by Like any international migration, moving to Canada from France requires a little preparation as this can be a bit of a daunting process.
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the total number of people moving to Canada from France, particularly since 2008.
While the earlier five (5) years prior to 2008 recorded an average of 25,5026 new French citizens becoming Canadian permanent residents, a reasonable 34,619 new citizens of France gained their Canadian permanent residency status between 2008 and 2012, make it up to a 38% increase in Canada immigration from France.
There are over 50 legitimate ways to leverage on when moving to Canada from France, some of which we’ll be breaking down here.
Moving to Canada from France
You might decide to move to Canada from France as:
French residents and occupants need to immigrate to Canada from France for the following reasons:
- To advance on their current educational status
- To advance on their already acquired specialized skilled trades
- To upgrade on their standard of living by securing better job opportunities
- To search for much better opportunities to improve on their careers.
And as discussed earlier, there are over 50 migration programs that you can leverage on when moving to Canada from France. Notwithstanding, the best Canadian immigration program that best suits you (and your family members) depends on your travel conditions, goals and objectives.
Below is an outline of some of the best travel pathways for you when moving to Canada from France:
- Canada Express Entry program
- Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs
- Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program
- Canada International Students Programs
The above programs are broken down thus:
#1: Canada Express Entry Program
Canada’s Express Entry program is one of the best certified pathways when moving to Canada from France. This is done by applying under one of the following categories:
- Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- Canadian International Experience Class (IEC)
The Express Entry Canadian immigration program is the most popular amongst immigrants around the world looking to start something new in Canada.
Must Read: How Express Entry Works in Canada...
Qualified applicants for the Express Entry immigration program are selected based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), and invariably, a higher CRS score is given to individuals who have been proven to be skilled in a relevant craft.
A total of about 1,200 CRS score can be attained under the Express Entry program, and an applicant’s score depends on the following:
- Age
- Language proficiency (in either English or French)
- Training
- Skilled work insight
When moving to Canada from France under the Express Entry program, you don’t need any form of prior work experience in Canada, especially when it comes down to you getting your ITA (Invitation to Apply) for a Canadian PR (Permanent Residency ) status.
To keep it simple, Canada ranks your CRS score out of a likely 1,200 score, which in turn are summed up from your core human capital, and only applicants with the highest CRS scores are selected in the pool to get their ITA.
Below is a basic step to step guide to help you apply to move from France to Canada under the Express Entry immigration program:
- Create an Express Entry profile for yourself with the IRCC
- Monitor your application status with due diligence
- And furthermore, check up regularly on your application handling times
#2: Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs
Leveraging on the already available Provincial Nominee Programs can prove really helpful when moving to Canada from France, especially if your Express Entry program request was denied.
The fact that Canadian residents don’t have the veto power to approve a longer term PR status doesn’t mean that they too can not support your application by vouching for you in the national government’s Express Entry body.
The way this works is that, if you get nominated for a Canadian Provincial Nominal Program (PNP), you get 600 additional scores projected to your Express Entry CRS score, and this goes a long way in ensuring that you get enlisted to apply for a Canadian PR status.
To qualify for an Express Entry PNP draw, you need at least a score of 700.
Thus, you will need to score about 100 for core human capital in order to get invited to apply for a permanent residence in Canada under the provincial nominee program.
#3: Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program
Skilled entrepreneurs with creative mindsets can move to Canada from France via the Canada start-up visa Canada start-up visa program.
Canada is constantly in need of people like you to better its economy and make it work for the better for its citizens, especially during this period that they are still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
#4: Canada International Students Programs
As an international student, moving to Canada from France won’t be that difficult for you…
You can leverage on Canada’s student’s study permit to become a permanent resident in the country; And as an international student based in Canada, you also have the freedom to work under some specific, “not so strict conditions” while studying.
Must Read: Study and Work in Canada: Everything You Must Know...
And in turn, once you’re done with your undergraduate studies, you can get a postgraduate work permit (PGWP) that allows you to work in Canada for up to three (3) years after your graduation.
This is very important because having some sort of work experience in Canada goes a long way in boosting your PR application process.
Conclusion
There are so many things to gain in moving to Canada from France, but as discussed earlier, your decision to move should depend solely on your travel conditions, goals and objectives.