Canadian immigration options in 2023

Many things have changed that affect your Canadian immigration options in 2023. For example, we now have a new NOC code system that affects qualifying jobs for Express Entry. Moreover, there is a significant accumulation of temporary foreign workers and international students in Canada who wish to immigrate. Although IRCC intends to increase the target for immigration to 465,000 people in 2023, most will already be in Canada on temporary status. The department must also deal with the significant backlog they are tackling. Regardless, 2023 must be an exciting year for immigration to Canada and the beginning of an era that will soon target half a million newcomers per year. Will you be one of them? Read the following article, book a consultation, or fill out our assessment form.

Knowing the basics about Canadian immigration in 2023

Canada accepts immigrants from one of the following major groups:

• Family Reunification
• Economic Immigrants
• Refugees

The following article explores these options.

Canadian immigration in 2023 through family reunification

About 25 to 30 percent of immigrants use this option to become permanent residents in Canada. I expect the same for Canadian immigration in 2023. Family reunification allows Canadians to sponsor their loved ones to Canada. Nonetheless, you need to see if you qualify for this program. Visit any of the following links accordingly:

• Sponsor your spouse or common-law partner outside of Canada
• Sponsor your spouse or common-law partner in Canada
• Sponsor your conjugal partner to Canada
• Parents sponsorship
• Sponsoring siblings or other family members to Canada

Please note that IRCC has not announced major changes to family reunification options in 2023. However, if anything changes, we’ll reflect them on settler.ca.

Alternatives for family sponsorship

In some situations, when the sponsor or their family members do not fully qualify for immigration, an immigration officer could approve the application under the Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations (H&C). However, in such cases, the officers consider the following:

• a child’s emotional, social, cultural and physical welfare
• the hardship imposed on the families
• circumstances in their home country
• their ties to Canada
• their establishment in Canada
• other factors that could affect an officer’s decision.

Of course, this list is neither inclusive nor exclusive. Moreover, IRCC recently refused many H&C applications. Therefore, it could be challenging to immigrate to Canada in 2023 under H&C options.

Provinces and family reunification

Sometimes Canadian provinces introduce unique family reunification opportunities for residents of their province. Of course, you must visit relevant websites or consult a professional for more information. However, no unique provincial options are available for family sponsorship immigration to Canada in 2023.

Canadian immigration in 2023 for the economic class

Applicants immigrating through the economic classes are mainly skilled workers, business owners, or senior managers with management experience and investment capabilities. About 50 to 60 percent of Canadian immigration in 2023 will comprise the economic class. We could divide economic immigration into three main groups:

• Federal  – These immigrants may settle in any province or territory of Canada other than Quebec.
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) – The applicants immigrate to a specific province of Canada other than Quebec
• Quebec – The province of Quebec holds an exclusive agreement with the federal government, also known as the Quebec Accord. The province has the sole responsibility for its immigration programs.

Canadian immigration in 2023 under the Federal programs

The following programs will be available through federal immigration in 2023. Of course, IRCC could change their policies at any time.

• Express Entry or EE – This system, which has been in effect since 2015, includes three classes of immigration programs, namely:
  • The Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC)
  • The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
  • The Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC)
• Self-Employed program – This program covers two specific groups, namely:
  • Athletics – Athletes and people active in sports (coaches, referees, sports managers, etc.)
  • Cultural Activities – Artists and people engaged in artistic and cultural fields (authors, musicians, filmmakers, screenwriters, artistic painters, singers, etc.)
• Start-up Visa – This program targets innovative immigrants. However, IRCC is receiving feedback from stakeholders to amend this program.
• Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot – This process covers caregivers’ job prospects in Canada. Nonetheless, it covers caregivers with past work experience in Canada as well. IRCC has recently made some changes to this program which will affect this group in Canadian immigration in 2023.
• Atlantic Immigration – This program mainly targets people with job offers from employers in one of the Atlantic provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador. IRCC has now changed this pilot program to a permanent one.
• Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot – If you have a job offer from an employer in some rural Canadian regions, you may immigrate to Canada. IRCC expanded certain RNIP regions in 2022 to allow more people to immigrate to Canada under this program.
• Agri-Food Immigration Pilot – Some foreign workers in the agri-food industry may immigrate to Canada in 2023 under this pilot program. Not many applicants choose this option for immigration.
• TR to PR Pathway – IRCC stopped this program in November 2021, and they have no plans to activate it in 2023. However, if this changes, we will let you know. Allow updates from settler.ca or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube for our latest updates.

Canadian immigration in 2023 under the PNP

Canada has ten provinces and three territories. Except for Nunavut, every province and territory in Canada offers some immigration opportunities. The Canadian Constitution Act 1867 enables provinces to manage immigration to their provinces as long as it is not against the Federal Government’s decisions. Consequently, for an introduction to PNP programs, visit the following link:

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Immigration to Canada via Quebec programs in 2023

Quebec has a special agreement with the Federal government to manage the flow of immigrants to their province. Regardless, they have decided to keep accepting immigrants in 2023. Visit their official website to explore your options.

Canadian immigration in 2023 as a refugee

Canada is facing a significant backlog of refugee claimants inside Canada. Regardless, they accept refugees inside Canada or resettle them from other countries. If you have left your country because of persecution or similar immense issues, you could move to Canada as a refugee. However, the process of refugee application can be tedious and time-consuming. Therefore, click the following links for more information:

• Refugee Definition
• Claiming Refugee Status
• Refugee Resettlement Canada

Other ways of moving to Canada in 2023

Under the following options, you may enter or live in Canada for a few days to several months.

• Temporary Resident Visa
• Temporary Resident Permit
• Getting a Study Permit
  • The Study Direct Stream (SDS) Program
• Getting a Work Permit
  • A work permit under IMP C11
  • A Special Work Permit for Performing Artists
  • Work Permit for Francophones
  • Work Permit for Successful People under Significant Benefits to Canada
  • USMCA – A Canadian Visa and Work Permit Perspective (NAFTA 2.0)
• Work without a Permit
  • Business Visitors to Canada
  • Other options to work in Canada without a permit
• Work Permit and Immigration Options for Artists

These temporary options do not necessarily result in immigration to Canada in 2023, but they could help. For instance, if a person works in Canada for at least one year, they could apply for immigration under the Canadian Experience Class. If a person finishes a Ph.D. program in Ontario, they could apply for permanent residence under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.

The cost of immigration

If you intend to immigrate to Canada, consider the following charges:

• Processing fee – You need to pay the processing fee to Canada’s federal or provincial governments to ask them to review your application package. Of course, the charge could vary from less than $100 (Canadian funds) to thousands of dollars. Nonetheless, the government increased some processing fees in 2022 and plans to adjust the processing fees based on the inflation rate in the spring of 2024.
• Consultation and representation fee – If you hire an immigration consultant or an immigration lawyer, you must pay their professional fees. Of course, the professional fees could be a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. While consultants or lawyers do not speed up your process, they could prevent drastic mistakes resulting in misrepresentation or other application issues. However, make sure to select a professional and knowledgeable practitioner. An incompetent practitioner could become part of the problem instead of the solution.
• Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) – We know this fee as the landing fee. Nonetheless, the cost is currently $515 per person and applies to the principal applicant and their spouse or common-law partner (some exceptions apply).
• Biometrics fee – Regardless of nationality, you must give biometrics for immigration to Canada in 2023. Nonetheless, the current biometrics cost is $85 per person and a maximum of $170 per family.

Other fees you may consider in 2023

• Medial examination – All family members need to go through a medical exam. Of course, a panel physician must conduct the examination. Panel physicians charge you for their services. However, the amount you need to pay depends on your country and your medical issues’ complexity.
• Preparation and translation of documents – Of course, you need to prepare several documents and translate them into English or French languages.
• Other expenses – Sometimes, you need to conduct exploratory visits to Canada. You may also need to pay a good-faith deposit to certain provinces. Consider other unexpected expenses such as travelling to another country or city to give biometrics, hiring an accountant, hiring a property appraiser or mailing your documents.

The processing times

If you intend to explore Canadian immigration in 2023, expect lengthy processing times. IRCC tries to limit the processing time of applications to under 12 months. However, applications’ processing times could exceed a few years. Nonetheless, the following articles shed light on the concept of processing time:

• Canadian Immigration Processing Times: Seven Factors
• Speeding up the immigration or visa process in Canada

Let us help!

If you are exploring immigration to Canada in 2023, consider booking a consultation session with me. Alternatively, you may submit the following form, or fill out our assessment form.

Read this in Spanish