To the astonishment of many around the globe Donald Trump has been elected as the 45th President of the United States of America; and for the second time this year, the Government of Canada's immigration website crashed due to a significant increase in online traffic by U.S. residents.
If you are a U.S. resident considering relocation to the North, there are a variety of options that are available to you, including work, study and permanent residence. When it comes to immigrating to Canada, potential pathways to permanent residence include family sponsorship categories, economic categories and entrepreneurial categories.
Family sponsorship allows eligible Canadian nationals who are at least 18 years old to sponsor their spouse, partner, children, parents, grandparents and other eligible relatives to become permanent residents in Canada. The Government of Canada has shifted the immigration focus to recognize the importance of family reunification by increasing the yearly quota under this category and restoring the age of dependents from under 19 to under 22. Additional changes include the removal of conditions on sponsored spouses and faster access to work permits for these individuals.
Skilled workers can apply under one of the economic categories of the online Express Entry system. These categories include the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class and certain Provincial Nominee Programs. Express Entry is touted as being a way for Canada to attract and retain the best and the brightest. The system compares potential candidates based on work experience, language ability, education and other skills that lead to economic success in Canada and you can be accepted under certain programs without ever having worked in Canada. This is a very popular method to obtain permanent residence within Canada, as the complete processing time can be as little as seven months.
We can assist you in determining which category is the most appropriate given your circumstances, help prepare a technically strong and detailed application and advise you throughout the process of immigrating to Canada.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
