Canada Visa Options For Visit, Work and Study

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This year I have been a Canadian citizen for 5 years. I have lived in this great country for more than 10 years. Moving to Canada wasn’t something I ever really expected to do. In fact it all came about because I just wanted to travel the world and see somewhere new. I was looking for a place I could visit and stay on a visa but it was not as easy as just wanting to visit a new country. I had to plan, had to prepare and of course some countries had stricter rules. My original desire was to work and live in the USA for a while. They spoke English, it seemed less of a big move from my native England. But the process was not easy, and the Canada visa options seemed much clearer to figure out so my decision was made.

I moved to Vancouver Canada, knowing that the West Coast had better weather than the Eastern part of the country. The summers were not as crazy hot and the winters were not as bitterly cold. But other than that I didn’t really know too much about the Canada way of life. What could I expect? I originally planned to stay 6 months. That was in 2006. I’m still here. If you’re seriously looking at moving somewhere for either a short working visa or a long term immigration plan then I’ll share some of my insight from living as an immigrant in Canada.

Why move to Canada

Canada is an awesome country. I love it so much. I didn’t plan on being here forever. In fact I didn’t really think about going to Canada at all until researching other places and this ended up one of the best options. But there are some amazing reasons to love Canada:

The scenery

Canada is a beautiful country. It’s a massive country with a relatively small population. That means lots of areas of untouched beauty. There are huge mountains, vast lakes, incredible views wherever you go. Especially in the Canadian Rockies. It’s just spectacular. Canada is a dream for anyone who loves the outdoors. Hiking and skiing opportunities are world class and you won’t find anywhere more breathtakingly picturesque in my opinion.

The people

The Canadian people are a friendly bunch. Very welcoming, super open to meeting new people and if you in any way show interest in hockey you’re instantly friends with them. Vancouver is a big city, the third largest in Canada, but it still has somewhat of a small town feel. Distinct neighborhoods where you get to know the locals, and community events to get involved with. Anyone with an accent is an instant fascination so you do well as a foreigner here with people instantly rushing to tell you their heritage and the cultural aspects of their familial line.

It’s a safe country

Nobody thinks of the biggest problems in the world and puts Canada anywhere near to being the cause. The country is just full of nice and peaceful people. Even our protests are well organized and polite. One of my favorite days was when I became Canadian and talking to people who were taking their oath of citizenship. Just hearing stories of what they had overcome to move to Canada and the reasons they loved the country was the most humbling experience. And it definitely made me realize I picked a winner.

Becoming a Canadian citizen

I landed in Canada as a permanent resident. In order to become a Canadian citizen you must have spent a certain amount of time here. 3 years out of the previous 5 years (1095 days). As soon as I was able to apply, I did. They take into account the amount of time you have been out of the country for vacations even so allow yourself enough time. For example I landed on January 1, 2011 as a permanent resident. Technically I could have applied in January 2014 however because during those 3 years I had been back to the UK for some time visiting my family, and then been out the country on other vacations I had to add on time.

Applying to become Canadian is a big step. It is more than just filling out the application form. Yes, there’s the math involved in listing all the times I’d crossed a border and been out of the country for more than 24 hours, but just the act of applying to be a different nationality is like leaving a piece of yourself behind. I am lucky in that my country of birth (United Kingdom) recognizes dual citizenship. Just because I apply to be Canadian doesn’t mean I have to give up being British. But I had friends who did. Their country of birth does not allow dual citizenship so in choosing to become Canadian they had to renounce their other citizenship of birth. That’s got to be the hardest thing to do. I can’t even imagine.

What does a Canadian passport mean?

For me, becoming a Canadian citizen was the next step in my immigration process. Sure, I didn’t have to become Canadian but I felt like as a resident I was somewhat halfway to fully realizing my dream to move here. I wasn’t fully British anymore but also wasn’t quite Canadian. A citizen of both countries yet also of neither. In Canada I have a British accent so I’m not quite fully Canadian, but in the UK my friends hear my Canadian lilt and know I’ve left for good and I’m not quite fully British anymore either. It’s a weird position to be in. I felt like applying to become a Canadian citizen would give me a sense of belonging.

But being Canadian and having a Canadian passport does have benefits. I live in Vancouver, near the USA border. As a Brit I would have to go into secondary inspection when crossing the land border. That meant an extra hour of travel time, fingerprint checks and photographing. It also meant fees to cross the border which lasted only 3 months, and then I would need to pay on my next trip. As a Canadian I answer a couple of questions and I’m on my merry way. The convenience was a big thing. Especially when traveling across the border with Canadians.

But the Canadian passport is also a powerful one. Under a Canadian passport I can access 188 countries and territories without a visa, or with a visa upon arrival. To put in perspective, the Chinese passport allows access to 71 countries without a visa or with visa upon arrival, and Pakistan (the world’s second worst ranked) allows access to only 22 countries.

What are the differences with Canadian Visas?

You might not want to be Canadian and move here permanently, but perhaps want to travel and see what it’s like living in another country. There are a number of ways you can do this. Here are a few of the more popular ways. Please note there are requirements that can change, so please always visit the Government of Canada Immigration and Citizenship website for the most up to date information. I am writing this as a guideline but I am not an immigration expert and even the way I did my own Canada visa, permanent resident application and citizenship process will have changed slightly.

Visitor visa

Of course the best way to explore Canada is show up as a tourist. Residents of many countries are able to arrive in Canada and stay for up to 6 months. That’s a generous amount of time to discover the country and see what Canada has to offer. This Canada visa is on the understanding that as a visitor:

• You will leave Canada at the end of your stay and before the date approved by the Canadian Government’
• Unless your visa allows you to, you will not work in Canada
• You have evidence of enough money to sustain yourself for the time you will be in Canada

Work permit

A work permit gives you the option of not only seeing Canada but of supplementing your income as you do so. There are two types of work permit. An open work permit which allows you to work for almost any employer. And an employer specific work permit, which is given on the condition you remain with that employer. Many open work permits are for a year or two and are only available to certain countries. Depending on the country you are from some may be renewed (Australia for example) and some may be a one time thing (like the UK). Employer specific work permits may be for longer. In most cases though, if you want to work in Canada you will have to apply to move here permanently and land as a permanent resident.

Student visa

If you choose to come to Canada to study, as many international students do, you will apply for a student visa. This allows you to remain in Canada for the duration of your studies. It also allows you to work, usually for a maximum number of hours per week off campus. Make sure you check what limitations there are with your student visa. After your studies are complete you might be able to apply for a Post Graduation Work Permit depending on the course and length of course you took. These can last up to 3 years, and again have restrictions related to your course.

Which Canada visa is right for you?

This all depends on where you are in your life and what you are looking for. It also depends on what you are eligible to apply for. If you are just interested in seeing the country and have some savings, I would say a visitor visa is perfect. You will get to spend time in Canada for up to six months (pending eligibility depending on your nationality) and have almost no application process. It’s generally as easy as showing up in Canada with proof of enough funds and no plan to work. This might be enough time to see if Canada is right for you to move to permanently.

If you want to live the Canadian life a little more and need to support yourself while here then you will likely be more interested in either the study visa or a work permit. When I first came to Canada I had already done with my studies so studying again was not what I wanted to do. Instead I opted for the Open Work Permit which allowed me to work in Canada for up to one year. I was able to work in a variety of jobs and still had time to travel. It was ideal for what I was looking for at the time.

Working holiday visa program

Many countries allow for a “working holiday” permit which allows you to live and work in Canada on an open work permit. This is how I came to Canada from the UK. I applied through BUNAC in the UK, which partners with SWAP in Canada to arrange these international permits. Each country has a certain number of visas that are allowed each year and when they are gone they are gone. This is also for younger people so usually 18-30 or sometimes up to age 35 only who do not have a job offer.

Countries which have the option for a working holiday visa: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

All other work permits

If your country, or you personally, are not eligible for the open work permit laid out above then it is likely that the only way you will be able to work in Canada is with an offer of employment from a government approved list of job types. Essentially the Canadian government want to only bring in people who are helping fills gaps of employment where there is a worker shortage. If this is not you then it is possible that the only other way to get a temporary work permit is if:

• You have applied for permanent resident status and are essentially applying for a bridging visa so you may work while you await a decision
• Your spouse, common law partner or parents have a work/study permit or are citizens
• You have studied in Canada and are applying under the Post Graduate Work Permit program
• You are applying as a refugee

Other ways to get a Canada visa

If you don’t qualify for any of these ways to move to Canada there are some other ways. Read more about them on the Government of Canada Immigration and Citizenship website to see if you qualify. Here are some of the more popular ones:

Family Sponsorship

Your family member already lives in Canada as a citizen or a permanent resident. They may be eligible to sponsor you to move to Canada to work and live. Or sometimes even just for a longer than 6 month stay. For example I, as a Canadian citizen, could sponsor my parents to move to Canada for up to 2 years. They wouldn’t be able to work but they would be able to live here for that time.

Caregiver

A home childcare or home support job offer may allow you to move to Canada with the intention of applying as a permanent resident. You can gain the work experience needed for the permanent residency application in country.

Federal skilled worker

You may apply as a federal skilled worker to immigrate to Canada. This is because you will have work experience in federally recognized areas that the country as a whole needs. To find out more about this option read about my experience below.

Provincial nominee

Some provinces require workers in fields that are not federally in demand. Thereby you can apply as a provincial nominee if there is a certain skill you have that is needed there. You will then be granted your permit to work and live in that province only. There are also different requirements and further options if Quebec is your chosen province.

Atlantic Immigration pilot

Similar to the provincial nominee method of moving to Canada, this pilot project is specific to the Atlantic provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador.

Self employed or Start-up visa

If you are self employed in a cultural or athletic capacity or if you are an entrepreneur who would be responsible for creating jobs for other Canadians then you might want to look at this option.

Federal Skilled Worker Program Canada Visa

After my experience spending a year in Canada on a working holiday visa from the UK, I applied to permanently move to Canada. I applied outside of the country, not having made my decision to move here until after I left. This made my process longer as the government are more likely to expedite it if you’re in the country. From the moment I applied to when I got approved was 3 years. Immigrating to another country can be a commitment, but it was what I wanted and 10 years later I think it was worth it.

In order to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker program your eligibility is determined by a points system. You get points for each of the following criteria:

• age
• work experience
• language proficiency
• education
• family members
• adaptability

But there are minimum requirements for the language, work experience and education aspects. And you must have experience in a work field that is on the approved list. To pass you must get 67 points out of a possible 100. When I applied I was barely past the minimum. My work experience was limited, but enough to hit the minimum requirements. My education and language proficiency were enough (being a native English speaker). I managed to wrangle some extra points from being of the right age range, speaking enough French (the second language) and having previously lived and worked in Canada on a visa.

Criteria requirements

Age – If you are in the sweet spot age bracket of 18-35 you will get the maximum amount of points. For every year older you are you lose one point until at age 47 and above you get zero points.

Work experience – Your previous work must be on the National Occupation Classification (NOC) list. The more experience you have, the more points you get.

Language – In order to achieve a certain number of points based on your language proficiency you must take an approved test. Even if you speak that language already. I had to take a French test and show documentation of my ability to speak English.

Education – You must have a high school or equivalent certificate to show you are educated. The higher your education level the more points you get. For example diplomas, post secondary, graduate degree, masters degree.

Family and adaptability – These are not necessary but can get you extra points. If you have direct family in Canada (parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, aunt/uncle, nephew/niece) then you can get extra points. Same as I mentioned above if you have previously worked in Canada, studied in Canada or have a job lined up. These will all help you.

To find out how you’d do on the Canadian Citizenship test (or the fun version I made up) check out this post.

Why do you want to move to Canada?

Moving to Canada, or any country that is not your own, is a big decision to make. Whether you are going for a short time or permanently, it’s important to weigh all your options. I came to Vancouver, Canada with the intention of staying 6 months. Within 6 weeks I knew I loved being in Canada. I worked hard to get my permanent resident application approved, and I worked even harder to become a citizen of Canada. If you’re looking for a really great country to visit, I recommend Canada. Same goes if you’re looking for a really amazing country to live in. I am forever glad I made the choice I made and wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Are you interested in a Canada visa for work, travel or study? What interests you about living in Canada?