How to Migrate to Canada as a Skilled Employee

It should be noted that there is no single straightforward path to immigrating to Canada. While some programmes may be easier to apply to, the application process is lengthy and involves numerous steps. While moving to Canada requires a substantial financial and emotional investment, the end result is well worth it. Canada is known for its welcoming attitude toward immigrants and consistently ranks among the best countries for quality of life. "In 2022, these are the four most popular ways for overseas applicants to immigrate to Canada." By introducing the Federal Skilled Worker Program in 1967, Canada became the first country in the world to implement a merit-based points system (FSWP).

The FSWP, which still exists today, was ground-breaking and innovative. Until that point, Canada chose skilled workers from other countries based on its discretion, namely the Canadian government's assessment of a candidate's ability to integrate into the labour market. Recognizing the shortcomings of this approach, Canada established the FSWP to improve the objectivity with which candidates were evaluated. Rather than employing subjective criteria, Canada assessed all candidates on the basis of their age, education, occupation, and language skills. This model has since become the norm for all Canadian skilled worker programmes launched since 1967, and it has also been adopted by countries worldwide.

The backbone of Canada's immigration system is skilled workers. Today, Canada aims to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants per year, with approximately 60% arriving as skilled workers. The selection of skilled workers is divided between the federal and provincial governments of Canada. The federal department of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) welcomes about half of them, while the other half are identified by Canadian provinces and territories. The federal Express Entry application management system is the primary means by which Canada and the federal government identify and select skilled workers. To be eligible for Express Entry, you must meet the requirements of one of the three programmes.

In addition to Express Entry, the federal government runs a number of other skilled worker programmes that are separate from Express Entry. These programmes are in place to assist Canada in meeting its broad labour market needs. The Provincial Nominee Program is the second most popular way for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada. The third major route is through the immigration system of the province of Quebec. Under Express Entry, Canada aims to accept an average of 110,000 new immigrants per year.