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How to Immigrate to Canada from India

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Are you looking into immigration to Canada from India? Canada is home to one of the largest Indian populations in the world, as over a million Indians have legally immigrated from India to Canada over the years.

Many have traveled to the beautiful county in search of a new life. If you’re hoping to follow the well-trodden path then this article is for you. We’ll show you the ways to immigrate to Canada from India.

India to Canada Immigration Programs

There are several different programs that Indians can use to legally immigrate to Canada. The ones that have proved most successful for Indian immigrants are:

  • Express Entry
  • Provincial Nominee Program
  • Study Permit
  • Work Permits
  • Family Sponsorship

Express Entry

Canada eagerly opens its door to foreigners that’ll contribute to its economy. Express Entry is one of the fastest ways to immigrate to Canada if you have work experience.

There are three immigration programs under Express Entry, and they all open the door to permanent residency in Canada. These programs are:

Canadian Experience Class – This program is for persons who have been privileged to work (for at least a year) in Canada in the recent past.

Federal Skilled Worker Program – Skilled workers with working experience in India can become Canadian permanent residents through this program. You’ll need a college degree and at least one year of experience in a relevant job. These include:

  • Managerial jobs
  • Professional jobs (like doctors, architect, etc)
  • Technical jobs (electricians, plumbers, etc)

Federal Skilled Trades Program – This program opens the door of Canadian permanent residency to talented Indians who may have special vocational training but do not have a college degree. It is for skilled workers in:

  • Industrial, electrical, and construction trades
  • Maintenance and equipment operation trades
  • Chefs and cooks

As an Indian with the Canadian dream, check for which of the three Express Entry programs you qualify for and submit an application. You will be added to the pool of Express Entry candidates where every candidate is ranked using a comprehensive ranking system (CRS). It is very competitive, so it’s candidates with the highest CRS scores that get selected for immigration.

Your CRS score is calculated using your age, language proficiency, education, work experience, and Canadian connection. Knowing this, it is possible for Indians to improve their CRS scores and improve their chances of being invited to apply for permanent residency.

How to Immigrate to Canada from India

Provincial Nomination Program

The Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) is another popular pathway to Canadian permanent residency for Indians.

This program allows skilled workers to apply for Express Entry through one of Canada’s provinces instead of applying directly. Provincial nomination is basically authorities in a province telling the national immigration authority that it has particular labor gaps and that it has specifically identified you as capable of filling that gap.

Thus, securing provincial nomination all but guarantees being invited to apply for permanent residency. Know that applicants are added to the Express Entry pool. But what provincial nomination does is that it automatically gives you 600 additional points making you a very strong candidate to be selected.

Study Permit

Another way Indians can immigrate to Canada is through a Study Permit. However, this is only for temporary residency as the student visas are only for the duration of the program of study.

That notwithstanding, a Canadian study permit is a great route for India to Canada immigration for two reasons:

It gives you a Canadian education – When applying for permanent residency, Canadian education is given more weight than foreign education.

It opens the door to Canadian work experience – After finishing your studies in Canada, you can apply for a Post Graduation Work Permit. This allows you to stay back and work in the country.

This places you in Canada, and gives you Canadian work experience, and these two elements weigh heavily in your favor when applying for permanent residency. For example, post-COVID, Canadian immigration has focused on persons already living in the country.

How to Immigrate to Canada from India

Work Permits

Another Canadian immigration pathway for Indians is work permits. This gives temporary residency, allowing you to live and work in the country for a specified length of time. There are two main programs for seeking a work permit:

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) – With the world now more connected than ever, you can get a Canadian job even when in India. You may then apply for a Canadian work permit.

However, your employer will have to obtain an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment). This document shows that the employer has a particular role that you will fill and has been unable to fill the role with someone already in the country. That said, applying with an LMIA under the TFWP is a great pathway for Indian to Canada immigration.

International Mobility Program (IMP) – This program allows for intra-company transfers. So, if you are in a multinational that has offices in Canada, you may process a transfer from the Indian office to the Canadian office. An LMIA is not needed for IMP applications for work permits.

Just as with Study Permits, the Canadian temporary residency and Canadian work experience that Work Permits give make an application for permanent residency smoother.

How to Immigrate to Canada from India

Family Sponsorship

Qualifying family members in Canada can also be the key to your India to Canada immigration. There are different programs allowing people in Canada to sponsor their family members into the country so that they’ll be united again.

A sponsor must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a person registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act. The sponsor must also be over 18 years of age, and should be able to provide financial assistance to the sponsored family member if need be.

If you are wondering which family member can sponsor you from India to Canada, the list is pretty wide. It includes spouses, parents, children, and other relatives.

 

How to Immigrate to Canada from India

Final Thoughts

Dreaming of moving from Mumbai to Toronto? Those dreams can become a reality as there are many ways to legally immigrate from India to Canada. Each year, thousands of Indians realize their Canadian dream by taking advantage of immigration programs like Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, Study Permits, Work Permits, and Family Sponsorship. You can take the assessment test on our website Assessment Forms to find out what immigration program will be best for you.

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