Migration guide: Immigrating to Canada from South Africa in 2021

Here’s something for those who are interested in Canada immigration. Let’s check out the different ways to migrate from South Africa to Canada in 2021.

As you know, Canada is highly popular these days for doing a great job at welcoming skilled people from around the world to work in Canada even when the COVID-19 pandemic crisis is on. So, it’s just worthwhile to know that your opportunities aren’t all lost. On the contrary, they are very much there for you to utilize.

Canada announced its Immigration Levels Plan for 2021-2023 in October 2020. The targets for new immigrants are the following:

• 2021 – 401,000 new immigrants
• 2022 – 411,000 new immigrants
• 2023 – 421,000 new immigrants

This immigration plan looks to invite about 60% of all immigrants in economy class programs. These include Express Entry and PNP.

Canada invites new immigrants in the categories of family, economic, humanitarian, refugee, and compassionate grounds.

Express Entry Program

Immigrants can arrive in Canada via the Express Entry route and live and work in Canada. Qualified and skilled immigration candidates can apply for Canada PR under economic immigration programs namely, FSTP, FSWP, and CEC.

In some cases, the Express Entry also lets provinces and territories use the system to find and recruit foreign workers who are skilled enough to meet the labor needs of the province.

Family Class Sponsorship

The family reunion is a major part of Canada’s immigration policy. A Canadian citizen or Canadian resident can sponsor a family member to immigrate to Canada. The family member could be a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent children. The child sponsored must be under 22 years of age.

As for parents, or grandparents, the option has been taken out. But they can be brought to Canada under the Super visa option.

LMIA Work Visa

Many immigrants in Canada first get a job offer in Canada. Then they apply for a Canada work visa and then immigrate to Canada on the basis of that visa. In such cases, employers often apply for LMIA to be able to recruit foreign workers.

Once the LMIA is approved, only then the foreign worker can apply for a work visa in Canada.

The Canada PNP

The provinces of Canada have their own labor requirements. They want applicants to live in the particular province and work there to contribute to the workforce of the province in his/her skillful capacity.

Most PNPs seek immigration candidates with a job offer from a particular Canadian province. The following are some of the PNPs for each province:

• OINP - Ontario Provincial Nominee Program
• NSPNP - Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program
• NLPNP - Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program
• QSWP - Quebec Skilled Workers Program
• SINP - Saskatchewan Provincial Nominee Program
• YNP - Yukon Nominee Program
• BCPNP - British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program
• NTNP - Northwest Territories Nominee Program
• PEI PNP - Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program
• NBPNP - New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program
• MPNP - Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program
• AINP - Alberta Provincial Nominee Program

Canadian Investor Program

This immigration program is meant for those individuals who have owned and run a business abroad. Such wealthy and skilled individuals are welcomed to invest in Canadian businesses.

There are 2 investor programs namely the Quebec program and the Federal Investor program. They are similar programs that require foreign investors to have a high net worth. They are expected to make investments in large amounts in an approved investment fund for 5 years.

These foreign investor immigrants can bring their spouses and children as their dependents.

Since June 2014, the federal immigrant investor program applications have been lagging and the Entrepreneur program was discontinued. However, the Quebec Entrepreneur program and Quebec Investor program continued unaffected.

The CEC pathway

The CEC pathway is for those who have worked in Canada already for a minimum of 1 year. They get the opportunity to immigrate to Canada as a Canadian permanent resident.

The Humanitarian and Compassionate pathway

Humanity and Compassionate applications are meant for those who don’t have legal status in Canada even though they have made Canada their home country.

The Refugee pathway

People are allowed to apply for asylum in Canada. This can be done at the port of entry, IRCC, or the internal office of the CBSA. The vital requirement is that they are in no position to return to their homeland.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program

The AIP program recruits new immigrants to Canada’s Atlantic provinces. These include Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Immigration candidates with relevant work experience can arrive in these provinces and fill the gaps in the labor market.

Your opportunities in Canada are worth taking as the country has big plans for immigration that will be fuelling its revival from the COVID-19 too.

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Note:

PR – Permanent Residence/Permanent Resident

PNP – Provincial Nominee Program

ITA – Invitation to Apply

IRCC – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

LMIA – Labor Market Impact Assessment

FSWP – Federal Skilled Worker Program

FSTP – Federal Skill Trades Program

CEC – Canadian Experience Class