Immigration to Canada Lithuania

Immigration to Canada Lithuania

Lithuania is located on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. The country has a maritime border with Sweden and land borders with Latvia, Belarus, Poland, and the Kaliningrad Region of Russia. Almost three million Lithuanians live in the area of 65,300 km2. Lithuanian is the official language of the country. Lithuanians are also taught English, German, and French in schools.

Lithuania has a high-income advanced economy and ranks high on the Human Development Index. The state is also a member of the European Union, the Council of Europe, NATO, the Nordic Investment Bank, the Schengen Agreement, and OECD. Nevertheless, many Lithuanians decide to explore the world and settle abroad. About 47,000 people of full or partial Lithuanian descent live in Canada. Hence, there are several ways for immigration to Canada from Lithuania.

 

Study Immigration

Today, about 5,000 students from Lithuania attend Canadian schools. Most of them do not plan to leave Canada right after graduation since the Government of Canada allows international students to apply for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP) to extend their stay in the country for up to three years. Under the PGWP, graduates can work full-time, part-time, or be self-employed in Canada. To qualify for the post-graduation work permit, students from Lithuania must complete at least a two-year full-time academic, vocational, or professional training program at the eligible Designated Learning Institution (DLI).

The PGWP is popular among international students because the gained work experience allows them to apply for immigration to Canada. Students from Lithuania who have at least one year of work experience in the country and a job under the NOC (National Occupational Classification) Skill Type 0 (Zero), A, or B are allowed to apply for the Canadian Experience Class also known as (CEC). If graduates from Lithuania want to apply for immigration to Canada under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), they must gain no less than one year of work experience and have an offer of employment under the NOC Skill Type 0, A, or B.

Work Immigration

Work programs are also an effective way for immigration to Canada from Lithuania. Since Canada has a labour shortage, employers use several programs to hire workers from abroad. For instance, many residents of Lithuania work in Canada under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). To participate in this program, Canadian employers must obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This confirmation letter proves that Canadians are not available to fill a position, and there is a need to hire the resident of Lithuania. In their turn, foreigners must get an employer-specific work permit.

Citizens of Lithuania who are eligible to apply for an open work permit can work in Canada under the International Mobility Program (IMP). The open work permit LMIA exemption categories include spouses and common-law partners of foreign workers and international students, family members of foreign representatives and military personnel, inland permanent residence applicants, inland spousal sponsorship applicants, occupation-restricted open work permit for caregivers, bridging open work permit applicants, professional athletes, vulnerable workers, refugees, secondary and post-secondary co-op applicants, post-graduation work permit applicants, Canada World Youth Program applicants, and International Experience Canada: Working Holidays applicants.

Once residents of Lithuania have at least one year of work experience under the TFWP or IMP, they can apply for immigration to Canada from Lithuania under the CEC, PNP, or other programs.

International Experience Program

Citizens of Lithuania 18-35 years old can also apply for the International Experience Program. The program has three streams that allow foreigners to travel and work in Canada. Residents of Lithuania can participate in the program twice and in a different category each time.

The Working Holiday stream is launched for foreign residents who want to work while traveling in Canada. The program lasts for up to a year. The Young Professionals stream allows post-secondary graduates from Lithuania to obtain work experience in Canada. The foreigners must get a signed job offer in their field of expertise from a Canadian employer for up to a year.

The International Co-op stream is designed for residents of Lithuania who pursue post-secondary education in their home country and want to complete an internship in Canada. To apply for the program, applicants must obtain a signed job offer or contract of employment from a Canadian employer. The International Co-op stream lasts for up to a year.

Family Sponsorship

If citizens of Lithuania have relatives or family members in Canada, they can apply for immigration to Canada under family sponsorship. To sponsor their spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, dependent children, parents, or grandparents who live in Lithuania, Canadian citizens or permanent residents must be above 18 years old and have enough funds to support the sponsored person. For immigration to Canada from Lithuania, a sponsored person must meet the required admission requirements and provide all required forms and documents, including biometrics, medical exam, and police certificate.

Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades Programs

The Express Entry system evaluates residents of Lithuania who apply for immigration to Canada from Lithuania under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

If foreigners do not have work experience in Canada, they can apply for the FSWP. To qualify for this program, citizens of Lithuania ought to meet several requirements.

1. Applicants must have at least a year of foreign work experience under the NOC Skill Type 0, A, or B in the last ten years.
2. Foreign workers need to have secondary education and pass the recognized English or French Language Proficiency Test. They ought to meet Level 7 of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB).
3. Citizens of Lithuania ought to have enough savings to support themselves and their families after immigration to Canada unless they have a valid job offer or can legally work in the country.

To qualify for the FSWP, applicants must get at least 67 points out of a possible 100 based on six selection factors. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) assesses the education, age, language proficiency, work experience, job offer, and adaptability of each applicant.

Those who have skilled trade professions can apply for immigration to Canada under the Federal Skilled Trades Program. To be eligible for the FSTP, residents of Lithuania must fulfill the following requirements.

1. Applicants need to get two or more years of work experience in the skilled trade within the last five years. For immigration to Canada from Lithuania under the FSTP, the skilled trade must be included in the NOC Skill Type B.
2. Citizens of Lithuania ought to obtain a full-time job offer for at least a year or a certificate of qualification in the skilled trade issued by a provincial or territorial body.
3. For immigration to Canada from Lithuania under this program, foreigners should have at least CLB Level 4 for reading and writing and CLB Level 5 for speaking and listening in English or French.

Business Immigration

One more way of immigration to Canada from Lithuania is through business programs. For instance, many residents of Lithuania apply for the Provincial Entrepreneur Immigration Program. The program has the following requirements.

1. Applicants must buy or open a business in Canada, except for Quebec, and hire at least one full-time local professional.
2. For business immigration to Canada, citizens of Lithuania ought to have at least three years of work experience in the last five years.
3. Depending on the policies of the chosen province or territory, foreigners should have 600,000-1,500,000 CAD of personal funds and invest 200,000-1,000,000 CAD.
4. Applicants ought to have post-secondary education and meet the CLB Level 4 in English or French.

One more option for business immigration to Canada from Lithuania is the Self-Employed Program. To apply for this program, residents of Lithuania must be 20-50 years old, have a post-secondary education, have two years of work experience as a self-employed or at a world-class level, obtain 13,213 CAD, and pass IELTS General with a score of 5.5.

The other way for immigration to Canada is the Start-Up Program. To qualify for this stream, citizens of Lithuania ought to submit a support letter from the designated investor, launch an innovative business in the country, have at least 13,213 CAD of  financial assets, and meet CLB  5 of English Level Proficiency.

Residents of Lithuania who want to apply for immigration to Canada and settle in Quebec can qualify for one of the three provincial programs for business people. If foreigners are going to invest in a local business, they should apply for the Investor Program. The Self-Employed Program allows citizens of Lithuania to practice their profession or trade in Quebec. Foreigners who want to launch or buy a business in the province can apply for the Entrepreneur Program.

 

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