Canada has become one of the most sought-after countries in the world that allows immigrants to leave their country and join the country’s workforce with very little barrier to entry. The process can get really complicated and I have decided to outline the steps on a high level on how you can migrate to Canada and eventually become a Canadian Citizen.

This post also offers the opportunity to address one of the most asked questions I get on Instagram is “how do I move to Canada ?” The answer is there are so many ways to move to Canada, however, the 2 most popular ways are :

1. Study
2. Express Entry – Federal Skilled Worker 

Study Route

Immigrating to Canada via the study route has really become one of the most popular ways to become a Canadian Citizen.

Here are the steps to become a Citizen via Study Route 

1. Find a school that has a program that interests you
2. Apply to a College or University
3. Get your admission
4. Gather documentation for a study permit
5. Apply for a study permit
6. Study in Canada & Graduate 
7. Apply for a post-graduate work permit
8. Work for one year in a NOC, A,  B or 0 job
9. Apply for Permanent Residency via Canada experience class (There are other immigration pathways you may qualify for. Do your due diligence to know what you qualify for e.g Provincial Nomination Program,  Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program )
10. Live in Canada for Approx. 3 years (1095 days)
11. Apply for Canadian Citizenship – voila! you are now a citizen

 

I have so many posts detailing some of this process outlined in the steps above. You can start with these 2 :

•  Process of getting admission in Canada 
• Applying for a study permit

 

This process of going through the study route can take more than 7 years for you to become a citizen depending on if you come in as an undergraduate or postgraduate student. It is also dependent on so many factors such as how quickly you get a job.

 

Express entry – Federal Skilled worker 

There are 3 programs under express entry but this post will focus on only the Federal Skilled Worker portion. The Federal skilled worker allows international skilled workers to migrate to Canada with their skills. 

Here are the steps to become a Citizen via Permanent Residency

1. Check your score using the CRS tool
2. Evaluate your degrees via different organizations authorized by immigration
3. Study & Write IELTS / CELPIP
4. Create an express entry profile ( Indicate interest to migrate to specific provinces & you may be lucky to be chosen for a Provincial Nomination Program)
5. Wait for an Invitation to Apply
6. While waiting gather your proof of funds
7. Once you receive a letter of invitation, apply with the document checklist provided
8. Live in Canada for Approx. 3 years  (1095 days)
9. Apply for Canadian Citizenship

The entire process to migrate to Canada is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires patience and ensuring you submit the right documentation. A lot of preparation and financial resources are required for both streams.