Moving to Canada
The Canadian government offers different immigration categories for Canada movers, which can suit the diversity of potential immigrants.
1. Skilled workers and professionals require the following minimum requirements:
- One year of continuous, paid, working experience or the equivalent in part-time work.
- You must have work experience that has been obtained within the past 10 years that meet the NOC – Canadian National Occupational Classification.
The assessment of a skilled worker and professional is based on the applicant's education, fluency in Canada's two official languages (English and/or French), experience, age, employment possibilities in Canada, adaptability, financial self-dependency and ability to support dependants when in Canada. In addition, all applicants are required to pass a medical and criminal examination.
2. Investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed:
Investors - If you have business experience and a minimum net worth of C$800,000 (legally obtained), you may be interested in investing C$400,000 into Canada’s economy. Canada has a program to encourage suitable investors to invest this amount, which will be managed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for the express purpose of creating jobs and help growth of the economy of the Canadian provinces that make use of the investment. Approximately five years and two months after payment of the said C$400,000, this amount will be returned to you by CIC without interest.
Entrepreneurs - If you are able to demonstrate that you have business experience, a minimum net worth of C$300,000 (legally obtained) and are prepared to respect the conditions for entrepreneurs once you have arrived in Canada, you can turn to the Entrepreneur Program. This program is anxious to interest business persons who wish to contribute to the economy and create jobs by actively owning and managing businesses in Canada.
Self-employed - If you are interested in settling in Canada and being self-employed, you should turn to the Self-Employed Persons Program. This program will require that your experience in your field of expertise will contribute significantly to the cultural or athletic life of Canada. Alternatively, if you are considering purchasing and managing a farm in Canada and have experience in this field, this will also be of interest to the program.
3. Family member sponsorship - If you have emigrated to Canada and become a citizen or permanent resident, you have the possibility of reuniting with close family members you have left in your home country by applying to sponsor them. As a sponsor you would become responsible for providing support for the said relatives and ensure that they would not have to seek financial assistance from the government.
Citizens and Immigration Canada (CIC) deal with the process of bringing your relatives to Canada. There are two processes to follow if you wish to sponsor your family: one process applying to your spouse, common-law partner, dependent children, and another process applying to other eligible relatives.
4. Provincial nominees - You may want to immigrate to Canada under the Provincial Nominee Program. Under this program, the individual provinces and territories can nominate prospective immigrants who have the particular education, skills and work experience that would be beneficial to their economic needs. The criteria for provincial nomination are subject to change without notice. You are therefore advised, if you are interested in this program, to verify the very latest requirements before you apply.
5. Quebec-selected skilled workers - Quebec has its own immigration requirements and the right to select immigrants who have the skills, education and work experience that will benefit the province of Canada. If you consider settling in Canada as a Quebec-selected skilled worker you will be required to apply to the Quebec government for a certificate of selection. Although the application is straightforward, the rules are subject to change and you will need to check up on the most current application procedures.
Canadian citizenship may be applied for after physically residing in Canada for a period of three years, not including vacations or trips outside of Canada.
Permanent Residency in Canada
Moving to Canada and becoming a permanent resident does not mean you have to give up the citizenship of your home country, and gives you certain allowances and privileges, such as study in Canada, health care, and the right to apply for Canadian citizenship.
The above information was taken from "Citizenship and Immigration Canada"
www.cic.gc.ca
Communications and Media
Canada's internet domain: .ca
Canada's international dialing code: +1
Living Locations / Key Cities
Toronto is located in the center of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) which is an area the size of approximately 7,000 sq km (4,350 sq mi) along the northern shore of Lake Ontario. It is the largest city in Canada and one of the most populated areas in North America. Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario. Home to a very large multicultural population and a high percent of immigrants, English is the principal language spoken here. Toronto provides big city excitement and is considered a cultural center of Canada. Here you will find many theaters, shopping attractions and restaurants.
An important virtue of the City of Toronto is its low crime rate; it is considered one of the safest major cities in North America. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates an extensive network for transit within Toronto, along with the subway system, buses and streetcars. Toronto is also a financial center and the big Canadian banks all have headquarters in Toronto. Toronto's summers are warm and humid and winters are cold, January being the coldest month. Yet, its location on the shores of Lake Ontario modifies the cold climate in winter and creates a relatively cooler summer. However, with that being said, winters can be quite severe with nearly daily snowfall between mid-December and mid-March. The summer is largely sunny, and humidity levels are elevated due to the location along the Lake.
The ethnically-diverse city, Vancouver, is located in the southwest of Canada in the province of British Columbia. Vancouver is one of Canada's largest industrial centers. The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and generates over 60,000 jobs. The center of Vancouver is a chosen location for headquarters of mining and lumber companies and also branches of banks. The scenery and surroundings of the city are popular for the film industry which is on the rise. Vancouver will host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Vancouver is considered to be a city that offers a high quality of living.
Vancouver's property prices are the highest in Canada, and yet this city is considered to be one of the best places worldwide to live, in terms of services, infrastructure and personal risk. This has become a very popular living destination for immigrants from all over. The economy is thriving, and tourism and filmmaking are big business here; another growing sector is biotechnology. Vancouver's summers are sunny and warm and the winters are very rainy and foggy. Snow falls around 10 days per year. However, thanks to the cold air from the Arctic being blocked out by the Rocky Mountains and the city's location along the Pacific Ocean, winters aren't too cold.
Situated in the foothills of Canada's Rocky Mountains is Calgary. The climate is the big downside of this city – long winters and short, yet nice summers – and so is the very remote location of Calgary. But there are quite a few factors in favor of this city – low unemployment numbers and housing prices are much cheaper than in other cities in Canada. The discovery of important oil reserves in Calgary have created much needed job openings in the oil-related industries. The shortage of workers in this field has provoked high salary offers for those willing to integrate into these industries.
Quebec City / Montreal
Both in Quebec City and Montreal, you will find an affordable cost of living (housing, food, clothes, etc.) and an excellent public and private schooling network, free in the public education system. Tuition fees for higher education are among the lowest in North America. These cities are predominantly French-speaking. Quebec is located in northeastern North America. Most Quebecers live along the St. Lawrence River Valley, in the south of the province. Even if you live in one of Quebec's big city centers, you will never be too far away from nature and the wonderful outdoors. Montreal is in the south of Quebec province, a mere 37 miles from the USA border. Montreal's summer is warm, but is also the wettest season. Winters are very cold and snowy, with below freezing temperatures and chilly winds. Quebec City enjoys warm summer days and cool nights. Winters are snowy, and between November and April, temperatures will drop below freezing.
Education in Canada
Education is important to Canadians and a high quality of education is provided in various institutions across the country – public and private. As education is considered a provincial responsibility, there are big differences in the education systems of the various provinces, but the standards are high. For instance, the province of Quebec runs the “Cegep” system – a College of General and Vocational Education. Education is paid for by taxes and every child is entitled to its benefits.
It is a law that children attend school until ages 15 or 16, according to the province you live in. Kindergarten is voluntary, and grade one is attended at the age of six, secondary school is attended until Grades 11 or 12 (depends on the province). Thereafter students can go to college. Attending college or university is considerably expensive, and in addition, you will have to purchase the books, etc. Student loans or bursaries can be applied for according to how long the student has been a resident in Canada. Classes are taught either in English or French, and language training is available to students who need it.
Learning the Language
There are two official languages in Canada: French and English. English is the predominant language in most provinces, except for Quebec, which is mostly French speaking.
The Government of Canada provides free language training to certain individuals; the program is called LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada). The program is offered to a Permanent Resident or Convention Refugee; also to those who have applied for Permanent resident status and whose applications are in the process of assessment. It is for adults (of legal school-leaving age) within the province where you reside. Your language ability will need to be evaluated by a Language Assessment Center.
However, citizens of Canada, those who claim refugee status, and temporary residents (including foreign students, foreign workers, visitors) are not eligible to apply for LINC. Language classes are available for every adult in your family, not only the work-seeker. There is a choice of full-time or part-time classes. Some centers even offer child-minding services to enable you to attend the classes.
The National Health Service
A Canadian can take advantage of one of the best health care systems in the world, provided he holds an official Medicare card. This is obtained from the province he lives in and is accepted throughout Canada. If he moves to another province, he will have to register again to qualify for Medicare. A cardholder will get free medical services from a licensed medical doctor, but the cost of prescription medicines is not covered. The coverage in each province may be slightly different, and some provinces may charge a fee for getting Medicare.
Other resources:
Canadian Moving Companies