If you are an IT professional outside of Canada and you wish to move to Canada, there are a number of Canadian immigration options you can explore. Generally, IT professionals are among the highly sought after professional groups in Canada at the moment.
If you are a developer, web architect, software engineer, hardware engineer or any one of the many other associated IT professions, you may be able to move to Canada if you are able to identify the right immigration channel through which to do it. IT professionals can immigrate to Canada either as permanent residents or temporary residents and thereafter transition to permanent residency after a period of time inside Canada.
Federal Immigration Programs
Many IT workers outside of Canada have been able to immigrate to Canada directly as permanent residents under one of the federally managed permanent residency programs. Federally managed permanent residency programs are managed under the Express Entry System.
Federal Skilled Worker Program
One of the permanent residency programs available to IT workers is the Federal Skilled Worker program subject to meeting the eligibility requirements. The federal skilled worker program is specifically managed under a system known as the Express Entry system.
Express Entry System Considerations
For you to qualify under the program, you would need to accumulate a certain number of points based on four primary factors. One factor taken into consideration is age. If you are between the ages of 22 and 33, it will be favourable to you. Another factor is your education level. If you have at least a university degree or higher, that will be favourable.
The third factor considered is your work experience. If you have more than one year of work experience in the IT field, it would be an added advantage. The fourth factor taken into consideration is language proficiency. Your performance in an English or French language test is considered.
Points are assigned to you based on how well you score in the four factors. Depending on the points that you are assigned you may be able to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency under the Express Entry program as an IT worker.
Once you get into the pool of eligible applicants and do not receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency right away, it opens you up to immigration opportunities within the provinces that have an interest in securing IT professionals. Therefore, setting up your Express Entry system profile is important for any IT worker as it better positions you to become a Canadian permanent resident.
Provincial Immigration Programs
If you are unable to immigrate under the regular Express Entry program, there are also provincial programs targeted at IT workers. Provincial programs are immigration programs inside Canada that are managed by the provinces as opposed to those managed by the Canadian federal government.
For instance, the Province of British Columbia has a specific immigration stream known as the Tech pilot program that is targeted at certain categories of IT professionals. The Tech pilot program allows eligible IT professionals to eventually become permanent residents and in the process, secure a work permit to work inside Canada. The Province of Ontario also has an immigration stream targeted at IT professionals from time to time and helps them transition into permanent residency.
Ultimately, not only are there regular federal permanent residency immigration programs under the Express Entry system but also provincial programs that are specifically geared towards IT professionals.
Temporary Residency
The other immigration option for IT professionals is temporary residency immigration as a worker. For you to be able to immigrate as a worker, you first need to secure a job offer from a Canadian employer. It is important to note that job offers are generally required if you wish to immigrate under one of the provincial programs.
Hence, securing a job offer is a crucial step but likely to be easier for an IT worker than it would be for other persons in less high demand professions or fields. Once you have secured a job offer, you may be able to apply for a work permit. A work permit then enables you to immigrate to Canada as a temporary worker.
Canadian Experience Class Program
After a certain period of time, you may thereafter transition into permanent residency through some of the available permanent residency options that are currently inside Canada. One of such permanent residency programs is known as the Canadian Experience Class.
The Canadian Experience Class allows persons who have worked in Canada for at least one year to apply for permanent residency. Alternatively, you may apply for permanent residency under one of the provincial immigration programs after working for a while on a temporary work permit.
In conclusion, IT professionals outside Canada have several temporary and permanent residency immigration options that they can explore if they wish to immigrate to Canada.
Let Us Help
If you are an IT professional outside Canada wishing to move to Canada, we are available to help you put together the required documentation for your immigration applications and guide you throughout the process.
Please feel free to contact us should you have any questions or need any professional advice on the immigration options available to IT professionals.
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