrants in 2024, and rise to 120,000 in 2025, and another 120,000 in 2026.

Spousal, Partner, and Children sponsorship has a target of 82,000 admissions in 2024, and this will rise to 84,000 in each of 2025 and 2026. Meanwhile, the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) target will be 32,000 immigrants in 2024, followed by 34,000 immigrants in each of 2025 and 2026.

Canadian government looking to stabilize immigration levels

Addressing why it is keeping its targets unchanged, the Canadian government explains: “This plan is tailored to support economic growth while balancing with the pressures in areas like housing, healthcare and infrastructure. It charts a responsible course for sustainable and stable population growth…Starting in 2026, the government will stabilize permanent resident levels at 500,000, allowing time for successful integration, while continuing to augment Canada’s labour market. The government also plans to take action over the next year to recalibrate the number of temporary resident admissions to ensure this aspect of our immigration system also remains sustainable.”

Under the Immigration and Refugees Protection Act (IRPA), which is Canada’s main immigration law, the federal government must release its annual immigration plan by November 1 in non-election years.

The Immigration Levels Plan acts as the guideline for the number of new permanent residents who will be admitted into Canada over the next three years under each of the three immigration classes: economic, family, and humanitarian.

The plan advances the mission of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to strengthen Canada’s economy, reunite families and make Canada a safe place for those fleeing oppression or other humanitarian crises.

In 2022, Canada broke the record for new immigrants at 437,000 admissions. The target for permanent resident admissions in 2023 is 465,000.

Canada pursuing new strategy to improve immigration system

The Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026 comes one day after Canada unveiled a new strategy to improve its immigration system. On October 31, Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged shortcomings in the country’s immigration system as he outlined the pillars of a new approach to modernize the system.

The new strategy, entitled An Immigration System for Canada’s Future, has three major goals:

• Create a more welcoming experience for newcomers
• Align immigration with labour market needs
• Develop a comprehensive and coordinated growth plan

IRCC is seeking to deliver a more pleasant and user-friendly experience to its clients.

In addition, IRCC would like to better align Canada’s immigration policies with its skills and labour strategy.

Third, IRCC would like to develop an integrated plan among all three of Canada’s levels of government to ensure the country can offer adequate housing, health care, and infrastructure to its growing newcomer population.

Canada began to increase immigration levels in the late 1980s

Canada’s immigration strategy began to shift toward its current form in the late 1980s. Before this, the government did not place as much emphasis on planning for future immigration and generally set immigration targets based on the economy of the day.

Canada welcomed fewer than 90,000 immigrants in 1984. As the 1990s approached, the federal government, run by the Conservative party at that time, realized there would soon be a shortage of labour and raised immigration targets to 250,000 new permanent residents over eight years.

The Liberal government was then elected in 1993 and continued to increase immigration targets. It also began to put more focus on admitting economic class immigrants and reducing Canada’s family and humanitarian class shares to help aid the economy in a recession.

Some 260,000 immigrants were then admitted annually until the current Liberal government was elected in 2015. Under the current federal government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, targets were raised to 300,000 and then to 340,000 shortly before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

In 2021, despite pandemic restrictions, Canada broke its record for permanent resident admissions by landing 405,000 new immigrants.

Canada is currently coping with an affordability crisis and housing shortage that has led to several polls indicating less enthusiasm among Canadians for immigration than in previous years.

However, IRCC continues to maintain high immigration targets because of a shortage of skilled labour in the face of a low birth rate and the impending retirement of millions of Canadian workers as they reach 65. As it stands, Statistics Canada’s most recent population estimate shows that newcomers are responsible for 98% of Canada’s population growth.

The most recent job vacancy data shows that, as of July 2023, there were 701,300 vacant jobs in Canada. While this is a decrease of 273,700 open positions in a year-over-year period, it is still significant enough for IRCC to make some changes to prominent immigration programs and systems, such as Express Entry.

Earlier this year, to further target economic immigrants who are best suited to help Canada close the labour force gap, IRCC introduced category-based selection rounds of invitations for Express Entry candidates who have work experience in an in-demand sector, or the ability to promote the French language outside of Quebec.

Quebec also announced immigration plan today

Quebec also tabled its immigration levels plan for 2024 and 2025 today. Quebec is the only province in Canada with the ability to shape its annual permanent resident admissions targets. This is due to their special status in Canada. Quebec has the authority to shape its immigration targets to help preserve its distinct francophone character. Today, the province announced it will look to welcome 50,000 new immigrants in 2024, and another 50,000 immigrants in 2025.

Source: https://www.cicnews.com/

Image Source: https://www.freepik.com/

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First off, you need to find the National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes associated with each of your past positions. That can be a little more complicated than it sounds, so check out our guide to choosing the right NOC code for Canadian immigration.

Once you’ve found the right NOC codes, you need to prove that they’re right by providing a letter of reference for each position.

What is a Employment Reference Letter?

To be clear, a letter of reference for Canadian immigration is different from the kind of reference letter you might use when you’re applying for a job. Instead of recommending you as an employee, your letter of reference needs to verify that you worked for an employer for the amount of time you claimed to, and that your position matches the NOC code you’ve chosen.

The letters of reference that you provide let the visa officer reviewing your application calculate how much work experience you have. Since work experience is such an important factor for most economic immigration programs, the quality of your letter of reference can have a huge impact on your application. If the visa officer isn’t convinced that your letter of reference is genuine, or if it’s missing some information the officer needs to assess the validity of your work experience, they may reject or refuse your application altogether.

Immigration Tip

If you’ve had multiple positions within the same company, try to get the company to issue separate letters for each position.

If you cover multiple positions in one letter, make sure the person writing it breaks up each period of employment.

The Ideal Letter of Reference

How your letters of reference are formatted can make a big difference to the success of your file. The letter needs to be formal, and the more information it includes about the company issuing it, the better. Ideally, a letter of reference should:

• Be written on company letterhead
• Be signed by the responsible officer/supervisor
• Have the responsible officer/supervisor’s name and job title printed beneath the signature
• Include the company’s contact information
• Be stamped with the company’s official seal (if applicable)
• If possible, have the business card of the person signing it attached

If your letters of reference don’t have these things, it might be a red flag to the visa officer that the employer issuing the letter is not genuine.

There are also specific things that an ideal letter of reference should include:

• Your official job title
• The dates of your employment
• Your salary per week
• Your average hours per week
• A detailed list of your employment duties.

The most important part of your letter of reference is the detailed list of your employment duties. It has to include your daily tasks and responsibilities, and should make up most of the content of the letter. Remember, the visa officer is not necessarily familiar with your industry, so make sure you avoid industry specific abbreviations or terms. Your duties should be listed clearly and concisely.

The list of employment duties is how the visa officer confirms that you’ve chosen an appropriate NOC code. Every NOC code has an associated lead statement and list of duties. It doesn’t matter if your official job title doesn’t match up with a job title associated with your NOC code, as long as your employment duties match the lead statement and duties.

That said, it’s suspicious if your letter of reference matches the NOC description exactly. The visa officer might believe that your letter of reference was created for the purposes of matching the NOC, rather than being an actual record of your work experience. In that case, the letter is considered “self-serving”, fraudulently obtained for immigration purposes, and not eligible for processing.

What if I can’t get an Employment Reference Letter?

A letter of reference is by far the best way to prove your work experience. But if, for a legitimate reason, you’re not able to get a letter of reference, then you can try to convince the visa officer with supplementary documentation. Some examples include:

• Employment contracts
• Promotion letters
• Paystubs
• Pictures of you at work
• Sworn declarations from previous colleagues

You should also include a signed letter of explanation describing why you’re not able to provide a letter of reference. At the end of the day though, even if you have a perfect letter of reference, the final decision comes down to the visa officer. Whatever documentation you use, the goal is to put together a complete and thorough record of your employment to convince the visa officer that your work experience is genuine. In general, the more information you include, the more credible it will be to the visa officer, and the better your chances of being accepted.

At Canadim, we are with you every step of the way. We don’t just prepare our client’s immigration file; we prepare our clients for their new life in Canada too!  Our free online assessment can help you discover all of your options to move to Canada permanently.

Source: https://www.canadim.com/

Image Source: https://www.freepik.com/

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Earlier this year, a previous IRCC Deputy Minister, Neil Yeates, produced a report on how the department can become more effective and efficient. Yeates’ report was commissioned by IRCC to evaluate whether the department’s current structure best enables it to achieve its mandate. The Deputy Minister is the senior-most civil servant in a government department. Serving in a non-political role, they oversee the management of their department, including implementation of policies and strategies and managing people and budgets.

IRCC’s current Deputy Minister, Christiane Fox, corresponds with the department’s minister, who is a politician, and is currently Immigration Minister Marc Miller. The Immigration Minister’s role is to implement the mandate of the elected government.

Yeates: IRCC’s organizational model is broken

In his report, which CIC News has been able to obtain a copy of, Yeates concludes “the current organizational model at IRCC is broken but is being held together by the hard work and dedication of staff.”

He recommends “a series of steps need to be taken to realign the organizational structure (including a major shift to a business line-based structure), reform the governance system, implement stronger management systems (especially planning and reporting) and facilitate the development of a culture to better support the department’s goals and objectives (including consideration of an overall review of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and measures to better leverage the experience and expertise of diverse staff groups).”

Yeates explains there are numerous reasons why IRCC’s current model is broken, but highlights two that stand out in particular: a difficult operating environment in Canada and globally; and secondly, IRCC has grown exponentially since its current organizational structure was introduced over 20 years ago. To highlight this point, Yeates notes IRCC’s total workforce has grown from 5,352 employees in March 2013 to 12,949 employees as of January 2023.

Fox: IRCC “felt like crisis”

In an interview last week with journalist Paul Wells, Fox, stated the Yeates report will influence significant changes the department plans to pursue. Upon assuming her role at IRCC in July 2022, Fox explained to Wells the new job “felt like crisis” and that her colleagues at the department were under duress and exhausted. She concluded that departmental changes were necessary, and while she didn’t want to make them immediately, she also didn’t want to wait two years.

In June 2023, Fox had a plan of action after receiving the Yeates report and consulting with public stakeholders including IRCC applicants. Since then, she has been gradually rolling out the changes.

IRCC reorganized to business-line model

Among the changes is that last week, the department was re-organized across the following sectors:

• Asylum and Refugees Resettlement
• Citizenship and Passport
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Information Officer
• Client Service, Innovation, and Chief Digital Officer
• Communications
• Corporate Services
• Economic, Family, and Social Migration
• International Affairs and Crisis Response
• Migration Integrity
• Service Delivery
• Settlement Integration and Francophone Affairs
• Strategic Policy

Fox explains that, as was recommended by Yeates, the department is now being organized across lines of business. What this means is IRCC employees will be divided across the various clients that the department services, as well as divided in a way to be responsive to changes around the world. For example, the department has a new International Affairs and Crisis Response sector, which Fox noted to Wells is meant to help IRCC better plan for humanitarian crises and shape a plan of action. IRCC routinely deal with these, such as with Ukraine since last year, and recent Afghanistan and Syrian refugee resettlement initiatives, just to name a few examples.

Fox also stresses the importance of IRCC taking more of a client focus moving forward whereby the department incorporates the experiences of its applicants more strongly into the decisions it makes.

IRCC’s operating environment

Yeates elaborates on the various forces impacting IRCC, the main ones being:

Hybrid Work Environment and COVID-19: The nature of work appears to be changing permanently due to the pandemic, and as such, more workers, including IRCC employees, are working remotely, with a general direction to return to the office 2-3 days per week. Yeates explains while work-from-home has been effective, it remains to be seen what the impacts will be on IRCC’s organizational culture.

Demand for IRCC Services: Demand for IRCC’s programs often exceeds the department’s processing capacity as measured by its service standards (the goals the department sets for itself to process applications for each line of business). Although IRCC has tools and resources at its disposal to manage its inventory, such as caps for certain programs, its inventories can grow very quickly whenever demand for its programs exceeds its processing capacity.

Growth of IRCC: As demand for IRCC’s program has grown, so too has its workforce. Yeates characterizes its workforce as “medium sized” in 2013, with 5,217 non-executive staff, which has more than doubled by 2023 to 12,721 staff. Executives at the department have grown from 135 employees in 2013 to 227 today. However, despite the program and staff growth, the organizational structure at IRCC, which was designed for a smaller department, has largely remained the same.

Immigration Policy Review: The dominant immigration narrative in Canada has not generally been challenged, and that the actual impact of immigration is not generally well documented. As such, an immigration policy review at IRCC may be beneficial in helping IRCC shape the department’s future direction.

Digital Transformation: IRCC has received significant funding for its Digital Platform Modernization, and such transformations are always challenging, particularly at a place like IRCC which has many significant responsibilities. However there is little doubt that IRCC needs to become a fully digital department.

Global Uncertainty: Global armed conflicts are on the rise, democracy is under threat, and factors such as climate change are impacting global demand to migrate, which will continue to have a significant impact on IRCC.

IRCC departmental culture is “committed”

While stressing the purpose of his report is not to be critical, Yeates observes IRCC currently has limited department-wide planning, lacks a multi-year strategic plan, and planning across the department is inconsistent, all of which pose a variety of challenges such as the inability to achieve the department’s goals and lack of accountability among staff.

IRCC staff described the departmental culture as “committed, collaborative, and supportive”, which has helped to overcome the department’s organizational structure, governance, and management systems shortcomings.

Moreover, Yeates pointed to a tension within the department between what he calls the “IRPA school” and the “client service school.” He observes that the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act was introduced in 2001 with a framework to exclude applicants, with many reasons listed as to why an applicant may be denied. Immigration officers are trained to enforce IRPA, but little attention has historically been paid to the potential for these officers to have “unconscious bias” which may impact their decision-making.

On the other side are those who fall under the “client service school” and are willing to waive requirements and more open to compromise in order to improve the service that IRCC clients receive.

Highlights of Yeates’ recommendations

Overall, Yeates makes recommendations across four areas: Organizational Structure; Governance; Management Systems; and Culture. Highlights of the recommendations are as follows:

Organizational Structure Recommendations:

• IRCC move to a business line organization
• IRCC develop protocols for crisis and emergency management that identify Assistant Deputy Minister leads in various scenarios

Governance Recommendations:

• The Executive Committee assume responsibility for finance and corporate services and absorb the functions of the Corporate Finance Committee
• A new Operations Committee be established, chaired by the Deputy Minister’s Office, that will absorb the functions of the Issues Management Committee
• That the membership of these committees be reconsidered as part of the re-organization process and that membership be no larger than 12
• A review be conducted on the split of responsibilities between IRCC and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) under IRPA in order to rationalize and streamline roles and accountabilities

Management System Recommendations:

• Deputy Minister lead a new planning and reporting regime
• Develop a 3 to 5 year strategic plan
• Undertake an annual planning cycle across all areas of the department, including HR, IT, Financial and Program plans
• Implement a quarterly reporting regime
• Ensure linkages with the department’s performance management work

Culture Recommendations:

• Undertake a review of IRPA to determine whether amendments should be made to better support desired outcomes, including improved service delivery.
• Review the training provided to staff involved in the administration of IRPA to ensure if reflects the desired philosophy and approach of the department.
• Examine means to integrate the voices of IRCC’s diversity communities into the departmental governance regime

Source: https://www.cicnews.com/

Image Source: https://www.pexels.com/

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This Wednesday, the provincial government in Newfoundland and Labrador will be conducting a virtual immigration and job fair for prospective newcomers to Canada from countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Note: This job fair will take place virtually, beginning at 8 pm Korea Standard Time (KST)

The first in a series of five fairs between now and March 2024, these job fairs are being held for prospective Canadian newcomers. The Government says these fairs will give attendees the chance to:

• Receive direct access to employers hiring in your field
• Network with employers
• Upload your resume which employers can review
• Attend a live Immigration Program information session and ask questions directly to Immigration Officers
• Learn about the steps to immigrate to Newfoundland and Labrador
• Learn about what it is like to live in Newfoundland and Labrador including the cost of living, lifestyle, jobs, salaries, population size and more

To register and learn more about the first fair in this series, for potential newcomers from East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania, click here.

Upcoming Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration and Fairs

The following will outline the dates, times and regions for the remaining four fairs in this series. Each group of regions will be hyperlinked to the webpage for that fair.

October 25, 2023: Africa – 6 pm West Africa Time (WAT)

November 16, 2023: Europe/Central Asia – 7 pm Irish Standard Time (IST)

January 24, 2024: Middle East/South Asia – 6 pm Gulf Standard Time (GST)

March 27, 2024: The Americas – 7 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Note: Registration for each fair can be completed at the respective hyperlink provided above, where you can also find Frequently Asked Questions about the event

Immigrating to and Living in Newfoundland and Labrador

In 2022, Newfoundland and Labrador was found to be Canada’s happiest province according to Statistics Canada. This may be the case for a multitude of reasons but is nonetheless a signal that this province has a generally positive reputation, making it a worthwhile consideration for newcomers looking to settle in Canada.

Among the advantages of settling in Newfoundland and Labrador as a newcomer are the province’s affordability, cultural richness, safety, proximity to nature, and respect for education.

For instance, this province is often praised for having some of Canada’s most affordable housing options, including condominiums, semi- and fully detached homes and townhouses. Additionally, the minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador is currently $14.50, a figure that is on par with the rest of the country. However, the province is also expected to raise minimum wages again on October 1, 2023.

These affordability measures and rising minimum wage figures mean newcomers to Canada will likely be able to better adjust to life in a new country and experience a better quality of life as a whole.

For more information on landing and settling in Newfoundland and Labrador, click here to learn about everything from housing and employment to education, taxation and newcomer services across the province.

Source: https://www.cicnews.com/

Image Source: https://www.pexels.com/

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