Before the Coronavirus pandemic spread all over the world early this year, Canada was a top choice for individuals wishing to migrate to another country. In the pre-pandemic times, these individuals would be eager to finish the immigration application process as soon as possible so that they could move to Canada. But now it’s a different picture, immigration aspirants are waiting and watching thinking that now is not really the right time to process their immigration application.
This may sound counter-intuitive but now is the best time to apply for your Canada immigration. This is because the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has consistently been holding immigration draws in the past few months and will probably increase the frequency of draws to meet the immigration targets the government has set for the next few years.
The IRCC is also planning a revamp of the immigration process and systems to meet the surge in applications once the pandemic is over. So now will be the best time to apply for your Canada PR visa. The sooner you start the application process, the better are your chances to receive an ITA for your PR visa. With the IRCC determined to revamp its processes, your application will be the first in line to be processed and you can migrate to Canada in 2021.
Before you make your application, you must be aware that Canada offers various immigration programs through which you can apply for a PR visa and each one has its individual eligibility requirements and application procedure. So, which are the immigration programs that make it easy to get a PR visa. We will look at three immigration programs that provide easy ways to get a PR visa to Canada and have been quite popular during the pandemic to welcome immigrants to Canada.
1. Express Entry
Canada’s Express Entry system consists of Foreign Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Express Entry Program follows a points-based system for classifying applicants seeking to settle in Canada. Points are given to eligible applicants based on skills, experience, Canadian employment status and provincial/territorial nomination. The higher your points, the greater are the chances of getting an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency in Canada. The points are awarded to clients based on a Comprehensive Ranking system or CRS.
Every Express Entry draw has a minimum cutoff score. Those applicants with a CRS score equal or above the cutoff score will receive an ITA. If more than one candidate has a score equal to the cutoff score, the one with a longer presence in the Express Entry pool will receive an ITA.
The IRCC has held a number of Express Entry draws this year while giving preference to those with a provincial nomination or Canadian experience.
Taking into account the Express Entry draws conducted till the month of September, the total number of ITAs issued in 2020 was 82,850. The number of ITAs issued this year has almost met the target set by the IRCC set in March for Federal High Skilled immigration.
Surprisingly, this year has been a record-breaking year for Express Entry, because the number of ITAs issued till date has been the highest ever.
Source: CIC News
2. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
The PNP is an option you can choose if your points score is not high enough and you still get your provincial nomination. You can pick a province from where it would be easy to get a nomination based on your profile while making your application under the PNP.
Source: CIC News
The IRCC offers an annual allocation of nominations for permanent residence in Canada to each province and territory, which is disbursed via streams customized to their unique labor market needs.
Combined, there are more than 70 nomination sources for the 11 provinces and territories involved in Canada’s PNP, ranging in focus from foreign graduates of local universities to staff with skills identified as in-demand in the province, among other examples.
Each provincial nominee program will have at least one stream connected to the Express Entry stream which is the main source of skilled foreign workers.
A provincial nomination will assist you in getting your PR visa in two ways. It will add 600 CRS points to your Express Entry application and allows you to apply directly to IRCC for your PR visa.
The PNP has become a significant immigration stream in recent times with the IRCC planning to invite more than 70,000 candidates through the PNP.
3. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
The CEC has grown in importance ever since its launch in 2008. The CEC was designed to help international students and temporary foreign workers gain a PR visa.
Since the introduction of the CEC, provinces have increased the number of streams dedicated to students and temporary foreign workers. The newer immigration services of IRCC such as the Atlantic Immigration Pilot and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot have separate streams for those with Canadian experience.
The reason Canadian experience in federal and provincial immigration programs has become so relevant is that Canadian government research indicates that such experience is a good predictor that an immigration candidate can easily integrate into the Canadian labor market and perform well in the long term.
For a variety of reasons Canadian work experience is the key. It helps migrant applicants develop their language skills, which is a major component of the Comprehensive Ranking System. Additionally, applicants who obtain Canadian work experience or education can show Canadian employers that they have the expertise and knowledge that employers are searching for and they would prefer to hire someone with local experience.
Canada remains unwavering in its commitment to invite 1 million immigrants by 2022 despite COVID-19, the best time to start your PR visa application process will be now. But be sure to choose an immigration program whose candidates are more likely to get an ITA for a PR visa. The three programs mentioned here are easy ways to get your PR visa and have also been the choice programs for the IRCC to select candidates. Applying under any of these programs will greatly improve your chances.