The nation of Canada has long been receptive to immigration. Its national laws concerning immigrants, however, have steadily evolved over the decades and continue to do so. The land of the maple leaf and the moose is attractive to many seeking a change or a better life, but specifics and plans should be pondered first. Here are considerations about the process of immigrating to Canada.
Uniting Your Family
If you have a family, you want to be together with them. The Canadian government provides legal ways for relatives to live together in the country. One such provision is spouse sponsorship Canada. This program allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their spouses or partners for immigration to Canada. Sponsors must meet specific requirements and be in good legal standing.
Finding Safety
Some people come to Canada as refugees seeking asylum. Canada classes refugees in one of two categories:
- An individual needing protection—This claim is usually made when the person crosses the Canadian border. The criterion for this classification is that the requestor is unable to return to her or his home country safely due to fear of cruel treatment, torture, or mortal danger.
- Convention refugees—These people are outside of Canada when they make this claim. They cannot safely return home because they fear being persecuted due to specific factors including political opinion, race, or religion.
Canada’s refugee board reviews each case and determines whether asylum seekers will be admitted or refused entry based on specific criteria.
Earning a Living
Canada has policies to welcome economic immigrants, who are people seeking to live and work in Canada because the opportunities are better for them there than in their home countries. Federal and regional governments have established numerous programs that make it easy for multiple skilled tradespeople and professionals to legally move to Canada and get permanent residence status. Various provinces and larger cities such as Alberta have business-minded plans that help skilled immigrants wanting to work find a place in the Great White North.
Immigrating is a life-changing decision, but Canada has a policy system in place that is not discouraging to would-be immigrants. Whether people want to have a chance to work using their skills or escape danger in their home nations, the reasons for uprooting themselves and their families are as individual as the applicants. While migrating to Canada is a big decision, considering various aspects of the overall process breaks it down into manageable steps.
Healthcare
Although newcomers can enjoy Canada’s publicly-funded top-notch health care system, contrary to popular belief, healthcare is not completely free, for example, your trip to the doctor may be covered but your prescription may not be. It is important to note that provincial cover may only begin after a few months in some provinces and it is therefore recommended to have at least 6 months private comprehensive insurance to cover you during this period. This applies to all temporary residents, including those on working holidays and student visas.
Job Search
This can be quite a time-consuming task. Resuming your professional career can be challenging, no matter how extensive your credentials and work experience is. In fact, it can take quite some time to become fully accredited. It is important not to be discouraged as it is not uncommon for it to take months to find work in your profession. It is therefore important to budget appropriately for your financial safety net. You may have to adjust your resume format, take a job outside of your scope in the interim as well as be more proactive in your job hunt by networking before immigrating.
