Immigration to Canada Japan

Immigration to Canada Japan

Located in the northwest Pacific Ocean, Japan is an island country in East Asia. It has access to the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the East China Sea. The country is a part of the Ring of Fire and spans an archipelago of 6,852 islands of 377,975 km2. 

Japan is the eleventh most populated and one of the most urbanized countries in the world. About 125.5 million people live in narrow coastal plains since three-fourths of the country’s territory is covered with mountains. More than 37.4 million residents live in the Greater Tokyo Area, making it the most populous metropolis in the world. The official language of the state is Japanese. Nevertheless, English remains a business and international link language.

Japan is considered a great power country. It is a member of the United Nations, OECD, G7, and G20. The country has the third-biggest economy by nominal GDP and the fourth-biggest by PPP, as a consequence of the global leadership in the automotive, robotics and electronics industries.

Many Japanese reside in different parts of the world and share their knowledge with others. Today, more than 122,000 people of Japanese ancestry live in Canada. Moreover, many people examine the question of immigration to Canada from Japan due to the broad job prospects in the country.

Study Immigration

Annually, about 9,000 young people from Japan decide to study in Canada. During their stay, they discover a new culture, and many of them decide to settle there. Hence, they analyze their possibilities of immigration to Canada from Japan. For international students, the first step is the post-graduation work permit (PGWP). It is an official document that allows graduates to work in Canada for up to three years. To qualify for the permit, international students must graduate from at least a two-year full-time study program at the eligible degree-granting Canadian institution.

The second step of immigration to Canada from Japan is getting at least a year of work experience. Once citizens of Japan have the relevant experience, they can apply for an immigration program. If foreigners apply for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), they should have a year of work experience and occupy the position under the Skill Type 0, A, or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). To apply for immigration to Canada from Japan under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), residents of Japan must have at least a year of work experience and obtain a job offer under one of the mentioned NOC categories.

Work Immigration

Citizens of Japan are known for their professionalism and qualification. Work immigration to Canada from Japan is one of the most effective ways for them. As a rule, residents of Japan are employed under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) or International Mobility Program (IMP). Once foreigners get at least a year of work experience under work programs, they may apply for immigration to Canada under the CEC or PNP.

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is the answer to the labour shortages in Canada. Employers who cannot find a local worker to fill the position ought to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Then, they can hire a citizen of Japan. In their turn, the foreigner must get an employer-specific work permit.

To hire a resident of Japan under the International Mobility Program, Canadian employers do not need an LMIA. Nevertheless, foreigners should get an LMIA-exempt open work permit that is issued only to the specific categories of applicants.

Namely, open work permit LMIA exemption groups include spouses and common-law partners of international students and foreign workers, post-graduation work permit applicants, inland permanent residence and spousal sponsorship applicants, family members of foreign representatives and military personnel, professional athletes, vulnerable workers, refugee claimants, bridging open work permit applicants, occupation-restricted open work permits for caregivers, Canada World Youth Program applicants, International Experience Canada: Working Holiday participants, secondary and post-secondary co-op applicants.

Family Sponsorship

Due to the significant Japanese diaspora in the country, the next way for immigration to Canada is through the family sponsorship program. Citizens and permanent residents of Canada can sponsor their spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, children, parents, and grandparents who live in Japan to come to Canada.

For immigration to Canada from Japan, a sponsored spouse, conjugal or common-law partner must be at least 18 years old and have a genuine relationship with a Canadian. The sponsored adopted or biological children should be less than 22 years old. Unlike the other programs, the parents and grandparents sponsorship program works like a lottery and can take up to twenty-four months. For immigration to Canada, citizens of Japan must also be criminally and medically admissible to the country.

International Experience Program

The Canadian government encourages foreigners to explore the country. That is why they have launched the International Experience Program. Out of the three streams, residents of Japan can apply only for the Working Holiday category. It allows the Japanese to explore Canada for up to a year and find a temporary job to pay for their trip. Citizens of Japan can participate in the International Experience Program only once.

Applicants must meet the following requirements of the Working Holiday category.

1. They ought to be 18-30 years old citizens of Japan.
2. Applicants should prove they are citizens of Japan by providing either a mailing or residential address.
3. Residents of Japan ought to have health insurance for the duration of the program.
4. Participants should have at least 2,500 CAD to cover their expenses during the trip.
5. They ought to have a round-trip ticket or buy a departure ticket at the end of the program.
6. Participants must be admissible to Canada.
7. Citizens of Japan cannot be accompanied by their dependents.
8. Applicants must pay the processing fee of 156 CAD and the open work permit fee of 100 CAD.

Immigration under Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades Programs

As was mentioned earlier, residents of Japan are highly qualified workers. Hence, they can also apply for immigration to Canada from Japan under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). To qualify for the FSWP, applicants need to meet several requirements.

1. Citizens of Japan must get at least one year of foreign work experience under the NOC Skill Type 0, A, or B within the last ten years.
2. They should get secondary education in Canada or abroad.
3. For immigration to Canada from Japan under the FSWP, the foreigners ought to pass English or French Language Proficiency Test and meet or exceed Level 7 of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB).

In addition to the mentioned requirements, the officers in charge also evaluate each applicant on the six factors, including age, education, language knowledge, work experience, an offer of employment, and adaptability. For immigration to Canada under the FSWP, residents of Japan must get at least 67 points out of 100.

If foreigners want to apply for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, they should fulfill the following requirements.

1. For immigration to Canada under this program, citizens of Japan must get at least two years of work experience in the skilled trade within the past five years. The skilled trades and work experience ought to be included in the NOC Skill Type B.
2. They need to obtain an offer of employment for at least a year from a Canadian employer or a certificate of qualification from a provincial or territorial body.
3. Applicants must meet or exceed the English Language Proficiency requirements.

Business Immigration

Business immigration to Canada is also a popular option among the Japanese. For instance, senior managers and business owners can apply for the Provincial Entrepreneur Immigration Program. The program has the following eligibility requirements.

1. Residents of Japan must launch or acquire a business in Canada and hire at least one full-time local specialist.
2. For immigration to Canada under this program, applicants ought to get at least three years of work experience within the last five years.
3. Depending on the chosen territory or province to live in, citizens of Japan should have 600,000-1,500,000 CAD of personal funds and invest 200,000-1,000,000 CAD in a local business. 
4. Applicants must have a post-secondary education.
5. Applicants must meet CLB Level 4 in English or French.

The next way for immigration to Canada from Japan is through the Start-Up Program. The stream has several requirements. Residents of Japan ought to prepare a business plan, get a support letter from the designated investor, have about 13,213 CAD of savings, get CLB Level 5 in English or French, and launch a business in the country.

One more option for immigration to Canada from Japan is the Self-Employed Program. To apply for it, citizens of Japan must be 20-50 years old, have a post-secondary education, take IELTS General, have 13,213 CAD of savings, and get two years of self-employed or world-class level work experience.

Foreigners who want to settle in Quebec after immigration to Canada from Japan can use one of the provincial immigration programs. Residents of Japan who want to invest in a local business can apply for the Investor Program. The Entrepreneur Program is designed for foreigners who wish to start or buy a business in Quebec. Citizens of Japan who want to practice their profession in the province can apply for the Self-Employed Program.

 

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