Migration to Canada refers to the process wherein individuals relocate to Canada with the intention of establishing permanent residence, with a significant portion eventually becoming Canadian citizens. Substantial changes in domestic immigration law occurred post-1947, notably marked by the Immigration Act, 1976, and the existing Immigration & Refugee Protection Act since 2002. As a sought-after global destination, Canada, being the second-largest country globally, attracted 296,346 immigrants in 2016.
Canada classifies immigrants into four categories:
- Family-class; Includes closely related individuals of Canadian residents living in the country.
- Economic immigrants: encompasses skilled workers and business people.
- Refugees: Comprises individuals escaping persecution, torture, or cruel and unusual punishment.
- Humanitarian and other category; Involves immigrants accepted for humanitarian or compassionate reasons
In 2016, Canada admitted 296,346 permanent residents, a notable increase from the previous year, with 53% being economic immigrants and their immediate families, 26% family class, 20% resettled refugees or protected persons, and 1% falling into the humanitarian and other category. Canada boasts an outstanding education system, offers free basic healthcare, and is renowned as one of the safest and top-ranked countries globally for personal freedom.
To quality for migration to Canada, applicants must score a minimum of 67 points on the comprehensive Ranking System. This system evaluates factors such as age, language skills, education, work experience, arranged employment in Canada, and adaptability. Canada recognizes English and French as official languages, and language proficiency can be demonstrated through approved language tests, with the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) for English and Niveaux de competence Linguistique Canadien (NCLC) for French.