Poverty, the search for better opportunities, higher education, and multiple other benefits drive people to relocate from one country to another. In this regard, Canada has been the hub for immigration for a long time.
The country has welcomed immigrants of all types including refugees with open arms. On top of that, people from several corners of the world move to Canada. There are plenty of Canadian immigration-related facts such as these. Here’s an in-depth look at more of these important ones:
#1. Canada has been a migrant center for centuries
Canada’s recognition as the land of immigrants is not new. In fact, it has been the heart for immigrants since the first colonizers of the 16th century. In the early times, the immigrant pool mainly came from Europe.
Recently, however, the demographics have altered and immigrants from various parts of the world head to Canada for a proper settlement. These include people from China and South Asia mainly. To give you an accurate picture, here is the breakdown of the immigrant numbers from the 2012 statistics available:
- About 129,592 immigrants came from the Pacific and Asia, chipping in the largest number of migrants to Canada
- Approximately 9,967 of the refugees came from the Middle East and Africa
- Roughly 1,945 refugees came from South and Central America with 5,539 refugees from Europe. 1,041 refugees also shifted from the US to Canada
#2. The Canadian immigration has recently shifted its focus
Canada is highly credited for its generous immigration policy. However, in 2006, it shifted its focus to an immigration policy that fuels the country’s economy. The legal requirements now mention that the priority is to find individuals who are experienced and skilled to meet the economic needs of the country.
Consequently, Canada has been reinforcing its immigration policies, concentrating on economic class immigrants and those who can meet the short-term labor market needs. The Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) figures for 2012 confirmed that economic immigrants got 60% of the permanent resident visas.
#3. The Canadian law recognizes three immigration classes
The law in Canada divides immigrants under three chief categories. These include the family class, the economic class, and the refugee class. As per the family class, the law allows permanent residents or citizens to sponsor family members for admission into the country.
According to the economic class, the law gives entrances to applicants and their family members who are to contribute to the economy of the country. As per the last class, which is pretty self-explanatory, Canada gives admission to refugees who require humanitarian protection. In 2016 alone, 156,000 new immigrants entered Canada.
#4. Canadian immigration is also open for students
Canada is also open to students. You don’t need a study permit if your study program or course is for six months or less. However, you will need a study permit before moving to Canada.
For your study permit to be eligible, it is essential that your course is accepted from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Common-law partners and spouses of a person who holds a study permit are eligible for applying for an open work permit, which is not tied to a particular employer. It allows the holder to work for an employer in Canada without needing a Labor Market Impact Assessment.
#5. Entrepreneurs can also migrate to Canada
The entrepreneur investment immigration law offers living permits to businesspeople outside of Canada. People with a net worth of a minimum of CAD 600,000 and business and management expertise can enter the country.
They should have an interest in investing at least CAD 200,000 or expand a Canadian business where they intend to create at least one full-time job for a permanent resident or Canadian resident. If you meet all these requirements, then you are eligible to apply for entrance to Canada via the BC Provincial Nominee Program.
#6. Legal requirements for citizen can be applied for after five years
If you have been a permanent resident by physically being present in Canada for at least 1,095 days in a five-year duration, then you can apply for the Canadian citizenship. Each day spent in Canada as a resident (temporary) in the five years counts as one-half day with a maximum of 365 days for the physical presence requirement for the Canadian citizenship.
Concluding thoughts
If you are seeking the opportunity of permanent residence in Canada, then it is best to do your homework related to the country’s immigration laws and requirements. If you are not sure of how the process will unfold, seek guidance from professionals such as CKM LLP.
If you only want to visit the country though, then know that Canada is open for both business visitors and others who wish to visit for pleasure such as visiting their family or for tourism purposes. You can stay for no longer than six months under such temporary residence.