How to Migrate to Canada from India

From 2006 to 2015, a total of 323,746 immigrants from India landed in Canada, say statistics published by The Canadian Magazine of Immigration. It was further added that in Canada, the number of immigrants from India grew 74% from 314,690 in 2001 to 547,890 in 2011. This rise has made India the top immigration source country for Canada. Canada, a country in the northern half of North America, is ranked among the top ten countries in the world, in terms of its high standards of living, good school education and excellent health care system. There are incredible opportunities for employment, a better life and individual growth in this multicultural country. The lenient immigration policies offered by Canada also make this place desirable for Indians. Here’s a look at the process you need to follow if you too wish to move to Canada.

Apply for a Temporary or Permanent Residency Visa

There are numerous Immigration Programs, under which you can apply for a Visa, if you wish to immigrate to Canada from India. The most common among them are:

• Express Entry System: In the Express Entry System, skilled immigrants as chosen as permanent residents, based on their ability to settle in Canada and take part in their economy.
• Quebec Skilled Workers Program: Quebec, the second-most populous province of Canada and the only one to have a predominantly French-speaking population, has a special agreement with the Government of Canada on immigration, having its own rules for choosing skilled worker immigrants to Quebec.
• Start up Visa: This program is for immigrant entrepreneurs with skills and potential to build innovative businesses in Canada. The aim here is to create jobs for Canadians, while competing on a global scale.
• Provincial Nominees: This programs also targets immigrants having the skills, education and work experience to contribute to the economy of that province or territory.

To know more about such programs, you can visit the Government of Canada website. Moreover, the Canadian government offers an online tool called Come to Canada, which helps foreign nationals find out if they may be eligible to apply as immigrants, students, visitors or workers in Canada.

Eligibility Criteria

To determine your eligibility, the Government of Canada has come up with a few questions to find out what immigration programs you can apply for, since each program has different application and eligibility requirements. You should know that most of the Canadian immigration programs are point based. To meet the eligibility criteria for these programs, you need to score sufficient points. These points will be based on your profile details, i.e., education, work experience, language proficiency, nationality, age, family members, etc. Based on your answers, you will be given points. And it is these points that will qualify you for a particular immigration system or program.

Determine if You are Inadmissible

Under the Canadian immigration and refugee law, some people are not allowed to come to Canada, known as “inadmissible.” Applicants who are at a security risk, have committed human or international rights violations, have been convicted of a crime even outside Canada, have a serious health and/or financial problem and do not meet the conditions of Canada's Immigration law, are not allowed into Canada. However, you may be issued a temporary resident permit if you can present a valid reason to travel to the country. Also, check out best Canadian Immigration agencies here.