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Immigrate to Canada

Federal Investor

The Immigrant Investor Program seeks to attract experienced business people to invest C$800,000 into Canada’s economy.
Your investment is managed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and is guaranteed by the Canadian provinces that use it to create jobs and help their economies grow.
CIC will return your C$800,000 investment, without interest, about five years and two months after payment.
To be eligible under the Immigrant Investor Program, you must:
  • Have at least two years of business experience.
  • Have a net worth of at least C$1,600,000 that was legally obtained, and be willing and able to make an investment of C$800,000.
  • You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada.
  • Obtain a minimum of 35 points in the selection grid.
  • Meet medical and security requirements. You and your family members must pass a medical examination and security and criminal checks.
  • Meet any other requirements of Canadian or Quebec immigration regulations.
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Quebec Investor
 
To be selected as an Investor Immigrant under the Quebec program, applicant must have:
  • intention to live in Quebec;
  • at least three years of managerial experience in a profitable commercial, industrial or agricultural business or, alternatively, at least three years of managerial experience in a government, governmental organization, or international organization;
  • a net worth of at least 1,600,000 Canadian Dollars accumulated through legitimate economic activities; and
  • invest 800,000 Canadian Dollars for five years in a Quebec-approved investment fund.
To qualify as an investor, a candidate must also demonstrate:
  • that he has signed an investment agreement with a broker or trust company authorized to work with the immigrant investor program and calling for a commitment to invest $800,000 for a term of five years.
  • that the management experience was acquired in the ten (10) years preceding the application for a selection certificate and involved the effective full-time exercise of the duties and responsibilities of planning, management and control of financial resources and of human or material resources, except in the context of an apprenticeship, raining or specialization process attested to by a diploma; and
  • that he qualifies under the selection grid (required elements and passing score).
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Entrepreneur

The Entrepreneur Program seeks to attract experienced business persons who will own and actively manage businesses in Canada that contribute to the economy and create jobs. Entrepreneurs must meet the following requirements: Business experience
You must have managed a qualifying business and have had control of a percentage of equity of the qualifying business for at least two years in the period that begins five years before you submit your application and ends when a decision is made on your application.
Your business must not be operated primarily for the purpose of deriving investment income, such as interest, dividends or capital gains.
You can find a definition of a “qualifying business” and other terms that apply to the Entrepreneur Program in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.

Net worth requirements
You must be able to satisfy a visa officer that the fair market value of all your assets and the assets of your spouse or common-law partner were obtained legally. Your assets must exceed the fair market value of all your liabilities and the liabilities of your spouse or common-law partner by at least C$300,000.
You must be able to prove that no portion of your net worth was obtained through criminal activity. You will be asked to explain any discrepancies between your net income over the years and your present net worth. The visa officer who assesses your net worth may ask you for documents to confirm both your income sources and your net worth.

Selection criteria
You will be assessed based on selection criteria that include your experience, education, age, language abilities and adaptability.

Medical, security and other requirements
You and your family members must pass a medical examination and security and criminal checks.

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Self-employed person

The Self-Employed Persons Program seeks to attract applicants who have the intention and ability to become self-employed in Canada. Self-employed persons are required to have either: Relevant experience
Relevant experience is defined as:
  • participation at a world-class level in cultural activities or athletics
  • farm management experience or
  • self-employment in cultural activities or athletics. Please consult the Related Links section at the bottom of this page for a list of activities that qualify. You will also find a link to definitions of terms that apply to self-employed persons.
Selection criteria
You will be assessed on selection criteria that include your experience, education, age, language abilities and adaptability.
Medical, security and other requirements
You and your family members must pass a medical examination and security and criminal checks.
You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada.
You must also meet any other requirements of Canadian and provincial or territorial immigration regulations.

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Skilled worker and professional

Skilled workers are people who are selected as permanent residents based on their ability to become economically established in Canada. They are selected as permanent residents based on their education, work experience, knowledge of English and/or French, and other criteria that have been shown to help them become economically established in Canada.

Federal skilled worker applications received on or after February 27, 2008 are now assessed for eligibility according to a set of criteria issued by the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.

Your application will be reviewed in three steps.
1. According to the eligibility criteria, your application is eligible for processing if:
  • you have an offer of arranged employment, OR
  • you are a skilled worker who has at least one year of experience in one or more of the 29 occupations list.
2. If your application is eligible for processing, you must also meet the following minimum requirements to qualify as a skilled worker:
  • you have at least one year of continuous full-time paid work experience or the equivalent in part-time continuous employment, AND
  • your work experience must be Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or Skill Level A (professional occupations) or B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification list, AND
  • you must have had this experience within the last 10 years.
3. If you meet these minimum requirements, your application will then be processed according to the six selection factors in the skilled worker points grid. The six selection factors are:
  • your education
  • your abilities in English and/or French, Canada’s two official languages
  • your work experience
  • your age
  • whether you have arranged employment in Canada, and
  • your adaptability.

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Canadian Experience Class

If you are a temporary foreign worker or a foreign student who graduated in Canada, you often have the qualities to make a successful transition from temporary to permanent residence. You are familiar with Canadian society and can contribute to the Canadian economy. You should have knowledge of English or French and qualifying work experience.  Applying to stay in Canada permanently in your case is simple. You can do this under the Canadian Experience Class.
You must meet these minimum requirements to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class. You must:
  • plan to live outside the province of Quebec
  • be either:
    • a temporary foreign worker with at least two years of full-time (or equivalent) skilled work experience in Canada, or
    • a foreign graduate from a Canadian post-secondary institution with at least one year of full-time (or equivalent) skilled work experience in Canada
  • have gained your experience in Canada with the proper work or study authorization
  • apply while working in Canada – or – within one year of leaving your job in Canada
According to the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC), skilled work experience means:
  • Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or
  • Skill Level A (professional occupations) or
  • Skill Level B (technical occupations and skilled trades)
Your application will be assessed on two requirements if you apply as a temporary foreign worker:
  • your work experience and
  • your ability in English or French.
If you apply as a graduate of a Canadian post-secondary educational institution with Canadian work experience, it will be assessed using the above requirements, as well as:
  • your education.

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Sponsoring your family

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) knows it is important to help families who come from other countries to reunite in Canada. If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, dependent child (including adopted child) or other eligible relative (such as a parent or grandparent) to become a permanent resident.
CIC refers to the immigrants who are eligible to use this family sponsoring process as the Family Class.
If you become a permanent resident, you can live, study and work in Canada. For more information about being a permanent resident in Canada, see the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
When you arrive in Canada as a permanent resident, you must make every reasonable effort to provide for your own essential needs and those of your family.
If you sponsor a relative to come to Canada as a permanent resident, you are responsible for supporting your relative financially when he or she arrives. As a sponsor, you must make sure your spouse or relative does not need to seek financial assistance from the government.
The process to sponsor your family begins when you, as a citizen or permanent resident in Canada, apply to be a sponsor.
There are two different processes for sponsoring your family. One process is used for sponsoring your spouse, conjugal or common-law partner and/or dependent children. Another process is used to sponsor other eligible relatives.

Who can be sponsored
Sponsoring a spouse, partner or dependent child
You can sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent children if you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. To be a sponsor, you must be 18 years of age or older.
You can apply as a sponsor if your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or accompanying dependent children live with you in Canada, even if they do not have legal status in Canada. However, all the other requirements must be met.
You can also apply as a sponsor if your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent children live outside Canada, and if they meet all the requirements.
When you sponsor a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, or dependent children to become permanent residents of Canada, you must promise to support them financially. Therefore, you have to meet certain income requirements. If you have previously sponsored relatives to come to Canada and they have later turned to the government for financial assistance, you may not be allowed to sponsor another person. Sponsorship is a big commitment, so you must take this obligation seriously.
Sponsoring other family members:  Eligible relatives
  • parents
  • grandparents
  • brothers or sisters, nephews or nieces, granddaughters or grandsons who are orphaned, under 18 years of age and not married or in a common-law relationship
  • another relative of any age or relationship but only under specific conditions (see Note below)
  • accompanying relatives of the above (for example, spouse, partner and dependent children).
Note:
You can sponsor one relative regardless of age or relationship only if you do not have a living spouse or common-law partner, conjugal partner, a son or daughter, parent, grandparent, sibling, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece who could be sponsored as a member of the family class, and you do not have any relative who is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident or registered as an Indian under the Indian Act.


Provincial Nominee Program

Most provinces in Canada have an agreement with the Government of Canada that allows them to nominate immigrants who wish to settle in that province. If you choose to immigrate to Canada as a provincial nominee, you must first apply to the province where you wish to settle and complete its provincial nomination process. The province will consider your application based on its immigration needs and your genuine intention to settle there.

After you have been nominated by a province or territory, you have to make a separate application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for permanent residence. A CIC officer will then assess your application based on Canadian immigration regulations.
You will have to pass a medical examination and security and criminal checks. You can find more information on both of these topics in the I Need To… section on the right-hand side of this page.

You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada. You can find more information on the funds you will need in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.

Provincial nominees are not assessed on the six selection factors of the Federal Skilled Workers Program.

Provinces Temporary Resident Visa

Visitor Visa

Canada welcomes you as a tourist, student or temporary worker. Every year, more than 5 million people visit Canada to enjoy the many opportunities our country has to offer.

Depending on where you live, and the reason for your visit, you will need to meet certain entry requirements. In some cases, if you plan to stay in Canada for a certain period of time, you will need a Temporary Resident Visa.

To visit Canada, you must:
  • have a valid travel document, such as a passport
  • be in good health
  • satisfy an immigration officer that you have ties, such as a job, home and family, that will take you back to your country of origin
  • satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit and
  • have enough money for your stay. The amount of money you will need can vary with the circumstances of the visit, how long you will stay and whether you will stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives. For more information, ask the Canadian visa office in your country or region.
You may also need:
  • a Temporary Resident Visa, depending on your citizenship (see Visas and Exemptions below)
  • a medical examination and
  • a letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.
Travel documents
Transport companies, such as airlines, must ensure you have proper, valid travel documents when you enter Canada. If you do not have the proper documents, you may be delayed or denied boarding.

Visas and exemptions
You may or may not need a Temporary Resident Visa to visit Canada, depending on your citizenship. Even if you are exempt, though, there is important information you need to know before you plan your trip.
Inadmissibility

Some people are inadmissible—they are not allowed to come to Canada. Several things can make you inadmissible, including involvement in criminal activity, in human rights violations or in organized crime. You can also be inadmissible for security, health or financial reasons.

Criminal inadmissibility
If you have committed or been convicted of a criminal offence, you may not be allowed to enter Canada.

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Work Permit

Every year, over 90,000 foreign workers enter Canada to work temporarily in jobs that help Canadian employers address skill shortages, or as live-in caregivers.  A work permit is needed for most temporary jobs in Canada, though for some positions and business people it is not necessary.  Some temporary workers require a work permit and some do not.  For some categories of workers, permits are approved more quickly.  The requirements and processing times depend on the sort of work you will do when you come to Canada.

What you should know
If you want to work in Canada, you must understand the following important information:
  • Your employer helps determine if you are eligible. Your employer may need to get a labour market opinion from Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC). A labour market opinion confirms that the employer can fill the job with a foreign worker.
  • To work in Canada, you must meet the general requirements for entering the country and for staying here, in addition to those for getting a work permit. This means you may need a temporary resident visa.
  • A work permit is not an immigration document. It does not allow you to live in Canada permanently.
  • If you want your spouse or common–law partner and your dependent children to come with you to Canada, they must apply to do so.
If your family members want to work in Canada
If you are authorized to work in Canada, your accompanying family members may also be able to work here by virtue of the permit you have obtained yourself. No other authorization is required. If they intend to work while in Canada, they should find out if they are eligible for an “open” work permit. Open work permits allow them to work in any job with any employer. An open work permit also means that they may be hired without the employer having to obtain a labour market opinion (the normal authorization required). Certain jobs may require medical checks or licensing from professional organizations. Their work permits will be valid for the duration of your own work permit.

Your spouse’s (and in some cases your children’s) eligibility for open work permits depends on the skill level of your job. You must also be authorized to work in Canada for at least six months. Note that open work permits for dependent children are available on a trial basis in participating provinces only. Accompanying family members must always apply for their own work permit. They should apply for one at the same time as you, before entering Canada. If they only decide to work after they arrive, they can apply once they are here.

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Study Permit

More than 130,000 students come to study in Canada every year and even more come to Canada to learn English or French. Foreign students bring a rich culture to our classrooms. Your knowledge and skills are welcome in our schools.  The provinces regulate education and schools in Canada.

Before you can apply for a study permit, you must have been accepted at a recognized school, university or college in Canada.

To be eligible to study in Canada
  • You must have been accepted by a school, college, university or other educational institution in Canada.
  • You must prove that you have enough money to pay for your:
    • tuition fees
    • living expenses for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada and
    • return transportation for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada.
  • You must be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record and not be a risk to the security of Canada. You may have to provide a police certificate.
  • You must be in good health and willing to complete a medical examination, if necessary.
  • You must satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada when you have completed your studies.
Studying in Canada: Work permits for students
It is possible to work in Canada while you are here as a student, and there are opportunities for jobs on and off campus. You will need to apply. Back to Top

Other Services

Refugee

Refugees and people needing protection are people in or outside Canada who fear returning to their home country. In keeping with its humanitarian tradition and international obligations, Canada provides protection to thousands of people every year.

Canada offers refugee protection to people in Canada who fear persecution or whose removal from Canada would subject them to a danger of torture, a risk to their life or a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment.

Groups and individuals can sponsor refugees from abroad who qualify to come to Canada

Eligibility
Some people are not eligible to claim refugee protection in Canada. Officers receiving your refugee claim will decide whether it is eligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), an independent administrative tribunal that makes decisions on immigration and refugee matters. The IRB decides who is a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection. Your refugee claim may not be eligible for referral to the IRB if:
  • You have been recognized as a Convention refugee by another country to which you can return;
  • You have already been granted protected person status in Canada;
  • You arrived via the Canada-United States border (see Safe Third Country Agreement below);
  • You are not admissible to Canada on security grounds, or because of criminal activity or human rights violations;
  • You made a previous refugee claim that was found to be ineligible for referral to the IRB;
  • You made a previous refugee claim that was rejected by the IRB; or
  • You abandoned or withdrew a previous refugee claim.
There are two ways to apply for refugee protection in Canada:
  • You can make a claim when you arrive in Canada, at the port of entry. This could be at an airport, a seaport or a Canada-United States border crossing. At ports of entry, claims are received by officers of the Canada Border Services Agency.
  • You can also make a claim from within Canada at a Citizenship and Immigration Canada office.

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PR Card Renewal

The Permanent Resident Card is the official proof of your status as a permanent resident in Canada.
This wallet-sized plastic card is required for all permanent residents of Canada seeking to re-enter Canada on a commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train or bus).

There have been some changes to the look of the PR Card, as well as some of its security features. The new cards began circulating August 24, 2009.

If you are a current permanent resident, you will only receive a new card when your existing card expires. If you are a new permanent resident, you will automatically receive your new card as part of the immigration process.

You can apply for a PR Card if:
  • you received permanent resident status before June 28, 2002;
  • you became a permanent resident after June 28, 2002 but did not receive a PR Card at that time; or
  • you need to replace an expired, lost or stolen PR Card.
To be eligible for a PR Card, you must:
  1. be a permanent resident of Canada;
  2. be physically present in Canada;
  3. not be under an effective removal order;
  4. not be a Canadian citizen or a registered Indian under the Indian Act; and
  5. not be convicted of an offense related to the misuse of a PR card.

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Citizenship

If you want to become a Canadian citizen, you must follow several steps:
  • Determine if you are eligible to become a citizen.
  • Apply for citizenship.
  • Take the citizenship test, if you are between the ages of 18 and 54.
  • Attend a citizenship ceremony, if you are 14 or older.
Age
You must be at least 18 years old to apply for Canadian citizenship.

To apply for citizenship for a child under 18, make sure the following conditions are met:
  • the person applying is the child’s parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian
  • the child is a permanent resident, but does not need to have lived in Canada for three years and
  • one parent is already a Canadian citizen or is applying to become a citizen at the same time. This also applies to adoptive parents.
Permanent resident status
To become a Canadian citizen, you must have permanent resident status in Canada, and that status must not be in doubt. This means you must not be the subject of an immigration investigation, an immigration inquiry or a removal order (an order from Canadian officials to leave Canada).

Time lived in Canada
To become Canadian citizens, adults must have lived in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) in the past four years before applying. Children do not need to meet this requirement.

You may be able to count time you spent in Canada before you became a permanent resident if that time falls within the four-year period.

Language abilities
Canada has two official languages—English and French. You need to be able to speak one of these two languages well enough to communicate with people. In other words, you must know enough English or French to understand other people and for them to understand you.

Criminal history (prohibitions)
You cannot become a citizen if you:
  • have been convicted of an indictable (criminal) offence or an offence under the Citizenship Act in the three years before you apply
  • are currently charged with an indictable offence or an offence under the Citizenship Act
  • are in prison, on parole or on probation
  • are under a removal order (have been ordered by Canadian officials to leave Canada)
  • are under investigation for, are charged with, or have been convicted of a war crime or a crime against humanity or
  • have had your Canadian citizenship taken away in the past five years.
If you are on probation or are charged with an offence and are awaiting trial, you should wait until after the probation has ended or the trial is over to apply for citizenship.

If you have spent time on probation, on parole or in prison in the last four years, you may not meet the residence requirement for citizenship.

Time in prison or on parole does not count as residence in Canada. Time on probation also does not count as residence in Canada if you were convicted of an offence. If you have spent time on probation from a conditional discharge, it may be counted toward residence. For details, contact the Call Centre (see Contact Us at the top of this page).

Knowledge of Canada
To become a citizen, you must know the rights and responsibilities of citizens, such as the right and responsibility to vote. You must also know some things about Canada’s history and geography, and about its political system.

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IRB Appeal

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) is Canada's largest independent administrative tribunal. It is responsible for making well-reasoned decisions on immigration and refugee matters, efficiently, fairly and in accordance with the law.

The IRB decides, among other responsibilities, who needs refugee protection among the thousands of claimants who come to Canada annually.

Our consultants’ mission is to resolve our client’s immigration and refugee cases efficiently, fairly and in accordance with the law.    

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