Immigration to Canada Sri Lanka
Immigration to Canada Sri Lanka
Formerly known as Ceylon, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia. It has access to the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea. Sri Lanka is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar, but it has a maritime border with India and the Maldives. Among South Asian countries, Sri Lanka had the highest Human Development Index and the second-highest per capita income. However, the ongoing economic crisis has resulted in immigration to Canada from Sri Lanka. Today, there are more than 153,000 people from Sri Lanka who have arrived and settled in Canada.
Study Immigration
About 10,000 students from Sri Lanka get high-quality education in Canada each year. Many of them use their Canadian diplomas and degrees for further immigration to Canada from Sri Lanka. To achieve this dream, they need to follow several steps. The first step is to get admitted to a secondary or post-secondary learning institution and choose at least a two-year study program. The second step is to apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). It allows recent graduates to work in Canada for up to three years. The third step is to get at least a year of work experience under the PGWP since it is a vital requirement for immigration to Canada from Sri Lanka under the Provincial Nominee Program or another program known as Canadian Experience Class.
The last step is to apply for one of these programs. Except for relevant work experience, residents of Sri Lanka must have a job under NOC (National Occupational Classification) Skill Level 0, A, or B to apply for immigration to Canada from Sri Lanka through CEC. Students from Sri Lanka who decide to apply for the PNP should have an offer of employment under NOC Skill Level 0, A, or B.
Work Immigration
Work immigration to Canada remains the most efficient way for citizens of Sri Lanka to settle abroad. One of the most popular programs is the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) since it aims to fill labour shortages in Canada. The main condition of the program is to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This document authorizes a Canadian employer to hire a permanent worker from Sri Lanka and proves that there is no local professional to fill the position. There is also the International Mobility Program (IMP) that allows Canadians to hire citizens of Sri Lanka without an LMIA.
It is worth mentioning that residents of Sri Lanka must obtain a work permit to work in Canada. If they decide to participate in the TFWP, foreigners should have an employer-specific work permit. The open work permit is issued to the LMIA-exempt foreigners who apply for the International Mobility Program.
The LMIA-exempt categories include refugees, inland permanent residence applicants, vulnerable workers, Canada World Youth participants, International Experience Canada: Working Holiday applicants, family members of foreign representatives and military personnel, professional athletes, spouses and common-law partners of foreign workers and international students, bridging open work permits, inland permanent residence applicants in the spouse and common-law partner class, post-graduation work permit, post-secondary and secondary co-op, and occupation-restricted open work permit for caregivers.
To apply for immigration to Canada from Sri Lanka under the PNP or CEC, residents of Sri Lanka must have no less than a year of work experience under one of the programs mentioned above.
Family Sponsorship
The next option for immigration to Canada from Sri Lanka is a family sponsorship program. This stream aims to reunite permanent residents and citizens of Canada with their children, spouses, conjugal partners, common-law partners, parents, and grandparents who live in Sri Lanka.
To apply for family sponsorship immigration to Canada from Sri Lanka, a spouse, a conjugal or common-law partner from Sri Lanka must be over 18 years old and has a long-lasting relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. For immigration to Canada under family sponsorship, adopted and biological children ought to be less than 22 years old and do not have a spouse. If citizens or permanent residents of Canada want to sponsor their parents or grandparents, they should participate in a random selection system and wait from 20 to 24 months. It is also important to highlight that the residents of Sri Lanka must have no criminal records and medical issues for family sponsorship immigration to Canada from Sri Lanka.
Immigration to Canada under Express Entry: Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program
Among residents of Sri Lanka, the most popular Express Entry stream for immigration to Canada is the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). To apply for the FSWP, foreign residents must meet the basic eligibility requirements. However, it is a competitive program, and the better qualifications of the applicants, the higher their chances of immigration to Canada fromSri Lanka.
- Citizens of Sri Lanka must get at least one year of continuous full-time work experience abroad.
- They should have Canadian credentials or their foreign equivalent.
- For immigration to Canada, applicants ought to take the recognized language test and meet Level 7 of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) in English or French.
- After evaluation of age, language abilities, education, work experience, arranged employment, and adaptability of the applicants, they must get no less than 67 points.
The next Express Entry stream is the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). For immigration to Canada under this program, residents of Sri Lanka ought to satisfy the following requirements.
- They must gain no less than two years of full-time work experience in a skilled trade (NOC Skill Type B) for the last five years.
- Citizens of Sri Lanka should get a full-time job offer in the skilled trade for at least a year or have a certificate of qualification issued by Canadian federal, territorial, or provincial authority.
- For immigration to Canada from Sri Lanka, they ought to meet the job requirements that are outlined in the National Occupational Classification.
- Applicants should pass the English or French language test and meet CLB Level 5 for speaking and listening and CLB Level 4 for reading and writing.
Business Immigration
Residents of Sri Lanka can also apply for business immigration to Canada. If foreigners want to apply for the Provincial Entrepreneur Immigration Program, they must fulfill several requirements.
- Citizens of Sri Lanka must have the intention to launch or acquire a business in a province or territory they decide to settle and hire at least one full-time Canadian employee.
- Applicants should have at least three years of work experience in the last five years. Work experience should be gained in the roles of senior managers or business owners.
- Residents of Sri Lanka need to invest 200,000-1,000,000 CAD in the local business and have 600,000-1,500,000 CAD of personal assets.
- They should have post-secondary education and meet CLB Level 4 in English or French.
The next option for immigration to Canada from Sri Lanka is the Start-Up Program. This stream allows foreigners to launch an innovative business in the country and create jobs for local professionals. To qualify for this program, citizens of Sri Lanka must get a support letter from the designated organization, have 13,213 CAD of personal assets, and meet CLB Level 5 in English or French.
Residents of Sri Lanka can also apply for immigration to Canada under the Self-Employed Immigration Program. Hence, they should be 20-50 years old, obtain a diploma degree, have at least two years of relevant work experience, pass IELTS General, and have 13,213 CAD of settlements funds. Work experience is counted toward participation in cultural activities or athletics at a world-class level or work as a self-employed person in cultural activities or athletics.
Citizens of Sri Lanka who want to settle in Quebec can use one of the three immigration programs. Quebec Entrepreneur Program has two streams. To qualify for Stream One, the foreigners ought to prepare a business plan, obtain a service offer from a business accelerator, and launch a business. Residents of Sri Lanka who want to apply for Stream Two ought to submit a business plan, start or acquire a business in the province, and have at least 900,000 CAD of personal assets.
To be eligible for the Investor Program, applicants need to meet several requirements. They must obtain at least two years of management experience in the past five years, get 2,000,000 CAD of personal assets, and invest 1,200,000 CAD for five years.
If citizens of Sri Lanka want to apply for the Self-Employed Worker Program and practice a profession in Quebec, they must have at least two years of self-employed work experience, have at least $100,000 of personal assets, and make a start-up deposit. The applicants who are going to live in the Montreal Metropolitan Area need to deposit 50,000 CAD. If they plan to settle outside Montreal, they ought to deposit 25,000 CAD.
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