Popular Options for Immigrating from UAE to Canada
Some of the most popular Canada immigration pathways for UAE citizens are:
- Express Entry
- Provincial Nominee Program
- Family Class Sponsorship
- Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Pathway
1. Express Entry
Express Entry is a system used by the Canadian government to manage three of the country’s main economic class immigration programs, the FSWP (Federal Skilled Worker Program), FSTP (Federal Skilled Trade Program), and CEC (Canadian Economic Class).
Express Entry opens the door for skilled immigrants who want to settle in Canada permanently and contribute to its economy. The category targets different categories of skilled workers as follows:
Federal Skilled Worker Program – It targets skilled immigrants who have the requisite education and work experience.
Federal Skilled Trades Program – For immigrants experienced in a skilled trade.
Canadian Experience Class – It targets skilled immigrants who have the requisite education and Canadian work experience.
When thinking of Canadian immigration, UAE citizens should look at Express Entry programs and apply to the one that they best qualify for. For example, Emiratis that have resided in Canada before may consider CEC.
Those that have never been to Canada may opt for the FSWP (if they have a qualifying degree) or the FSTP (if they have no education but a certificate of qualification in a skilled trade).
People that submit applications are added to the Express Entry pool. The candidates in the pool are assessed on a points-based Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
Draws are made from the Express Entry pool at regular intervals, and candidates with the highest CRS points are drawn and invited to apply for permanent residence. The minimum CRS points to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence vary from draw to draw.
People can improve their CRS points and increase their chances of being drawn and invited to apply for permanent residence. Some ways that Emiratis can improve their CRS points are:
Get a higher degree – The higher your degree, the more points you’ll get. Even when a degree is not required (like the FSTP), you’ll still get points for having one.
Improve your language skills – The higher you score on your proficiency test, the more points you’ll get. Also, while proficiency in only one (English or French) is required, being proficient in both languages gives extra points.
Gain more work experience – While the minimum work experience requirement is 1 or 2 years, the more years of work experience you have, the more points you’ll get.
Get a Canadian job – If you can secure a job in Canada, you’ll get 200 additional points
Get provincial nomination – If you successfully apply to a Canadian province/territory and get nominated, you’ll get 600 additional points.
2. Provincial Nominee Program
The Canadian Provincial Nominee Program is the second most popular way to immigrate to Canada, after Express Entry.
Given how competitive the Express Entry program is, and that provincial nomination gives 600 additional points to boost CRS scores, the PNP is one of the easiest ways for UAE citizens to immigrate to Canada.
The PNPs allow provinces to nominate candidates who can fill specific labor gaps in the provinces. The different Provincial Nominee Programs that UAE citizens can target are:
- Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)
- British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
- Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
- New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)
- Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP)
- Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)
- Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)
- Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)
- Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
- Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)
- Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)
There are two ways of applying for a PNP:
Apply directly to a province – Each province targets different categories of immigrants using different PNP streams. Apply to the stream you qualify for. If your profile fits what the province is looking for, you will get a nomination certificate. Then you can update your Express Entry profile to show that you’ve been nominated.
Submit an Express Entry profile and indicate the province you are interested in – The provinces regularly check the pool. If your profile fits what a province is looking for, it’ll send you a notification of interest. You can then apply to the PNP stream that you qualify for. If you receive the nomination certificate, you can then update your Express Entry profile and show that you’ve been nominated.
3. Family Class Sponsorship
If an Emirati has a family member in Canada, it will be easy to immigrate to Canada under the Family Class Sponsorship program.
This program seeks to reunite families. So, it allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their family members in other countries in Canada. The rules are fairly relaxed but you’ll need to get someone already in Canada to sponsor you.
A person living in Canada can sponsor the following family members:
- Spouse/Long-term partner
- Child
- Parent
- Grandparents
- Niece/Nephew
- Sibling
- Orphaned grandchild under 18 years’ old
The sponsor needs to agree to support the family member financially. This is to ensure that the person being sponsored won’t require any financial assistance from the government.
4. Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Pathway
Canadian temporary residence visas like Study Permit, Work Permit, Visitor visa, etc. are relatively easier to secure than permanent residency.
Thus, one of the best ways for Emiratis to immigrate to Canada is to go as temporary residents and later convert to permanent residents. The most popular option is the “study in Canada to live in Canada” pathway.
Using this pathway, a UAE resident may secure a Study Visa to study in a designated learning institution in Canada. After graduation, the person may obtain a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), allowing them to stay back in Canada temporarily to work.
Thus, the person will obtain Canadian education and work experience, two things that make them a stronger candidate when finally applying for the permanent resident program.
Final Thoughts
Every month, thousands successfully immigrate from the Emirates to Canada. While Canada has scores of immigration programs, some of the most popular for UAE to Canada immigration are Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, and Family Class Sponsorship.
The “temporary residency to permanent residency” pathway is also popular among UAE citizens who may initially find it difficult to qualify for permanent residency. With this, Emiratis can move to Canada temporarily, and gain education and/or work experience to be stronger candidates for permanent residency.
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