Canada offers over 80 immigration pathways for foreigners. This means you have plenty of options to choose from depending on your skills and qualifications. But first, you must understand what eligibility criteria you must meet to move there.
Step 1. Understanding Your Immigration Options
Some of the most common ways to move to Canada include the following pathways:
- Moving for work.
- Moving to join family members.
- Moving to study.
Moving to Canada for Work
Moving to Canada for work is the easiest and quickest way to move there— provided you meet the eligibility requirements.
Some of the most popular work visa options include:
- Express entry. This immigration pathway is a point-based system where your qualifications and professional experience are pooled together, and if you meet the threshold, you qualify for one of the eligible streams within this pathway.
- Start-up visa. You can apply for this visa if you have a business idea that benefits Canada’s economic development.
- Caregiver pathway. You can apply for one of the streams available in this pathway if you can work as a caregiver to children or the elderly or work as a live-in caregiver.
- Quebec-selected skilled workers. This option is available to only skilled workers, and they must work and live in Quebec and not other provinces.
Additionally, Canada also has a provincial nominee program where each of the provinces in the country can nominate skilled workers who can contribute to that province.
Where to Find Jobs?
To help you find employment in Canada, you can use the following job searching sites:
- Jobbank.ca (government site)
- Indeed.com
- Monster.ca
- Workpolis.com
List of Professions in Demand in Canada
Some of the most in-demand jobs in Canada are:
- Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses.
- Licensed practical nurses.
- Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates.
- Estheticians and electrologist.
- Electricians.
- Wellness instructors in fitness, sport, and recreational activities.
- Accountants and financial advisors.
- Mining professionals.
- Skilled trades.
- IT and cyber security.
- Human resource.
- Transportation.
Moving to Canada for Family
To move to Canada to join a family member, you can apply for one the following, depending on which family member you’re joining:
- Spouse/partner visa.
- Parent/grandparent visa.
- Adopted childvisa.
- Relative visa.
For each of these options, there must be someone in Canada who is either a citizen or resident to sponsor the application.
Moving to Canada to Study
To move to Canada to study, you must already have been accepted to a Canadian university and submit a provincial attestation letter when you apply for your study permit.
While a study visa alone won’t allow you to stay long-term in the country, it makes it easier to stay after you graduate. In this case, you’ll be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). This permit allows you to stay in the country for up to three more years, and afterward, you can apply for your permanent residence permit.
Step 2. Applying for a Visa
To move long-term to Canada, you need to apply for the appropriate visa, depending on why you’re moving.
Even if you can enter the country visa-free, you’ll still be required to apply online for your permit.
Process
Here is how the application process goes for a Canadian visa application:
- Open an online account. You must open an online account with the Immigration Department to submit your application.
- Fill out the application form. You have to fill out the application form online and continue with the rest of the application as instructed within the online platform.
- Prepare an application package. During the application process, you will be asked to prepare an online application package, which you can find here. You will have instructions on how to submit the package and what documents you need to provide on your end, plus instructions on how to fill out the application form.
- Pay the visa fee. Pay the visa application fee plus an additional fee for your biometrics (you will be notified when and if you need to submit your biometrics).
- Find a visa application center. You need to find a visa office here so you can visit in person to have your application processed. If you’re in Canada already, you have to visit an Immigration office within your province.
- Attend a medical examination. After you submit your online application, you may be asked to attend a medical examination. This is not required for everybody, so the Immigration Office will let you know if it is required for you. They will also help you find the personnel authorized to complete this examination.
- Submit your biometrics. You will also be asked to submit your biometric information after you submit your online application. If you’re outside of Canada, the Immigration Office will provide you with instructions on where to submit your biometric information, but it will most likely be a Canadian embassy or consulate.
Documents
The documents required for your visa application will change depending on the visa, but they usually include the following:
- Passport.
- Application form.
- Passport photographs.
- Proof of financial means.
- Police certificate showing a clean criminal record.
- Proof of university admission (if applicable).
- Proof of work contract (if applicable).
- Family certificates, e.g., marriage certificate, birth certificate, adoption records, etc.
- Proof of paid visa fee.
You can find the full checklist here for each visa type, but make sure you select the checklist option.
Fees
The visa fees range from CAD 150 for a student visa to CAD 155 for a work permit. So the cost changes from visa type to type.
Step 3. Settling in Canada
Once your application is approved, you can enter the country and settle down to start your new life in Canada.
Enter & Obtain Your Permit
If your work or study permit is approved, you will receive a letter of introduction from the visa office to confirm your permit. You will need this permit when you enter the country.
At the border, you have to give your passport and your letter of introduction to the border officer. They will then provide you with your permit, which will outline the type of work you can do, how long you can stay, your study program, and so on.
If you applied for family reunification, the process may change as your family member in Canada may be asked to complete some sort of registration on your behalf.
At this point in the application process, the Immigration Department will help you and provide you with instructions on how to proceed.
Find Accommodation
You must start looking at rental places before you move to Canada so you can have some sort of idea of where to settle.
Some real estate sites that can help you include the following:
Open a Bank Account
To open a bank account in Canada, you need a valid ID and proof of residence. So, as soon as you enter the country, you can register at any bank you want in Canada. While it’s not mandatory, having a bank account will make it easier for you to complete transactions while you’re staying there long-term.
Some of the most popular banks include:
- Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
- Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Bank)
- Scotiabank
- Bank of Montreal (BMO)
- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
- National Bank of Canada
Obtain Health Insurance
Each citizen and legal resident in Canada is eligible to benefit from the universal health insurance plan. To do this, you need to apply for a health card from the province or area where you live.
Some provinces may have a waiting period of three months before you’re eligible for public healthcare. During this time, you’re highly recommended to obtain private insurance so you can get coverage at all times.
Obtaining Canadian Citizenship
To become a Canadian citizen, you must have lived in the country for at least 3 years out of the last 5 years and be a permanent resident at the time of the application. Additionally, you have to pass the citizenship test and prove your language skills in either English or French.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Money Do I Need to Move to Canada?
Moving costs to Canada can go up to CAD 20,000 or even more depending on your immigration route, where you’re moving from, and how many of your items you’re taking with you.
Additionally, if your family member is sponsoring you to move there, they need to show they have at least CAD 14,690 to sponsor one person.
To help you break down the costs of moving, here are some of the costs a single person who’s moving to work in Canada needs to consider:
| Immigration & Work Permit Fees | |
| Work Permit Application Fee | CAD 155 |
| Biometrics Fee | CAD 85 |
| Medical Exam | CAD 250 – 500 |
| Police Clearance Certificate | CAD 25 – 100 |
| Travel Costs | |
| Flight Ticket to Canada | CAD 500 – 2,000 |
| Other Costs | |
| Health Insurance (if not covered by employer) | CAD 50 – 200/month |
| Work-Related Expenses (Certifications, Equipment, etc.) | CAD 200 – 1,000 |
How Much Is the Average Salary?
The average salary in Canada is around CAD 76,000 or CAD 36.94 per hour. Of course this can change greatly depending on the city where you’re living and your profession.
What Are the Living Costs in Canada?
The average living costs for a single person can be around CAD 1,313 without rent.
With rent and other expenses, be prepared to pay for the following:
- Rent (1-bedroom apartment, city center)— $1,500 – $3,000 per month
- Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage)— $100 – $250 per month (may be included in rent).
- Internet— $50 – $120 per month
- Mobile Phone Plan— $40 – $100 per month
- Public Transportation (Monthly Pass)— $90 – $160 per month
- Gas (for car, depending on usage)— $100 – $300 per month
- Car insurance— $100 – $250 per month
- Health insurance (if not covered by employer)— $50 – $200 per month
- Gym membership— $30 – $100 per month
- Childcare (Daycare/Preschool)— $800 – $2,000 per month
- Entertainment (Movies, Subscriptions, Hobbies)— $50 – $200 per month
- Clothing and personal care— $50 – $200 per month
- Miscellaneous expenses (Unexpected Costs, Emergencies)— $100 – $300
Do I Need to Pay Taxes?
Yes, if you live in Canada for more than 183 days, you’re considered a taxable resident, which means you’ll have to pay income tax, value-added tax, property tax, and other applicable provincial or federal taxes. Here are the main taxes you need to consider as a resident in Canada:
- Income tax— based on your earnings, with federal tax rates ranging from 15% to 33%, plus additional provincial taxes.
- Property tax— the rates vary by province but typically range from 0.5% to 2.5% of the property’s assessed value.
- Carbon tax— this applies to fuel consumption in certain provinces, increasing costs for gasoline and heating.
- Payroll deductions— includes Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) contributions and Employment Insurance (EI) premiums.
Do I Need to Know English or French?
For some visa types, you may be required to submit proof of language proficiency skills, either an IELTS for English or a TFL for French.
Even if it’s not required, you’re highly recommended to learn one of the languages to make it easier to integrate into your new home.
Can I Move to Canada as a Self-employed Person?
As of 2025, Canada has closed the self-employed program until 2027, so unfortunately, until then, you cannot move to Canada as a self-employed person.