Can you move to Canada without a job in 2022?

When individuals want to migrate, the first question bugs them: Could I migrate and then look for a job there? Alternately, can I first land a job in Canada and then plan to relocate there?

It is indeed possible for you to migrate to Canada without having a job in hand. Yes, that is possible. Canada attracts a lot of immigrants because of its quality of living, world-class educational institutions, multicultural society, low incidences of corruption, and an average domestic disposable earning per capita exceeding the OECD average.

The Canadian government has raised the number of permanent residents it plans to allow in 2022 to more than 431,000 in 2022, 447,000, and 451,000 in 2023 and 2024, respectively, according to its 2022-24 Immigration Levels Plan released in February 2022.

The Express Entry system is one of the popular options to relocate to Canada without a job offer. A point-based system, the Express Entry system handles applicants seeking permanent residency to fill jobs as there is a shortage of available, talented workers in Canada.

*Check your eligibility score for Canada through Y-Axis Canada Immigration Points Calculator. 

Express Entry program

Under the Express Entry programs, more categories let you immigrate to Canada even if you don’t have a job offer in hand:

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

The Express Entry program has simplified the process of immigration and made it easier to understand.

The key points of this Express Entry program are as follows.

• There is no limit on applicants in this program which is open all through the year.
• This program applies to the Canadian Experience Class Program, Federal Skilled Worker Program, and Federal Skilled Trades Program.
• Aspiring immigrants need to submit an Expression of Interest if they want to apply for this program.
• Each applicant’s profile will be weighed per the points-based system and will find its way into the applicant pool.
• Invitations are sent to applicants who get the highest points to apply for PR.
• The number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) that can be granted depends on the Annual Immigration Level.

A Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score out of 1200 points is assigned to all eligible candidates who submit their profiles to the Express Entry pool. The CRS scores of individuals who have a job offer in Canada increase. The Express Entry draw takes place at regular intervals, and those who bag high CRS scores would be sent invitations to apply for the PR visa.

With every Express Entry draw, the CRS score typically fluctuates. An applicant’s possibilities of being entitled to the draw progress for those having a high CRS score.

Of all the categories, the Canadian Experience Class is the least appealing because it stipulates that an applicant must have a minimum of one year’s full-time (or equivalent in part-time) skilled work experience in this North American country in the three years before their application.

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is a pathway for people who want to relocate in 2022 to Canada even though they don’t have a job offer from an establishment in one of the provinces.

Barring Nunavut and Quebec, all the other Canadian provinces/territories are part of the PNP.

Although there is no provincial nomination system for Nunavut, Quebec has in place a program of its own to induct immigrants.

For 2022, under PNP, the total admission target is 81,500, and it will be 83,000 for the same in 2023.

For the Canada PNP programs, eligibility requirements differ from one province to another.

The provinces welcome immigrants from different ‘streams’. ‘Streams’ imply immigration programs that target a specific category of people.

The territories and provinces run program streams that target particular groups, like businesspersons, students, and semi-skilled or skilled workers.

Under the PNP, each of the immigration programs is distinct and sticks to the prevailing gap in the workforce of the concerned province/territory.

If you successfully obtain a provincial nomination,600 additional points will be awarded towards your total CRS score. If you get 600 extra points, you are assured of receiving an ITA to be provincially nominated for permanent residency in Canada in the next scheduled draw.

With an “Arranged employment,” you can get only around 50 to 200 points towards your CRS score. “Arranged employment” indicates an authorized job offer from an employer in Canada.

Suppose you apply under the FSWP with a job offer. In that case, you are eligible for 15 points when CRS is being calculated under the Canada Skilled Immigration Points Calculator and is based on the job types that you get towards your CRS 50 to 200.

Do remember that a work permit is not as good as a job offer, even if the work permit is open.

Although a provincial nomination may be inapplicable when calculating your Canadian eligibility, it can give a much-needed fillip to your profile when it is in the Express Entry pool.

One of the other options that you could consider to migrate to Canada is the Quebec Skilled Workers Program (QSWP), even if you do not have a job offer.

This program allows skilled workers to apply for the Quebec Selection Certificate, aka or Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ). Applicants do not require a proper job offer to migrate to Quebec. If you, however, do, a higher priority is accorded to you. The QSWP, too, is a points-based system similar to the Express Entry System.

There are only steps for this application process:

Step 1: Submit the filled-in application form along with the required documents. The immigration authorities will verify your documents.

Step 2: The immigration authorities will issue a CSQ, allowing you to migrate to Quebec and stay there for 3 months. After completing this period, you can apply for a PR Visa.

With the immigration target of Canada standing at 411,000 for 2022, this is the most opportune time to apply in the Express Entry pool.

Need assistance to find a job in Canada? Talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Overseas Career Consultant.

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