Did you know that over 15 percent of the immigrants that have established a new life in Canada are Filipino? This makes the Philippines the third-largest source of foreigners coming into Canada after India and China. Students, workers and families flock to Canada in search of better opportunities.
Canada has amazing schools, great jobs with high salaries and an exceptional standard of living. Its inclusive and tolerant policies make it the perfect place for Filipinos to start a new life.
If you’re thinking about immigrating to Canada from the Philippines, you’ll need to do some research on the various ways to start your move and choose which of the 100s of visa and immigration programs Canada has to offer is the best one for you. Additionally, you’ll also have to start thinking about where you are going to live and work and what your expenses will be like in your new home. Because Canada has such a huge Filipino population of over 1 million people, there are clusters of Filipino communities in places like Ottawa, Vancouver and Calgary.
Here’s How to Immigrate to Canada from the Philippines in 2022:
Step 1: Check Your Eligibility
The first thing you have to do is figure out which visa programs you’re eligible for. This will depend on various factors, including:
- Your age
- Marital status (and your spouse’s information)
- Career/job/profession
- Work experience
- Proficiency of language (English or French)
- Level of qualification
To find out if you’re eligible, you’ll have to fill in some information about yourself. Then you’ll be on your way to a new life.
Step 2: Choose a Visa Program
You may be eligible for more than one program, and while there are many routes you can take to immigrate to Canada, we suggest you take the Express Entry route.
The Express Entry System is a Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) program that allows you to live in Canada on a permanent basis. While this does not give you Canadian citizenship, you may apply for that a little down the line.
However, by applying for permanent residency in Canada you get many rights and opportunities that citizenship does, such as free healthcare for yourself and your family and free education for your children.
There are three main programs under the Express Entry System:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program(FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Each program has its own requirements. Make sure you meet these before you choose to apply for one of them.
Federal Skilled Worker Program(FSWP)
- 1-year full-time work: NOC skill type 0, A, B
- Have at least secondary education (high-school)
- Achieve a minimum score of 7 on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) in all 4 categories in English or French
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- A full-time job offer from a Canadian employer at least 1-year OR a certificate of qualification from a governing body
- Language test (Level 4 for writing + reading and level 5 for listening + speaking)
- At least 2-years of full-time work experience
- Meet the job requirements of your skilled trade
- Enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada unless you have a valid job offer or can legally work in Canada.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- You must have one year of full time, skilled, Canadian work experience NOC 0, A or B.
- 7 for NOC 0 or A jobs or Canadian Language Benchmark 5 for NOC B jobs
You can also express interest in a particular province you want to live in, and if you have a valid work offer, you can apply for a Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) through the Express Entry system or as an individual application.
Home Support Worker & Child Care Provider Programs
One of the best ways to immigrate to Canada is through these programs. To apply you must meet the following requirements:
- 1 year Canadian study experience
- An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report that your qualification has been certified by a relevant institution like a university or college
- 2 years of Canadian Work Experience
- Valid job offer
- Provide supporting documents with regards to your work experience, education and abilities
NOC 4411 – Home Child Care Provider Pilot
NOC 4412 – Home Support Worker Pilot
Provincial Nomination Programs (PNPs)
Provincial Nomination Programs are Canada’s region’s way of ensuring that each city and town, no matter how remote, has the labour that it needs to not just survive but flourish economically.
Example: If you’re a truck driver and Manitoba needs truck drivers, you can apply for a PNP through Manitoba and express interest in working and living in that particular province. Because your profession is in high demand in that province, your chances of getting selected from the pool increase. A successful PNP application will put you ahead by 600 points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), so you’re almost guaranteed to receive a good result from applying for permanent residency in Canada.
Step 3: Gather Your Documentation
Before you start your application process to live and work in Canada you’ve got to gather all the documentation you need to upload. Tick off the following:
- Get a valid passport that’s going to last you a while. IRCC will not accept a passport that’s about to expire.
- Take a language test. You can take an English test called the IELTS or the French test called TEF. Remember that your results have to meet a minimum requirement depending on which program you’re applying for.
- Ensure you get your qualification (degree, certificates, trade etc.) checked and certified by an appropriate Canadian governing body like a trade school or a university.
- Get a police clearance from your country of origin, which shows you have a clear criminal record.
- Bank statements that show you have sufficient settlement funds to pay for accommodation, travel and living expenses.
- A medical report that states you’re healthy.
- While you don’t need to have a valid work permit to work in Canada, if you have PR status, if you do have one, your points will increase. Therefore, you should submit everything you have which proves you’ll have a job when you get to Canada.
- Get your biometrics done.
Step 4: Apply
One of the greatest benefits of this program is being able to apply online. All you have to do is open an online profile with your personal and professional information. If you meet the minimum 67 points based on these six factors, you will receive an Invitation To Apply (ITA):
- Age (Max 12 points)
- Language Ability (Max 28 Points)
- Education Qualification (Max 25 points)
- Work Experience (Max 15 points)
- Adaptability (Max 10 points)
- Arranged Employment (Max 10 points)
You must then submit all the documentation they require from you, and your profile will be placed in a pool. Here, the highest scores will be selected. Your score is based on a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which is Canada’s way of classifying prospective immigrants.
Your CRS score is based on several factors including your skills, experience and language ability. When you are selected out of the pool, you’ll be able to live in Canada.
Choosing a Place to Live
As you go through the process of choosing and applying for a particular visa, you should also have a place you want to live in mind. This is particularly important if you’re applying for a PNP as they are location-dependent.
To immigrate to Canada from the Philippines is no easy feat, and choosing where you’re going to live when you get there is a big decision. There are various things you need to take into account when choosing where you’ll settle, as ultimately you want to know what the best place to live in Canada is:
1. Your Job and Career
A very important factor is where you work in Canada. Geographically, you’ll want to be closer to the location of your work to save you time and transport costs. Particularly if you’re not living in the bigger cities where you can depend on public transport.
The location is not the only thing to consider with regard to your job. You also have to think about growth. If your job affords you the opportunity to grow within the company, then you’re in luck.
Alternatively, when deciding where you live, you need to think about where your career is going and whether the town or city you’ve chosen to settle in will allow you to grow your career.
2. Family
Whether you’re bringing your spouse or partner as a dependant or they are immigrating in their own right, as well as if you have children, you need to think about living in the best place for your family.
This might mean prioritizing living in an area close to schools or in a city with a college or university for your older children. While Canada is an incredibly safe country, you might want to consider whether you’d like to raise your children in a big city or in a smaller town.
3. Lifestyle
While living in a big city means having access to malls, shopping, arcades, cinemas and more, living in a smaller, remote town gives you a chance to do outdoor activities, enjoy nature in its purest form, and go camping, hiking and trailing.
Toronto might be the best place to live in Canada if you enjoy a vibrant and bustling environment. Or maybe you prefer a quiet life instead. Ultimately, it depends on your current lifestyle and what you enjoy doing in your spare time, or even the lifestyle you aspire to have.
4. Community
Having a support system while you adjust to a new environment is incredibly important. Perhaps you already have friends and family that have immigrated to Canada, or you want to connect with people with the same history, culture and background.
Most Filipinos live in Ontario and Alberta. However, there are people from the Philippines living across all 13 provinces and territories in Canada. Perhaps you want to live in a place where you’re more likely to form a community of people that share the same values and stories as you.
What’s Next?
Now that you know how to immigrate to Canada from the Philippines in 2022, you can think about beginning with Step 1: Checking your eligibility. Here at Canadianvisa.org, we set you up with a full evaluation, a complete guide to Canada that breaks down all your options to make steps 2 through 4 that much easier.
You’ll also be put into contact with a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), a professional and expert in Canadian immigration. They’ll know exactly what documentation you’ll need to immigrate to Canada and present it to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on your behalf.
Start your move to Canada today!
