If you genuinely want to migrate to Canada, whether you want to come and work, study, do business, or have a fresh start, now is the right time to get started.
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While the likes of the USA are closing their country against immigrants, Canada is welcoming immigrants from all over the world.
You can now easily move to Canada without going through so many hurdles or paying ridiculous fees to Canada immigration consultants like before.
If you are migrating to Canada for work, you will be happy to hear that the country is in dire need of foreign workers.
The foreign affairs minister recently declared that Canada will be welcoming thousands of foreign workers to fill the labour shortage currently affecting the nation.
Read also: Top 10 Reputable Canadian Immigration Consultants – The Best Out There
If you intend to study, Canada is currently ranked the third-best country in the world to study, just behind the USA and the UK.
Whatever the reason you want to immigrate to Canada, there are more friendly Canadian immigration pathways now than in the past.
And, we will explain all of them here, and show you exactly how you can move to Canada through the pathway that suits your situation the most.
From the first steps you should take, right now, to the last one. Plus, your options when you arrive and what you should do.
How you can migrate to Canada successfully without help from any Immigration agent
As of today, there are several immigration pathways in Canada, and they are designed to suit your goals.
From Express Entry for skilled workers to study permits for international students and business immigration programs for entrepreneurs.
Canada has one of the most welcoming and structured immigration systems in the world.
To start your immigration to Canada, you need to decide which Canada immigration pathway suits you the most.
Step 1: Decide which Canada immigration pathway suits you
To successfully move to Canada, you must go through an immigration program/pathway.
What this means is that the first thing you have to do if you want to migrate is to choose the immigration program that fits what you want to do when you enter Canada.
See, Canada immigration isn’t one-size-fits-all. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has created several programs to meet the needs of workers, students, families, and entrepreneurs – there is a program for everybody.
The programs are:
1. Express Entry Program (For Skilled Workers)
The Express Entry system is for people who have work experience, education, and language skills.
It has three programs under it:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
For example, let me say you are a software developer, electrician, accountant, or welder with 1+ years of experience, you can migrate to Canada through this program.
The good thing about this program is that you can even apply for Canada PR (Permanent Residency) directly.
2. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
I love this particular program. My cousin entered Canada through it. It will interest you to know that each Canadian province has unique labour demands.
What is needed in this province may not be needed in the next province – every province has what they are looking for.
Read also: Volunteer Visa Explained: What it Means, How It Works, and Who Can Apply for It
If your job skills match what a province needs, they can nominate you to become a permanent resident.
Take, for instance, if Saskatchewan need heavy-duty mechanics, and Nova Scotia want early childhood educators.
There are even PNPs for nursing jobs in Canada. Each province will look for workers who can fill what they need.
3. Study Visa (This one is for international students)
If you say, “you want to immigrate to Canada to study,” this is the right program for you.
Do you want to know the sweetest part? I will tell you.
“You can study at a designated college or university, work part-time while in school, and apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after graduating”.
For example, you can move to Canada to study nursing, IT, engineering, and business and stay back after graduating.
4. Family Sponsorship
This one is not for everybody. You can only apply and move to Canada through this program if you already have a close family member who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
In this case, your family member in Canada can sponsor you to move to Canada.
Let’s say your spouse, parent, or child lives in Canada; they can bring you over through this route.
5. Start-up Visa Program (This particular one is for Entrepreneurs)
If you are not an entrepreneur, this is not for you. It is for people who have innovative business ideas and want to migrate to Canada to build and grow their businesses.
To succeed in this program, you need to get support from a designated organisation in Canada.
Let me assume you are a young tech founder with a mobile app idea, you can qualify under this program and even bring your family.
6. Agri-Food Pilot & Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
As you can see, this one is two programs in one. These programs are designed to help immigrants to Canada through smaller towns and rural communities with job shortages.
- Agri-Food Pilot focuses on jobs in meat processing, agriculture, and farm work.
- Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) helps bring workers into smaller towns across 11 regions in Canada.
If you want to come to Canada and do farm jobs, livestock work, or food packaging, you should focus on this program.
Find more on Agri-Food Pilot here.
7. Caregiver Program (For Health and Support Workers)
A lot of people love this particular program – I think it can compete as the program that has helped more people migrate to Canada than the rest.
If you’re someone who wants to work as a nanny, elderly caregiver, or in nursing jobs in Canada, go for this pathway.
You can qualify to work and later apply for Canada PR after gaining Canadian work experience.
For example, if you have experience caring for the elderly or children, you can apply to work under this program.
8. Atlantic Immigration Program
This is the pathway that helps skilled workers move to Canada and settle in one of the four Atlantic provinces.
The:
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
- Newfoundland and Labrador
In this program, you will need to get a job offer from a licensed Canadian employer.
This program is good for people who say, “They want to migrate to Canada with a job offer.”.
Read also: What is a Business Visa and Who Needs One?
Take, for instance, if you get a job offer from a bakery or hospital in Nova Scotia, you will qualify under this program.
9. Work Permit + LMIA Pathway
I prefer this program, and my reasons are personal. It is for people who already have a job offer in Canada and want to come temporarily or permanently.
To get the work permit, your employer must complete a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to show they couldn’t find a local worker for the role.
For example, if a construction company in Toronto gives you a job as a mason, they’ll apply for an LMIA and send you the letter.
You will then use the letter to get your work visa.
If you’ve ever, “wanted to migrate to Canada” or “relocate to Canada with your family”, there’s a program that fits your goals.
All you have to do is check all the programs we listed above and pick the one that suits you the most.
If you want to move to Canada to do agricultural jobs in rural areas, then the “Agri-Food Pilot and Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot” or the “Work Permit and Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)” program is your best option.
For example, your name is Kelvin, and you want to move to Canada for work with visa sponsorship – that means, you need a job that comes with visa sponsorship.
You can go for either the Agri-Food Pilot and Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, or the “Work Permit and Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Remember, if you don’t want to go through this process by yourself, you can work with Canadian immigration consultants.
Read also: How to find a visa sponsor in the USA
They will guide you throughout the process, help you with your application and settle any issues you have.
After deciding which Canada immigration pathways suit you the most, check the requirements for the program you have chosen.
Step 2: Check the requirements for your chosen immigration pathway and make sure you are eligible
Once you know which Canada immigration pathway is best for you, the next step is to study its requirements.
Every Canadian immigration program has its eligibility requirements. The requirements range from:
- Age
- Education level
- Language ability (English/French proficiency tests like IELTS or CELPIP)
- Work experience
- Medical exams and police clearance
- Proof of funds or financial ability
For example, if you want to apply for Canada PR (Permanent Residency) through Express Entry, you must create an online profile and get ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
The higher your score, the better your chances of getting an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
In the same vein, if you want to migrate to Canada through the Agri-Food Pilot and Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, you must have experience working on a farm.
Read also: Top Companies in London that Sponsor Visa
When you know the requirements, you can write them down, and then start compiling them one after the other.
Step 3: Now, get all the requirements together
Don’t just go online and start applying for your visa. You must ensure that you have everything needed for your chosen program.
You will need your:
- International passport
- Educational certificates and transcripts
- Work reference letters
- Language test results
- Proof of funds
- Job offer (if applicable)
- Police and medical clearance
This step is very important. If you don’t gather and include the right documents in your application, it will be delayed or rejected.
Even though we mentioned hiring Canada immigration consultants, if you are careful, you can handle the whole thing yourself.
My cousin did this application by himself. And, I am sure many more people have done it without spending money on agents.
Step 4: It’s time to submit your application
Once you’ve gathered all your documents and confirmed your eligibility, it is time to submit your application.
If you’re applying through Express Entry, create a profile and wait for an invitation.
If you’re going for a study visa, apply directly through your school and then use the Student Direct Stream (SDS) for faster processing.
If you want to move to Canada for work, your employer will help you get an LMIA, and then you can apply for a work permit by clicking here.
Whatever pathway you want to move to Canada through, make sure that your application is done properly.
Don’t make mistakes in your application; it will delay its processing. Mistakes in your application can cost you time and money.
Step 5: You should start preparing for life in Canada
Once your application is approved, you can now enter Canada. For applicants with free visa sponsorship, your flight ticket and other needs will be covered.
If you find what we explained here confusing, I want us to do something different, which will help you understand everything we said here better.
Let’s look at a case study here. We have a guy named Samuel who migrated to Canada a while ago.
Case Study: How Samuel Migrated to Canada for Work Without Using Any Agent
Samuel is a 35-year-old electrician living in Lagos, Nigeria. For years, he kept saying, “I want to migrate to Canada” – not just for himself but to build a better life for his wife and two children.
He had heard about people relocating successfully but didn’t know how to start.
He couldn’t afford expensive Canadian immigration consultants, so he decided to do it himself.
Here’s how Samuel finally moved to Canada for work in just under a year.
Step 1: He searched and picked the right Canada immigration pathway
After doing some research, Samuel discovered that Canada had a labour shortage in the skilled trades, especially in construction and electrical work.
Since he had over five years of experience as an electrician, you can see, he was a good fit.
Read also: I am not satisfied that you have a legitimate business purpose in Canada.
What did he do next? He looked into the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) under the Express Entry system, which is managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
He said to himself again: “I want to immigrate to Canada, and this will be my best shot.”
Step 2: He checked the requirements for the program
Now that Samuel knows which program fits him the most. He decided to gather all the documents required to apply for the program he has chosen, which is the Express Entry.
The documents he gathered are:
- His WAEC Certificates
- An employment letter from the electrical company he is working for
- Proof of his work experience
- His international passport
- Proof that he can speak English.
He also had to do an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to prove that his Nigerian education was equivalent to Canadian standards.
Step 3: He decided to create an Express Entry profile
Once his documents were ready, he created his Express Entry profile on the IRCC website. You can do so by clicking here.
He was nervous because he didn’t have a university degree, but he discovered that the FSTP doesn’t require a degree, just proof of trade skills and work experience.
His Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score wasn’t very high, but about three months after entering the pool, he was selected through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) by Saskatchewan, which was actively looking for skilled tradespeople.
Step 4: He receives an invitation to apply for Canada PR
After receiving a provincial nomination, Samuel’s CRS score jumped, and he was quickly issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.
What he did next was to submit his complete Canada PR application, pay his application fee, and wait.
IRCC reached out to him and asked that he provide more information on some parts of his application, and he did.
After about 7 months, he received his Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR).
He couldn’t believe it. He wanted to move to Canada, and now it was happening.
Step 5: He prepared and relocated to Canada
Because he also wanted to relocate to Canada with his family,” Samuel included his wife and kids in the application.
They were all approved.
Before leaving, Samuel:
- Resigned from his job in Lagos.
- Took a short online course to understand Canadian workplace culture.
- And, joined a Telegram group of Nigerians who had recently migrated to Canada.
Step 6: Samuel arrived in Canada 2 years ago
When Samuel arrived in Saskatchewan, he didn’t have a job yet, but within 3 weeks, he got a job as a junior electrician at a construction company.
His salary was almost 200 times higher than what he earned in Lagos. For the first time in his life, he is paid very well.
His wife later pursued nursing in Canada, and their children started school without issues.
The last time I spoke with Samuel, he said, “If I had waited or doubted myself, I’d still be stuck in Lagos. All I did was apply to migrate to Canada on the IRCC website.”
What you should learn from Samuel’s Story
If you’re saying, “I want to migrate to Canada” or “I want to immigrate to Canada for work,” Samuel’s story proves that it’s possible.
You don’t need to be rich. You don’t need to pay any agent.
All you need is:
- Understand what we explained here.
- Choose what’s best for you and submit your application.
- If you can’t do it by yourself, send us a request, and we can assist you.
Before moving to Canada, you can start networking with people already in Canada.
Do this by joining online forums, Facebook groups, or WhatsApp communities where you can meet Canadians.
Also, once you land, apply for your Permanent Resident (PR) card and register for healthcare.
If you’ve been saying to yourself, “I want to migrate to Canada”, stop dreaming and start doing.
Read also: ‘Your online application has been received at the UK decision-making centre” means what?
Canada is actively looking for immigrants – whether you’re a student, a skilled worker, a caregiver, or a businessperson.
The opportunities are real, and many have successfully moved without the help of Canadian immigration agents.
The earlier you start, the sooner you’ll find yourself walking the streets of Toronto, studying in Vancouver, working in Calgary, or building your new life in Nova Scotia.
So, if you truly want to move to Canada like Samuel did, start today. The system is open and built to welcome everyone including you.
Don’t wait. Start your application today!
If you need help going through the whole application process, you can send us a message, and we will get back to you.
We will gladly help you with your application.