H1B visa holders have been trying to settle in Canada in droves since 2016. There has been a lot of uncertainty regarding H1 visa renewals and people who live, work and study in the US are rightly worried if they will even get an American Green Card.
Unsurprisingly, many find Canada the best alternative. With educational and career opportunities aplenty, Canada offers a lot more diversity and a lot more accepting community. That Canada immigration eligibility is easier to meet makes it perfect for H1B visa holders.
In this article we tell you ways to get permanent residency in Canada without fuss.
Workers and students residing in the USA are prime candidates for Canadian immigration Express Entry because most already have the documentation and proofs required.
In light of Covid-19, Canada has become a safe haven. A world-class publicly-funded system of healthcare, financial support from the government, and measures that have kept the population safe from coronavirus have made Canada an attractive immigration destination. This is in contrast to the USA, which at the time of writing this article, had nearly 500,000 Covid-19 and the most Covid-related deaths!
Canada immigration eligibility if you are in the USA
The federal Express Entry system is one of the fastest and fairest points systems that measures your eligibility to become a Canadian PR. It is designed to find and invite skilled workers from around the world.
An Express Entry applicant starts by filling out an application on the basis of which he/she/they are allotted points (Comprehensive Ranking System or CRS points system). This takes into account their education, qualifications, industry experience, language ability (English and French), prior criminal record and other factors. A certain financial threshold must be crossed also, but it is relatively low and someone working or studying in the USA should be able to meet that easily.
Learn more about applying through Express Entry.
Immigration assessment – responses within 1 hour
Canadian immigration eligibility under PNPs
Another popular route for immigration to Canada is through Provincial Nominee Programs. Basically, provinces run their own immigration programs to find skilled workers for their industries. We have discussed PNPs many times on this blog. You can read about a few here and here.
Some PNPs tie-in with Express Entry too: these may increase your CRS score or help you jump the CRS queue. Speak to an immigration lawyer about this; many people don’t realize their skills qualify them for these PNPs.
Examples are the many tech PR programs. Canada has been building its IT and technology industries rapidly in recent years and the high demand for professionals means there are many secret PR routes.
Read more
Convert Canada tourist visa into student visa | How to break the PR queue
Tips for applying for Canada permanent resident from USA
First things first: speak to professional immigration expert. Preparation is key and you cannot afford an application delayed because of documentation.
- Prepare documents before you apply
- Ensure funds reflect in your bank account for at least 6 months before application
- Check if your spouse/dependents are increasing your CRS score
- Find the latest PNP programs
- Maximize your English/French language score
- Take CELPIP instead of IELTS
- Get sponsored to come to Canada
At the Immigration Law Office of Ronen Kurzfeld we have helped 3000+ people and 1100+ settle in Canada legally. We are a full service immigration practice registered with the Law Society of Ontario. We help people from around the world get their Canadian visa with creative immigration solutions. Get a free online immigration assessment immediately.