Immigration to Canada South Korea

Immigration to Canada South Korea

South Korea is located in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia and shares a land border with North Korea. The state has access to the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. The total population of South Korea is about 51 million citizens. Interestingly, half of them live in the Seoul Capital Area, making it the fifth-biggest metropolis in the world. The official language of the state is Korean. Additionally, the country has five dialects, namely Seoul, Chungcheong, Gangwon, Gyeongsang, Jeolla, and one language, Jeju, in use around the country. Due to globalization, South Koreans know English, Japanese and Mandarin as well.

South Korea is among the most progressive democracies in Asia. The state has the tenth-largest economy by nominal GDP in the world. It is also a member of the G20, the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee, and the Paris Club. Moreover, South Korea is known for its globally influential pop culture, particularly in K-pop, TV dramas and cinema.

More than 7 million people of full or partial Korean ancestry live outside the country. About 241,750 of them have settled in Canada. Hence, many residents of South Korea analyze the possible ways of immigration to Canada.

Study Immigration

South Korean society considers higher education as the fundamental cornerstone of a successful life. That is why more than 25,000 students from South Korea choose to study at prestigious Canadian institutions.

Although education is not the direct path to immigration to Canada, it allows students from South Korea to gain work experience in the country after graduation. Hence, international students must obtain a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). To qualify for the permit, students from South Korea must complete at least a two-year study program at an eligible educational institution. Under the PGWP, foreigners can work in Canada for up to three years.

Once residents of South Korea have at least a year of work experience, they can apply for immigration to Canada under various programs, including the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). To apply for CEC, foreigners must meet the language requirements, have relevant work experience, and work under Skill Type 0 (Zero), A, or B of NOC (National Occupational Classification). For immigration to Canada under the PNP, citizens of South Korea ought to have at least one year of work experience and get an offer of employment that falls in NOC 0, A, or B.

Work Immigration

Foreigners tend to use their skills and qualifications for immigration to Canada from South Korea. Residents of South Korea are often employed under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and International Mobility Program (IMP). When foreign workers gain a year of work experience under the mentioned categories, they can qualify for immigration to Canada from South Korea under PNP or CEC.

Since Canadian business suffers from labour shortages, employers can get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and hire workers from South Korea under the TFWP. Canadian employers who offer positions that provide broad economic or competitive benefits for Canada and its citizens are exempt from obtaining an LMIA. In this case, they can hire citizens of South Korea under the IMP.

Regardless of the work program, foreigners must have a work permit. When residents of South Korea want to work under the TFWP, they need to obtain an employer-specific work permit. Applicants who are eligible to apply for the IMP ought to have an open work permit.

Nevertheless, only exemptions can apply for the IMP. The LMIA-exempt categories include bridging open work permit applicants, Canada World Youth Program applicants, refugees, inland permanent residence applicants, open work permits for vulnerable workers, post-graduation work permit applicants, spouses and common-law partners of international students and foreign workers, family members of foreign representatives and military workers, professional athletes, occupation-restricted open work permits for caregivers, International Experience Canada: Working Holiday applicants, secondary and post-secondary co-op participants.

Family Sponsorship

The next way of immigration to Canada from South Korea is through the Family Sponsorship Program. Permanent residents and citizens of Canada who are above 18 years old can sponsor their family members who live in South Korea.

The most popular stream is the Spousal and Common-Law Partner Sponsorship. It regulates the sponsorship and immigration to Canada of same-sex and opposite-sex spouses, common-law and conjugal partners. Depending on the class of the application, a sponsored person can stay in South Korea or legally live in Canada.

Under the Dependent Child Sponsorship, Canadians can sponsor their adopted and biological children for immigration to Canada from South Korea. Children must be under 22 years old and do not have common-law partners or spouses.

Canadians whose parents and grandparents live in South Korea can apply for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship. To qualify for this program, sponsors ought to support their parents and grandparents after immigration to Canada from South Korea.

Immigration to Canada: Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades Programs

Citizens of South Korea can also use the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) for immigration to Canada.

To apply for the FSWP, foreign residents do not need to have work experience in Canada. However, they need to fulfill the following requirements.

1. Residents of South Korea must get at least one year of foreign work experience that is counted under the NOC Skill Type 0, A, or B within the last ten years.
2. Applicants should pass English or French Language Proficiency Test and meet Level 7 of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB).
3. They must obtain secondary or post-secondary education in Canada or abroad.
4. Citizens of South Korea ought to prove that they have enough funds to support themselves and their families in the country.

When foreigners apply for immigration to Canada from South Korea under the FSWP, they are also evaluated on the six selection factors that include age, education, work experience, language knowledge, an offer of employment, and adaptability to life in the country. For immigration to Canada from South Korea, applicants must get at least 67 points out of 100 on the Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS).

Residents of South Korea who want to apply for the Federal Skilled Trades Program ought to meet several eligibility requirements.

1. For immigration to Canada from South Korea, applicants must get a one-year job offer from up to two Canadian employers. As a viable option, they can obtain a Certificate of Qualification from a provincial or territorial authority.
2. They ought to gain at least two years of work experience in the skilled trade within the last five years. Skilled trade groups for immigration to Canada from South Korea are included in the NOC Skill Type B.
3. Citizens of South Korea should meet or exceed the minimum language requirements.

Business Immigration

Foreigners are also encouraged to apply for immigration to Canada under the business programs. Residents of South Korea who have entrepreneurial or management work experience can apply for the Provincial Entrepreneur Immigration Program. The stream allows them to settle in one of the Canadian provinces and territories, except for Quebec. The program has several requirements.

1. Applicants must have at least three years of work experience in the last five years.
2. Citizens of South Korea ought to start or buy a business in the country and create a workplace for at least one full-time local specialist.
3. They should have 600,000-1,500,000 CAD of personal savings and invest 200,000-1,000,000 CAD in a local business. The amount depends on the regulations of the chosen province or territory.
4. Applicants need to have post-secondary education and meet CLB Level 4 in English or French.

The next option is the Start-Up Immigration Program. For immigration to Canada under this program, residents of South Korea must have a business plan for an innovative business, obtain a support letter from the designated investor, have at least 13,213 CAD of personal funds, and have CLB Level 5 of English/French.

Citizens of South Korea who have a minimum of two years of work experience as self-employed or at a world-class level in cultural or athletic activities can apply for immigration to Canada under the Self-Employed Immigration Program. In addition, applicants ought to be 20-50 years old, have a post-secondary education, get 13,213 CAD of personal savings, and pass IELTS General with a bond of 5.5.

In case foreigners want to settle in Quebec, they can choose from three provincial immigration programs. Residents of South Korea who are ready to invest 1,200,000 CAD in local business for five years can apply for immigration to Canada under the Investor Program. Additionally, they must have 2,000,000 CAD of personal savings and obtain two years of business work experience in the last five years.

The Self-Employed Program is designed for foreigners who want to settle in Quebec and practice their profession or business activity. Hence, citizens of South Korea should have at least two years of relevant work experience, gain 100,000 CAD of personal funds, and deposit from 25,000 to 50,000 CAD. The amount of start-up deposit depends on whether the foreigners intend to live in the Montreal Metropolitan Area or elsewhere in Quebec.

Residents of South Korea who have business work experience and want to start a business in the province can apply for the first stream of the Quebec Entrepreneur Program. If applicants have more than 900,000 CAD of personal savings and want to buy a working business in the province, they should apply for the second stream of the Entrepreneur Program.

 

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