How to migrate from India to Canada in 2021?

For Indians looking to migrate to other countries in 2021, Canada is a top destination. Interestingly, among the total 103,420 admissions by Canada in the first half of 2020 around 26,000 migrants were from India. With Canada planning an admission target of more than 1.2 million between 2021 to 2023, Canada will continue to be the choice destination for immigrants from India in 2021.

Apart from this, settling down in Canada holds the promise of a comfortable lifestyle and the right living conditions. There are numerous job opportunities and the promise of personal freedom.

Why are more Indians preferring to migrate to Canada?

The tighter immigration rules implemented by the U.S in the past few years have encouraged more Indians to opt for Canada where immigration rules are less rigid. Tech professionals who preferred the U.S in the past now look at Canada to make a career because of the tight regulations on H 1B visas in the U.S.

An Indian skilled worker in the US will have to wait for many decades before getting a permanent residence permit whereas in Canada skilled workers can directly apply for permanent residence even before they enter the country.

 Migration options for Canada

There are several immigration pathways to move to Canada from India in 2021, these include:

Express Entry program Provincial Nominee Program Quebec Skilled Workers Program Family class immigration Business immigration program Canadian Experience class

 Express Entry program

To qualify under this program, you should be able to get a minimum of 67 points out of 100 in the eligibility factors given below:

Age: Those between 18-35 years get maximum points. Those above 35 get lesser points while the maximum age to qualify is 45 years.

Education: Under this category your educational qualification must be equal to higher secondary education under Canadian standards.

Work experience: For minimum points you should have at least one year full-time work experience. More years of work experience means more points. Your occupation must be listed as Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).

Language ability: You must have at least 6 bands in your IELTS rest and the score must be less than 2 years old. You get extra points if you are proficient in French.

Adaptability: If your spouse or common law partner is willing to migrate with you to Canada, you are entitled to 10 extra points for adaptability.

Arranged employment: You can gain a maximum of 10 points if you have a valid offer from a Canadian employer.

The Canada Express Entry Program follows a points-based system for grading PR applicants. Applicants earn points based on qualifications, experience, Canadian employment status and provincial / territorial nomination. The higher your points, the greater the chances of having an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency. Applicants receive the points based on a Comprehensive Ranking System or CRS.

Every Express Entry draw shall have a minimum cutoff score. An ITA will be awarded to all applicants with a CRS score equal to or above the cutoff score When more than one nominee has a score equal to the cutoff number, then the one with a longer presence in the Express Entry pool will obtain an ITA.

You do not require a job offer in Canada to apply under the Express Entry system. However, a job offer in Canada will increase your CRS points from 50 to 200 depending on the skill level. Canada’s provinces also have Express Entry streams to help them select skilled workers from the Express Entry pool.

A provincial nomination will add 600 points to the CRS score which guarantees an ITA.

The CRS score keeps changing with every Express Entry draw which is held approximately every two weeks by the Canadian government.

Provincial Nominee Program

The Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) was launched to help the various provinces and territories in Canada choose immigration candidates who are willing to settle in a given province or territory in the country and have the skills and abilities to contribute to the economic growth of the province or territory.

Every PNP targets the specific needs of the province’s labor market. You can find a provincial stream matching your specific skills. To qualify for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) you must have the necessary skills, education, work experience and meet the language requirements.

Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP)

This immigration program was started with the intention to encourage more immigrants to come and settle in Quebec without having to go through the hassle of a lengthy immigration process.

 Through this program skilled workers can apply for the Quebec Selection Certificate or Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ). It is not necessary for applicants to have a valid job offer in order to migrate to Quebec. The QSWP is also based on a points-based system like the Express Entry System.

Business migration Program

Individuals interested in doing business in Canada can apply for a PR visa through the Canada Business Immigration Program. This program was designed to encourage migrants who can invest or establish a business in Canada. They must be high net worth individuals or must have either business or managerial experience to establish and run a business in Canada. The Canadian government has specified three categories of people for this type of visa.

• Investors
• Entrepreneurs
• Self Employed Persons

Family Class Immigration

Individuals who are permanent residents or citizens of Canada can sponsor their family members for PR status if they are 18 years or older. They are eligible to sponsor the following categories of family members:

• Spouse
• Conjugal partner
• Common-law partner
• Dependent or adopted children
• Parents
• Grandparents

Eligibility requirements for a sponsor:

Apart from being above 18 years and being a PR visa holder or Canadian citizen, a sponsor must:

• Provide proof that he/she has the financial support to support family members or dependents
• With the government’s approval, he/she must agree to support the family members being sponsored for a certain amount of time
• Must be residing in Canada or have the intention to live in the country during the arrival of the sponsored relative

Canadian Experience Class

The Canadian Experience Class or CEC program is aimed to help foreign workers or students who are staying on a temporary basis in Canada to become permanent residents. It considers their work experience or education and their contribution to Canadian society for granting PR status.

You can qualify for this visa if you have studied or worked in Canada and meet the minimum requirements. The other important eligibility requirements are:

12 months of work experience- either full-time or part-time in the past three years Work experience must have proper authorization Applicant must have plans to live in a province outside Quebec Meet the language proficiency requirements

These are some of the options available to you if you wish to migrate from India to Canada in 2021.