Making the move to Canada, let alone any new country, comes with many challenges and questions; questions like, “How do I know if I qualify?”, and if so, “What are the best Canadian immigration options for me?”.
There are over 100 ways to move to this beautiful, multicultural and welcoming country but in 2021, there are two main immigration programs issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residency in Canada.
These two programs are linked to the ever-popular Express Entry system and speak volumes regarding what Canada is looking for in the selection process; Canadian work experience and having the much-needed skills and experience that are in-demand in specific provinces and territories.
Let’s take a look at these two immigration programs and how to immigrate to Canada from the UK, through both of them.
The Canadian Experience Class
The Canada Experience Class (CEC) has been issuing a tremendous amount of ITAs since the start of the pandemic restrictions in 2020. Although most people expected the Canada immigration department to slow down on processing visa applications, the opposite was in fact the case. The Canadian government announced that it would be increasing it’s immigration totals to over 1.2 million people over the next three years.
In 2021, Canada aims to invite between 1058,500 and 110,500 Express Entry candidates through biweekly draws, where candidates are ranked according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) based on factors such as their age, education, language abilities, job offers as well as other factors such as their ability to adjust to Canadian life.
One way that demonstrates having the ability to settle into life in Canada is if you have already lived and worked in Canada before. The Canadian Experience Class is aimed at helping skilled foreign workers gain permanent residency in Canada if they have:
- a job offer in Canada;
- have a high level of English or French; and
- have at least one year of Canadian work experience.
To date, Canada has already issued 58,708 ITAs under the CEC program, including a record-breaking draw which took place on February 13, 2021, issuing 27,332 invitations in a single draw to applicants with a CRS score of just 75 points!
The Provincial Nominee Program
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is another great immigration option to move to Canada from the UK in 2021. Technically, the PNP does not fall under the Express Entry system as each province has its own set of requirements that need to be met, however, 11 out of Canada’s provinces and territories have Express Entry categories under its respective PNP.
This allows provincial governments to select suitable candidates directly from the Express Entry draw pool and offer them a provincial nomination. A provincial nomination is one of the best ways to almost guarantee to receive an ITA as it is worth 600 CRS points. Seeing as most draw CRS cut-off scores in 2021 have averaged at around 743 points, earning an additional 143 points could be as simple as being the optimal age or having high levels in either English or French.
To qualify to apply through an Express Entry-linked PNP stream you will need to:
- meet the general Express Entry requirements as well as your chosen PNP requirements;
- express interest in that particular province or territory when creating your Express Entry profile; and
- possess skills, education and work experience that may contribute to that particular province or territory.
