Dear Miss Powell,
I am interested in living in Canada. I’m told that there are a lot of programmes that I can use to become a citizen. The problem is that I don’t have any relatives and I don’t have a lot of savings. I have a job as a teacher and my salary barely covers my monthly expenses for my family. I am a single mother of three children. What are the programmes that are most popular? Is there a programme that I could apply for that doesn’t require any huge savings? I am hoping for an opportunity to give my children a better life. I hope you can help.
BB
Dear BB,
Canada has many programmes that individuals use to become permanent residents, then later apply to become citizens. Most are classified as economic programmes. Individuals may be able to qualify for programmes designed for federal skilled workers (FSW), federal skilled trade workers, investors, entrepreneurs and self-employed persons.
There are also programmes such as the Start-up Business Class, Quebec Economic classes, Provincial nominees, Atlantic Immigration Programme, Caregiver classes, Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Programme, Agri-Food Pilot, Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway, Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, and the Canadian Experience Class.
The most popular route is via the Express Entry System. This system manages programmes such as Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trade Worker, Canadian Experienced Class, and some Provincial Nominee Programmes. You may qualify under more that one category, thereby increasing your chance of being selected.
To qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker or the Federal Skilled Trade programmes, you will need to provide proof that you have the financial means to support yourself and your family once you are granted permanent residence. This is called ‘settlement funds’. The required amount is based on the number of persons in your family.
The government recently published the 2023 figures that are based on 50 per cent of the Low Income Cut Off figures. While there are no maximum limits on the amount of money you can take to Canada, the minimum requirements are based on the number of persons in your immediate family. For example, for a single individual the amount of savings or investments that is required is CDN$13,757; family of two – CDN$17,127; family of three – CDN$21,055; family of four – CDN$25,564, and so on. Since you are single and have three dependent children, you would need to budget for approximately CND$28,000. This is taking into consideration that the figures change annually, and you would need to have funds for your application fees, police record, and medical reports.
Although most economic programmes require you to have proof of savings, the Canadian Experience Class exempt applicants from this requirement. To qualify under this category, you will need to provide evidence that you have studied at a designated learning institution or worked in Canada for a minimum of one continuous year. You do not need to be employed or in Canada at the time of applying, but you must have had valid status during the time of study or work.
Any work done without a valid work permit, or if you worked illegally, cannot be used. In fact, you could be deemed inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act if you have previously breached the immigration laws.
Additionally, if you are already authorised to work in Canada and you have a valid job offer, you are not required to show proof of funds, even if you qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker Programme, or the Federal Skilled Trades Programme. You must be able to clearly demonstrate that the job offer on which you rely, satisfies the requirements. The key requirement is that the job offer must be new and accompanied by a Labour Market Impact Assessment Report, which authorises a Canadian employer to hire a foreign worker.
I recommend that you contact a Canadian immigration lawyer to find out the best programme for you, based on your background and resources.
Deidre S. Powell is a lawyer, mediator, and notary public. Submit your questions and comments via www.deidrepowell.com [2] and Facebook.