There are many residents in Dubai who think of moving to Canada because of the many benefits Canada offers. Canada is immigrant friendly and the government’s encouragement of migrants to come and settle here has motivated many to try and migrate here.
Apart from this, settling down in Canada holds the promise of a comfortable lifestyle and the right living conditions. There are numerous job opportunities and the promise of personal freedom.
The country in its immigration plans for 2021-23 has announced that it will welcome 1,233,000 new permanent residents over the next three years Here are more details:
| Year | Immigrants |
| 2021 | 401,000 |
| 2022 | 411,000 |
| 2023 | 421,000 |
The target figures indicate that Canada will be focusing in high immigration targets— more than 400,000 new permanent residents in the next three years. This is the best time to plan your move to Canada from Dubai.
Migration options
Before you decide to move to Canada, you will have to decide whether you want to go there for work or opt for permanent residency. You also have the option to try for a job in Canada once you get your PR visa.
However, if you move to Canada with a job offer, you will get a work permit. The type of work permit depends on the type of job offer. For instance, if you are moving to Canada on a transfer from the same company then you can get an Intra company transfer permit.
With a job you will not be worried about your livelihood once you land in the country. You can later apply for a PR visa.
There are several visa categories under which you can apply to move to Canada from Dubai, these include:
- Skilled Workers and Professionals
- Provincial Nominee Program
- Quebec Skilled Workers Program
- Family sponsorship
- Business and Investor Migration
Skilled Workers and Professionals
The popular immigration program under this category is the Express Entry program. There are three categories under the program.
- Federal Skilled Worker
- Federal Skilled Trades
- Canada Experience Class
The Canada Express Entry Program follows a points-based system for grading PR applicants. Applicants earn points based on qualifications, experience, Canadian employment status and provincial / territorial nomination. The higher your points, the greater the chances of having an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency. Applicants receive the points based on a Comprehensive Ranking System or CRS.
Every Express Entry draw shall have a minimum cutoff score. An ITA will be awarded to all applicants with a CRS score equal to or above the cutoff score When more than one nominee has a score equal to the cutoff number, then the one with a longer presence in the Express Entry pool will obtain an ITA.
You do not require a job offer in Canada to apply under the Express Entry system. However, a job offer in Canada will increase your CRS points from 50 to 200 depending on the skill level. Canada’s provinces also have Express Entry streams to help them select skilled workers from the Express Entry pool.
The CRS score keeps changing with every Express Entry draw which is held approximately every two weeks by the Canadian government.
Steps to apply
Step 1: Create your Express Entry profile
As a first step, you will have to create your online Express Entry profile. The profile should include credentials that include age, work experience, education, language skills, etc. Based on these factors your profile will be given a score.
If you have the required score to meet the eligibility requirements which is 67out of 100, you can submit your profile.
Step 2: Complete your ECA
If you have done your education outside Canada, you should complete an Educational Credentials Assessment or ECA. This is to prove that your educational qualifications are equal to those awarded by the Canadian educational system.
Step 3: Complete your language ability tests
You should take the required English language proficiency tests. The recommendation is a score of 6 bands in IELTS. Your test score should be less than 2 years old at the time of application.
You will gain extra points if you know French. To prove your proficiency in French, you can give a French language test like the Test de evaluation de Francians (TEF).
Step 5: Get your CRS score
Based on your profile details a CRS score is given which will help to provide a ranking in the Express Entry pool. Your profile gets selected for the Express Entry draw if you have the required CRS score for that draw.
Step 5: Get your Invitation to Apply (ITA)
If your profile gets selected from the Express Entry pool, you will get an ITA from the Canadian government after which you can start the documentation for your PR visa.
Provincial Nominee Program
The Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) was launched to help the various provinces and territories in Canada choose immigration candidates who are willing to settle in a given province or territory in the country and have the skills and abilities to contribute to the economic growth of the province or territory.
Every PNP targets the specific needs of the province’s labor market. You can find a provincial stream matching your specific skills. To qualify for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) you must have the necessary skills, education, work experience and meet the language requirements.
The PNP program requires the applicants to have some connection to the province. You can be either working in that province or have studied there. You can be eligible if you have a job offer from an employer in the province.
Steps to apply
If you opt for the PNP to apply for your PR visa, these are the steps:
- You must apply in the province or region where you desire to settle.
- You could be nominated by the province to apply for a PR visa if your profile meets the eligibility criteria.
- You can apply for your PR visa after you are nominated by a province.
The criteria for evaluating the PR application can differ for each province.
The PNP is an option you can choose if your CRS points score is not high enough and you still get your provincial nomination. When making your PNP application you can choose a province from where it will be easy to get a nomination based on your profile.
Express Entry linked PNPS: If you are applying under such a PNP, you can add 600 CRS points to your Express Entry application. This increases your possibility of getting an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for your PR visa in the subsequent invitation round. Those wishing to apply for such PNP programs must first create an Express Entry profile.
Quebec Skilled Workers Program
If you wish to move to the province of Quebec in Canada, you can apply for its own Provincial Nominee Program known as the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP). This is an immigration program that provides a fast and convenient way to migrate to Canada.
This immigration program was started with the intention to encourage more immigrants to come and settle in Quebec without having to go through the hassle of a lengthy immigration process.
Through this program skilled workers can apply for the Quebec Selection Certificate or Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ). It is not necessary for applicants to have a valid job offer in order to migrate to Quebec. However, those with a job offer are given higher priority.
The QSWP is also based on a points-based system like the Express Entry System.
Family sponsorship
The Canadian government place priority on keeping the families of Canadian citizens and permanent residents together. It encourages them to bring their families to Canada. Individuals who are permanent residents or citizens of Canada can sponsor their family members for PR status if they are 18 years or older. They are eligible to sponsor the following categories of family members:
- Spouse
- Conjugal partner
- Common-law partner
- Dependent or adopted children
- Parents
- Grandparents
Relatives can live, work and study in Canada and later become permanent residents.
Business and Investor Migration
The Startup Visa program provides permanent resident visas to eligible immigrants starting a business in the country. The Startup Class is another name for this visa program.
Candidates can come to Canada under this visa program on a work permit supported by their Canadian-based investor, and then apply for a PR visa once their business is established in the country.
Successful applicants may link up with Canadian private-sector investors to obtain funding assistance and advice on running their business. The three categories of investors in the private sector include:
- Venture capital fund
- Business incubator
- Angel investor
Eligibility requirements for the program:
- Have a qualifying business
- Have proof that the business has the required support from a designated entity in the form of a Commitment Certificate and Letter of Support
- Have the required proficiency in English or French
- Have enough funds to settle in Canada
There are many migration options if you wish to move from Dubai to Canada in 2021. Once you choose an option, follow the steps diligently. An immigration consultant will help you choose the right option where you have more chances of success.