Easy Ways to Immigrate to Canada

Easiest Ways to Immigrate to Canada in 2022

The easiest way to immigrate to Canada will depend on your unique profile or connections to the country. With Canadian immigration targets higher than ever, now is the time to start your immigration journey.

It should be noted that there is no one simple way to immigrate to Canada. While some programs may be more accessible for you to apply to, the process is long and involves many steps.

While immigrating to Canada does require a significant financial and emotional investment, the result is worth it. Canada consistently ranks among the best countries for quality of life and is known for its positive attitude toward immigration.

These are the four of the most popular ways for overseas applicants to immigrate to Canada in 2022:

1 – Express Entry

Express Entry is Canada’s fastest and most popular immigration program. Candidates that apply through the Express Entry system can receive permanent residence status as soon as six months.

By 2025, Canada plans to invite half a million newcomers. Of which a large percentage will come through one of the three streams of Express Entry:

• Federal Skilled Worker (FSW);
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC); and
• Federal Skilled Trades (FST)

The Express Entry system involves submitting an online profile scored by Canada’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). To raise an Express Entry profile, you must first be eligible under one of Canada’s above three federal streams. The Canadian government then issues invitations to apply for permanent residence to the highest-ranking candidates in the Express Entry pool.

The Express Entry process may be the easiest way to come to Canada for specific candidates eligible to submit a profile. It must be challenging to meet the CRS cut-off in the federal draw. However, just by being in the pool of candidates, you could be nominated for permanent residence by a province.

The cost of immigrating to Canada through Express Entry is typically about CAD 2,300 for a single applicant or about CAD 4,500 for a couple. This does not include the settlement funds that must also be shown as part of the eligibility requirement, which will vary by family size.

Visit our Express Entry page to learn more about submitting a profile and how to increase your ranking in the pool. Find out if you’re eligible to enter the Express Entry pool.

2 – Provincial Nominee Programs

Throughout the pandemic, provinces continued to nominate overseas workers for Canadian permanent residence. By 2025, Canada plans to welcome 117,500 new immigrants through PNPs.

Numerous nominee programs are offered by Canada’s ten provinces and three territories. Each PNP has its unique eligibility criteria. Many PNPs require a connection to the province to apply for nomination. However, some programs invite overseas candidates based on their ability to respond to the province’s labor market needs.

Each PNP has its own application processing time. After receiving a nomination, PNP candidates must apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence. The time it takes to process the permanent residence application will depend on whether the PNP operates using the Express Entry system.

The cost of immigrating to Canada through a PNP is usually the same as Express Entry, with some additional fees, depending on the province. Certain provinces don’t charge a fee to process PNP applications, while others, such as Ontario, can charge up to CAD 1,500. Find out if you qualify to immigrate through a PNP.

3 – Business Immigration

If you have experience managing or owning your own business, the easiest way to immigrate to Canada could be through a federal or provincial business immigration program.

The federal government offers immigration programs for individuals that plan to be self-employed in Canada or start up a business in Canada.

There are also several PNPs specific to overseas candidates interested in starting a business in a Canadian province.

Business immigration programs typically require a significant investment in the company you intend to start in Canada. The amount required will depend on the program you are interested in. Many PNPs have regional entrepreneur programs that require a lower investment for candidates interested in starting a business in a less populated area. Find out if you can immigrate to Canada through a business immigration program.

4 – Sponsorship

If you have a qualifying family member who is a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, family sponsorship will likely be the easiest way to immigrate to Canada.

Canada offers several immigration programs that give permanent residents and citizens a chance to bring their family members to the country. Canada plans to welcome 105,000 new permanent residents this year through family sponsorship programs.

If your spouse, child, or grandchild is a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, you may be eligible for family sponsorship.

Sponsoring a relative typically costs about CAD 1,135. Additional fees will apply if the sponsor resides in or intends to reside in Quebec.

The processing time for a sponsorship application will depend on the family member sponsoring you. For spousal sponsorship, applications typically take about 12 months to process from start to finish. Find out if you’re eligible to support or be sponsored for permanent residence.

Canadian Immigration Programs Overview

There are more than 80 pathways to immigrate to Canada! We will outline the broad categories of Canadian immigration to keep things simple for our readers. Click on the links to the specific programs to learn more about the requirements and qualifications needed to be eligible to apply. 

Immigration Tip

Discover your Canadian immigration options by completing our free online assessment tool. In one simple form, we will evaluate you for the dozens of immigration programs available and let you know which is best for you.  

Economic and Business Immigration Options

Economic and business immigration options are for professionals with skills supporting the Canadian economy. Each program differs significantly in the qualifications required, so no one-size-fits-all description is possible. 

Economic and business immigration categories include:

• Provincial Nominee Programs
• Express Entry
• Quebec Immigration 
• Investor Programs
• Entrepreneur and Self-Employed Programs
• Other federal classes of immigration, like the Caregivers Program, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, and the Agri-Food Pilot, are also options under the umbrella of economic immigration to Canada. 

Family Sponsorship

Family sponsorship is a category of immigration available to the family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. 

Family members eligible for sponsoring include:

• Spouse or common-law/conjugal partner
• Dependent child (adopted or biological) 
• Parents and grandparents 

In some circumstances, you may be eligible to sponsor other family members outside the abovementioned categories. If you have no other eligible relatives to invest, you may support the following family members:

• Orphaned brother or sister
• Orphaned nephew or niece
• Orphaned grandchild

Humanitarian and Refugee Immigration

Canada has an international reputation as a leader in accepting new refugees and other immigrants for humanitarian and compassionate reasons. A significant portion of Canada’s annual immigration target is dedicated to admitting refugees.

How Much Money do You Need to Immigrate to Canada?

The cost of immigrating to Canada is generally about CAD 2,300 for a single applicant or about CAD 4,500 for a couple. This amount does not include the settlement funds many candidates must show to be eligible for Canadian immigration; this amount will vary by family size, starting at around CAD 13,000 for a single applicant. Additional fees may apply if a candidate is using a provincial program. Proof of settlement funds is optional for those with a Canadian job offer or applying under the Canadian Experience Class.

All forms of business immigration require significant investment in Canada. It might require the applicant to have invested in a Canadian company or require applicant to make an interest-free loan to the federal or provincial government.

In most cases, you do not provide financial information to sponsor a spouse or dependent child. If you are supporting other family members like a parent or grandparent, a financial requirement will need to be met to be eligible to apply.

No financial requirements exist if you are applying under humanitarian and compassionate grounds applications. The only time financial information is required under this category of immigration is if the refugee is a privately sponsored applicant. In that case, the Canadian group supporting the refugee must demonstrate that they have raised sufficient funds to finance the resettlement of the refugee candidate.

What are the Requirements to Immigrate to Canada?

Each immigration program has its minimum eligibility requirements. It is essential to verify your eligibility before applying.

When applying, the Canadian government will request various documents to verify your work experience, education, identity, and criminal and medical background. The types of required documents depend on the program to which you are applying.

To determine the documents you will require. First, you have to decide which immigration program is best for you!