Arrive Immigration Guide
Arrive Immigration Guide
Guide on
Immigrating
to Canada
Table of Contents
Overview: Immigrating to Canada 03
Understanding Canada’s immigration programs: Permanent residence 05
(PR) and temporary residence
Essential documents required for immigration to Canada
Permanent residence pathways 13
Express Entry program
Provincial Nominee Programs
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)
Start-up visa (SUV) program
Family sponsorship
Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)
Caregivers
Agri-Food Pilot
Quebec Selected Workers (QSW) program
Temporary residence pathways 31
Working in Canada on a work permit
Study permits for international students
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after studying in Canada
Settling in Canada permanently after studying or working
Applying for immigration to Canada 41
Dos and don’ts while applying for immigration to Canada
How much does it cost to immigrate to Canada?
Tips for choosing the ideal immigration program
How to choose the right immigration consultant
Preparing for your move to Canada 53
Essential documents to bring with you to Canada
Sign up for pre-arrival settlement services
Key takeaways 57
Sources 59
When applying for PR, the higher your test results, the more points
you get towards your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
score. The maximum possible score for proficiency in a single
language is 24. Demonstrating fluency in both official languages
will contribute four additional points to your CRS score.
Թ Your name.
Թ Employer’s name.
Թ The job duties you held at the company. These must closely
match the duties and responsibilities outlined in the National
Occupational Classification (NOC) you selected in your
immigration application or Express Entry profile.
Թ The number of hours you worked there per week and whether
the job was part-time or full-time.
Police certification
Most immigration applicants, temporary or permanent, are
required to submit a criminal background check certificate issued
by their local law enforcement authority to prove that they are
not inadmissible into Canada. Note that if you’ve lived in several
jurisdictions in the past 10 years, you may be required to submit a
background check from each of these jurisdictions.
Tip: You can use the government’s CRS tool to check if you’re
likely to qualify for Express Entry. The tool is very intuitive;
upon answering a few questions, it generates your projected
score.
With the exception of Quebec and Nunavut, each province and Tip: You can get up to
territory has its own Provincial Nominee Programs with unique 600 additional CRS points
requirements. Some PNP immigration streams target certain for securing a provincial
groups such as new graduates, business people, skilled workers nomination, making it
in specific professions, or semi-skilled workers. The qualifying easier to qualify for PR.
criteria will depend on the province and PNP stream you’re
interested in.
There are two ways to apply for PR through the PNPs. The mode
of application will depend on the PNP stream under which you
apply:
You can apply for the Atlantic Immigration Program if you are
a foreign skilled worker in Canada or abroad, or if you have
recently graduated from a recognized post-secondary institution
(university or college) in Atlantic Canada. However, to participate
in the program, you require a valid job offer from a designated
employer in one of Canada’s Atlantic provinces.
You will only qualify for the AIP if your work experience and
educational background, Canadian or foreign, meets the following
criteria:
To be eligible for the AIP, your job offer must meet certain criteria:
Թ The job offer must not be from a company where you or your
spouse is a majority owner.
Թ The job offer must be for a similar or higher skill level as your
qualifying work experience. Exceptions exist for international
graduates and certain jobs in the healthcare sector.
3.7 Caregivers
If you’ve been offered a job in Canada as a caregiver or have
experience working in Canada as a caregiver, you may be able to
apply for PR through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or the
Home Support Worker Pilot.
You may be eligible for PR under the Home Child Provider Pilot
To qualify for a work permit, you’ll need to meet at least one of the
following criteria:
Թ Fill out your application: You can fill out and submit your
study permit application online. International students who
are applying through the regular non-SDS pathway can also
use a paper-based application.
You may be eligible for a PGWP after you graduate if you meet the
below criteria:
Թ Your study program was at least eight months long and led to
a degree, diploma, or certificate.
Թ Your study permit was valid at some point within the last 180
days, you have a valid visitor record, or you submitted an
application to extend your study permit or to change your
status to “visitor” before your study permit expired and your
application is still pending.
Do Don’t
Tip: The figures outlined here only include the cost of filing
an immigration application. In addition, you’ll need to budget
for your flight, accommodation, and other living expenses in
Canada. Use Arrive’s Cost of Living calculator to plan your
finances as you prepare for your life in Canada.
Couple + Couple +
Fee Type Notes Individual Couple
1 Child 2 Children
Language tests (IELTS,
Average cost. $300 $600 $600 $600
CELPIP, TEF, or TCF)
Cost excluding
Educational Credential
international courier $200 $400 $400 $400
Evaluation (ECA)
delivery charges.
Right of permanent
$500 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000
residence fee
Թ Undergraduate program:
$33,623
Թ Post-graduate program:
$21,120
Թ Certificate: $15,000-
27,000
Թ Diploma: $13,500-17,500
Թ Degrees: $12,000-19,000
Funds to support your stay and/or a If your province doesn’t provide All provinces except Quebec:
Guaranteed Investment Certificate publicly-funded healthcare to $10,000 per year.
(GIC) international students. In Quebec: $11,000 per year
The Express Entry program and many PNP programs use CRS
scores to select qualified candidates. You can use the CRS
score calculator on the Canadian government website to get an
estimate of your CRS score, based on some simple questions
about your education, work experience, age, language abilities,
and other factors. Once you have your projected CRS score, check
the recent draw cut-offs to get an idea about your chances of
qualifying.
Besides the CRS score, check other eligibility criteria for the
various immigration programs you’re interested in. Many programs,
including certain Provincial Nominee Programs and the Atlantic
Immigration Program, require candidates to secure a job offer
from a provincial employer. If you’re still in the early stages of
your application, do some research to determine whether your
occupation is in demand in your target provinces or regions. This
will help you understand how easy or difficult it will be to get a job
offer to improve your application.
When you start preparing for your move to Canada, you’ll need
to gather essential documents to bring with you. Some of these
may be required at the port of entry to Canada, while others may
be needed for various tasks like filing taxes, finding employment,
enrollment in schools, getting a driver’s license, and more, during
the course of settling in. We’ve created a checklist of all the
documents you should bring with you while moving to Canada.
Թ Medical records.
Թ A single-entry PR visa.
Թ A letter from IRCC letting you know that you can pick up
your PR visa.
Connexions Francophones
Settlement Online Pre-Arrival (SOPA)
(in French)
Key takeaways:
Թ Check the eligibility criteria for various immigration
programs before you apply: Each immigration program
has distinct qualification criteria. Be sure to check if you
qualify before submitting an application.
https://eservices.cic.gc.ca/rescalc/ https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
resCalcStartNew.do?lang=en refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-
manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/
Government of Canada (2021) | Immigration,
temporary-residents/study-permits/direct-
Refugees, and Citizenship Canada
stream.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
Government of Canada (2022) | Find your NOC
refugees-citizenship.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
IELTS | Home of the English IELTS Language Test
refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-
http://www.ielts.org/ canada/express-entry/eligibility/find-national-
occupation-code.html
CELPIP | Home
Government of Canada (2022) | How Express
http://www.celpip.ca/
Entry Works
TEF Canada | Les français des affaires
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
https://www.lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr/en/tests- refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/
diplomas/test-for-evaluating-french-tef/tef- express-entry/works.html
canada/
Government of Canada (2021) | Eligibility to apply
TCF - Canada | France Education International as a Federal Skilled Worker (Express Entry)
http://www.ciep.fr/tcf-canada https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/
Government of Canada (2022) | Language
express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers.
Testing - Skilled Immigrants (Express Entry)
html
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
Government of Canada (2021) | Eligibility to apply
refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-
for the Federal Skilled Trades Program (Express
canada/express-entry/documents/language-
Entry)
requirements/language-testing.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
Government of Canada (2022) | Proof of Funds -
refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/
Skilled Immigrants (Express Entry)
express-entry/eligibility/skilled-trades.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
Government of Canada (2021) | Eligibility to apply
refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/
for the Canadian Experience Class (Express
express-entry/documents/proof-funds.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration- www.timminsedc.com
refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/
Welcome to Sault Ste. Marie (2022) | Rural and
start-visa/work-permits.html
Northern Immigration Pilot Program
Government of Canada (2019) | Family
www.welcometossm.com
Sponsorship
Thunder Bay (2021) | Community Development
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
Economic Commission
refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/
family-sponsorship.html https://gotothunderbay.ca/
Government of Canada (2021) | How Long am I Vernon and North Okanagan (2022) | Rural and
Financially Responsible for the Family Member or Northern Immigration Pilot
Relative I Sponsor?
https://rnip-vernon-northok.ca/
https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.
West Kootenay Region, BC (2022) | Rural and
asp?qnum=1355&top=14
Northern Immigration Pilot
Government of Canada (2022) | Justice Laws
https://wk-rnip.ca/
Website: Indian Act
Economic Development Brandon (2022) |
https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/I-5/
Brandon RNIP
Government of Canada (2022) | Pay Your Fees
www.economicdevelopmentbrandon.com
Online
S.E.E.D (2018) | Immigration Pilot
https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/fees/
pay.asp www.seedrgpa.com
Government of Canada (2021) | Rural and Moose Jaw RNIP (2020) | Home
Northern Immigration Pilot: About the Pilot
https://www.moosejawrnip.ca/
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
Claresholm (2022) | Rural and Northern
refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/
Immigration Pilot
rural-northern-immigration-pilot.html
www.claresholm.ca
North Bay RNIP (2022) | Rural and Northern
Immigration Pilot Government of Canada (2022) | Home Child Care
Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot
https://northbayrnip.ca/
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
Invest Sudbury (2022) | RNIP
refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/
https://investsudbury.ca/why-sudbury/move-to- caregivers/child-care-home-support-worker.html
sudbury/rnip/
Government of Canada (2022) | Bridging Open
Government of Canada (2019) | Student Direct Active Engagement and Integration Project
Stream: About the Process (2022) | Home
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration- https://aeipsuccess.ca/
refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/
Achēv (2022) | Employment and Settlement
study-permit/student-direct-stream.html
Services for Newcomers to Canada
Government of Canada (2022) | Work in Canada
https://niconline.ca/
After You Graduate: About the Process
Connexions Francophones (2022) | Home
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-
refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/ http://www.connexions-francophones.ca/en/
work/after-graduation/about.html
JVS Toronto (2022) | Canada Infonet: Connecting
Statistics Canada (2021) | Tuition Fee for Degree You to Careers in Canada
Programs, 2021/2022
https://www.jvstoronto.org/pre-arrival/
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-
ACCES Employment (2022) | Canadian
quotidien/210908/dq210908a-eng.htm
Employment Connections
College of Immigration and Citizenship
http://www.accesemployment.ca/planning-your-
Consultants (2022) | Home
move-to-canada
https://www.college-ic.ca/
Information and Communications Technology
College of Immigration and Citizenship Council (2017) | GO Talent Initiative
Consultants (2022) | Find an Immigration
https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/go-talent-initiative-
Consultant
ebook-series-to-connect-ieps-employers/
https://www.college-ic.ca/protecting-the-public/
BuildOn | Home
find-an-immigration-consultant
https://www.buildonbatit.com/en/Home
College of Immigration and Citizenship
Consultants (2021) | Active Regulated Settlement Online Pre-Arrival | Arrive Prepared
International Student Immigration Advisors to Work in Canada
https://www.college-ic.ca/ICCRC/Assets/ https://arriveprepared.ca/
Documents/RISIA%20List%20as%20of%20