Skip to main content

Immigration Corner | What Is My Best Migration Option?

Dear Miss Powell,
I am looking worldwide for opportunities to do well. I am a 28-year-old recent graduate with a master’s degree from the United States of America (USA). However, with what is happening there, I am wondering where is the best place for me to explore – Canada or Australia. Which has the better immigration system?
Can I qualify to live in Canada even if I don’t have family there? I hear that I need to show that I have a certain amount of savings and investments. How much would I need? Thanks in advance for your guidance.
– A.F.
Dear A.F.,
Canada and Australia have a similar immigration system. However, many Jamaicans prefer Canada because of its proximity to Jamaica. Both countries have a points-based immigration system, whereby individuals who have the education, skills, work experience, and other factors, may get permanent residence in a matter of months. I will highlight below why I recommend Canada. However, ultimately, the decision is yours.
Canada is touted as the leading country for immigration and is the country of choice for most professional and skilled workers worldwide, this is despite the COVID-19 outbreak. Canada’s handling of the outbreak has been exceptional, and the government has continued to process applications for permanent and temporary residence.
A record number of individuals from the Caribbean, Europe and Asia have been granted permanent residence of Canada in recent years. Canada values newcomers’ contribution to the economy of Canada and the role they play with handling the coronavirus crisis.
HOW TO QUALIFY
You do not need to have relatives in Canada to qualify to live permanently in Canada. There are various programmes available for qualified professionals and skilled workers to gain permanent residence. The most popular ones are the Federal Skilled Workers Programme (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Programme, Canadian Experience Class, and Provincial Nominees Programme. Individuals who qualify under these programmes may apply to the government of Canada to be granted permanent residence through the Express Entry system.
The key to qualifying to come to Canada is to ensure that you have a high Comprehensive Ranking Score to compete with other applicants from around the world. Under the Express Entry system, each candidate is assessed and given a score based on their current and past professional work experience, education, language ability, age, adaptability, and a few other factors. This score will determine whether you are selected to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence of Canada.

sign up at www.deidrepowell.com 

NO SPECIFIC OCCUPATION

You did not state your occupation, however, you should know that the system is not occupation-specific. So, you may stand a good chance of being selected under the FSWP. Most individuals with a degree qualify under this programme, which is designed for individuals who have work experience in skilled and professional occupations.
The government of Canada has created a system based on occupations in the Canadian labour market and classify them under the Canadian National Occupation Codes (NOC). The NOC describes the duties, skills, educational requirements, talent, and work setting for various jobs. Under the Express Entry system, jobs are classified under skill levels ‘O’, ‘A’ or ‘B’ and ‘C’. Details about the jobs that fall under each category may be provided by a Canadian immigration lawyer, who can provide additional information and let you know if your occupation falls under NOC A, B, or O based on your work experience and job duties.

SETTLEMENT FUNDS

Another important factor is that individuals must clearly demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to relocate and provide for your family or have proof of a qualifying job offer in Canada. Individuals should be prepared to show a minimum of approximately CDN$13,000 for a single person; for a family of two, approximately CDN$16,200; a family of three, approximately CDN$20,000 in savings or investments or liquid funds. You should note that this figure will change annually.
You should also be able to pass the government of Canada’s medical and security checks to be granted permanent residence. There may be other options available to you, based on the finer details of your case. To find out if you qualify under any of these programmes or other programme in Canada, I suggest that you consult an immigration lawyer. You may also find out if you qualify by completing the free online assessment at www.deidrepowell.com or sign up on my Facebook page.
Deidre S. Powell is a lawyer, mediator, and notary public who is a member of the Jamaican and Ontario, Canada Bars, with office located in Ottawa, Ontario. Send your questions and comments to email: info@deidrepowell.com, subject line: immigration. Call 613.695.8777 Find her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Email us - click link www.deidrepowell.com 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Immigration Corner | What is an Authorisation to Return to Canada?

Immigration Corner | What is an Authorisation to Return to Canada? : Dear Miss Powell, I used to live in Canada, but I was sent home. My cousin is getting married and I have an invitation to attend the wedding. Can I reapply for a visitor’s visa? What are the chances of my application being successful? Thank you Dear WW, A foreign national who has contravened the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and its regulations can be the subject of a removal order from Canada and may need to apply for an Authorization to Return to Canada (ARC), and a Temporary Resident (visitor’s) visa. The success of your application depends on the reason that you were “sent home”, the type of removal order that was issued against you, the length of time that has passed, as well as your current social and economic situation. At the time of your departure from Canada, did you notify the Canadian Border Services Agency? Did they give you a letter confirming your departure? You should have received...
Post a Comment
Read more

Immigration Corner | Good news for truck drivers, nurse aides

  BOOK A ZOOM CONSULTATION Dear Mrs Powell, I am a 28-years-old truck driver, and my wife is a nurse aide. We have one son. We are interested in moving to Canada, but we are not sure how to go about applying. We read your articles all the time and we are hoping you would answer our question in  The Gleaner . We are law-abiding and have been saving our money to make sure we have the required savings. We are just not sure if our occupation would qualify us to apply. Please let us know how we could qualify. Thank you. CW Dear CW, There are various programmes available for individuals and couples who are interested in living and working in Canada. The key is to apply for the correct programme based on your work experience, education, and other credentials. The most popular route to apply to become a permanent resident is via the Express Entry System. This portal manages applications from individuals who can demonstrate that they are eligible to enter the pool of eligible candidate...
Post a Comment
Read more

Immigration Corner | Married to a Canadian, will they harass me?

Immigration Corner | Married to a Canadian, will they harass me? : Dear Miss Powell, I am married to a Canadian citizen. Before we were married, I had my visitor’s visa, so I was going back and forth, and he did the same. That works out good for both of us as we are very busy with our work, plus my husband says he... The immigration officer will not “harass” you because you are now married. However, you should expect to provide explanations about the reason for your visit and whether you are considering living or working in Canada. You should be honest with them as you could be barred from Canada for approximately five years for misrepresentation and have difficulties with future applications.
Post a Comment
Read more