How can I immigrate to Canada in 2022?

Canada was and will remain among the most popular destinations to migrate to for those wanting to settle down abroad. With The North American nation, which has immigration-friendly policies, planning to allow about 432,000 immigrants in 2022, migrating to Canada seems attractive to migrants worldwide.   There are several ways to migrate to Canada, with the most popular routes for the permanent residency (PR) of Canada being Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).  

Express Entry

Express Entry (EE) is the Canadian government's online system used to manage applications for immigration from skilled overseas workers.   With the Express Entry, three programs of Canada PR applications are managed.  

1. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
2. Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
3. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

  Only people who score 67 out of the 100 points are entitled to migrate to the world's second-largest nation by area through Express Entry.

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

Once your profile makes it to the Express Entry Pool, it is graded against the other profiles calculated as per the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).   Do remember that the eligibility calculation is not at all related to CRS. You can apply through the Express Entry system if you currently have the required points (67) for eligibility.   Following that, you need to get the points essential to obtain an invitation to apply (ITA) for a Canada PR visa under the CRS's Express Entry immigration program. The CRS is a points-based system where candidates get points if they fulfill certain criteria. Every applicant is allotted a CRS score out of 1200 points in the Express Entry system. The CRS score varies for every Express Entry draw. The applicant who has the highest number of points under the CRS will obtain an ITA for the PR visa.  

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

The other popular pathway to gain Canada PR is via the Provincial Nominee Program. Initiated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the purpose of PNP is to aid different Canadian provinces/territories to choose immigrants who don't mind settling down in a specific province/territory in Canada, provided they possess the skills and experience to contribute to the economic growth of that province/ territory.

Quebec and Nunavut, however, are not part of the PNP. Though Nunavut does not have any program to welcome immigrants, Quebec has its distinct program, known as the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP), for welcoming immigrants. Most provinces look for applicants who can contribute to their region's economic development and are prepared to settle in that very province. The following are criteria that provinces consider to allow immigrants. They are a job proposal in that province, work experience in a relevant field, and proficiency in English or French. People having close relations in a province and possessing the ability to adjust to that province's lifestyle are given preference to settle there. To be nominated by any province/territory that takes part in the PNP, the applicant's first step is to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) directly to the concerned province. When 600 additional points are added to an applicant's CRS score, a province's nomination will give a leg up to any candidate's profile.  

A provincial nomination is an assurance that the candidate's profile will be selected in the next draw from the EE Pool. Later on, the applicant will get an ITA to apply for Canadian PR.   Under the admission target for 2022 and 2023 are 164,500 spots for immigration under the PNP. But that doesn't mean that immigration to Canada immigration is restricted by Express Entry and PNP programs.  

Few other pilot programs also offer Canadian PR: The Atlantic Immigration Pilot, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), and the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot. The Canadian government launched the RNIP following the Atlantic Immigration Pilot's success.  

Eleven communities participating in RNIP are said to have begun accepting applications in 2020.   While a growing number of immigrants have made Canada their permanent home, the majority are located around the top cities of Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.  

Due to this, though Canada has welcomed a significant number of immigrants, the hinterland of Canada still faces a severe labor crisis.   With the specific aim of luring more migrants to settle down in non-popular areas of Canada, the government launched pilot programs like RNIP and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot.  

To immigrate to Canada in 2022, the suggested step you should take would be to create an Express Entry profile and submit an EOI. Skilled foreign workers can migrate to Canada with their families if they enter the EE Pool and expect a provincial nomination.   All the provinces and territories that participate in the PNP have their own streams to target a particular group of migrants specifically. Under PNP, there are 80 streams for immigration. At specific times, under the PNP, the provinces and territories send ITAs to candidates who have the skills in demand in a particular province/territory. The minimum CRS ceiling is much lower in the PNP draws when compared to the EE draws at any point in time.  

Need assistance to find jobs in Canada? Talk to Y-Axis, the world’s most leading overseas immigration consultant.  

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