Immigrate to Canada from the UK

There is something refreshing about planning a move to a new country. Heading towards a new start in your life can replenish your energies and fill you with new ambitions; be it a new career, a beautiful new home, life in a free society, or providing your family with a better future.

But when it comes down to logistics, you quickly realize that there are many details to handle, such as registering your children in a new school, putting your home on the market, gathering savings, and of course, starting the immigration process itself.

Luckily for you, we are experts on Canadian immigration! If you are a UK citizen who is curious to know how to move to Canada from the UK, and you have your mind set on a Canadian visa, keep on reading for a full guide on the process.

UK immigration to Canada – Overview

As a UK citizen who is accustomed to the British way of life, you may adapt quickly to the Canadian way of life, too. The two countries are close allies with strong historical and cultural ties. They also share important similarities: both are parliamentary democracies, both speak the same national language (excluding French), and both are members of the Commonwealth and NATO.

Finding a community should be easy, too. Each year, between 6,000 and 9,000 UK citizens move to Canada from the UK and become permanent residents. And if that doesn’t sound like enough, there are 51,736,290 (!) brits living in Canada, overall.

By the way, rumor has it that Canadians are even more polite and welcoming than the British (and this is definitely not a rumor we made up *wink* *wink*).

There are many great benefits that attract UK citizens to apply for a Canadian visa and live in the Great White North. Before we explain how to move to Canada from the UK, let’s take a look at what will be awaiting you:

Wide Open Spaces

The UK has one of the highest population densities in the world, while Canada has one of the lowest population densities in the world. Canada’s air and water are notably very clean and one of the main reasons for this is the low population density.

Canada is also just huge. When we say huge, we mean that there are national parks within Canada that are bigger than entire countries:

• Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta/Northwest Territories border is bigger than Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Bhutan.

• Quttinirpaaq National Park in Nunavut is bigger than Taiwan, Moldova, Belgium, Lesotho, and Guinea-Bissau.

• Nahanni National Park in the Northwest Territories is bigger than Armenia, Albania, Belize, North Macedonia, Rwanda, Burundi, Solomon Islands…

Well, you get the point. What else can you expect from the second-largest country in the world?

With so much open space and the sparseness of the population, Canada is an ideal place for people who, well, need space, for nature lovers and families.

Quality of Life

According to the U.S News and World’s Best Countries Report, Canada was chosen as second-best in the quality-of-life sector out of 80 other countries. This study takes into consideration these important factors:

• Economic stability

• Strong job market

• Affordability

• Safety

• Political stability

• Family-friendly

• Education system

• Income quality

And it seems that Canada aced them all! (well, almost. Switzerland won).

Let’s take Canada’s economy as an example – Canada has the 11th largest economy in the world and the average household disposable income (per capita) is above the OECD average.

Canada’s education system is another thing to consider when applying for your Canadian visa. Canada is known for an efficient education system and well-funded institutions. Think about all the successful people that came out of Canada! One famous Canadian that immediately comes to mind is Elon Musk. He who moved to Canada when he was 17 to study at Queen’s University and later became the inventor of Tesla; Alexander Graham Bell invented the first telephone patent (albeit a controversial statement); And there’s Ryan Reynolds, the famous comedic actor, who is best known for his role as “Deadpool” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe… And the list goes on.

In conclusion, if you move to Canada from the UK, you might become a superstar. You never know.

Immigrant Friendly and Multi-Cultural

Canada has been welcoming immigrants into its country since, what seems like, the beginning of time. As a country built by immigrants, Canada recognizes the economic, social, and technological impact people bring with them since they come from different and diverse backgrounds.

As Canada grew, so did the communities. Today, Canada is considered to have some of the most diverse communities in the world – with over 190 spoken languages. Having such diversity means that regardless of where you originally come from, you will find your sense of belonging.

Also, it seems that UK citizens are very particular about where they like to live. You will find that almost 265,000 brits settled themselves in Ontario. But you will also find plenty of British ex-pats in Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver.

Just to emphasize the strength of the British communities in Canada, you can visit websites such as Brits In Toronto website, or Meetup.com to join meetup groups and get information about local activities in Canada, recommended dining spots, etc.

How do I apply for Canadian visa?

Time to get down to business! What immigration programs are available to you? What does UK immigration to Canada even mean? You will find your answers below:

Before starting your moving arrangements, you should know about the available immigration programs. There are several ways to immigrate to Canada from UK, but the most popular methods are the Express Entry program and the Provincial Nominee Programs.

The Express Entry program and the Provincial Nominee Programs (also known as PNP’s) provide a “fast-track” method of immigrating to Canada and becoming permanent residents. These are point-based selection systems for skilled migrants. Your score is calculated according to 6 selection factors on your visa application:

• Age (up to 12 points)

• Language skills (up to 28 points)

• Academic achievements (up to 25 points)

• Work experience (up to 15 points)

• Arranged employment (up to 10 points)

• Adaptability (up to 10 points)

The higher your score will be – the higher chances you will have to be selected for a visa. In fact, take a tip from the pros: if you need to add points to your visa application, consider taking a course in French. This will not only gain you an advantage on your visa application but add a skill to your resume.

Circling back to these popular immigration programs, the main difference between the Express Entry program and the Provincial Nominee Programs is that under the Provincial Nominee Programs, you must work in a specific province or territory for at least 1 year. This is because each of Canada’s provinces and territories must reach their own economic and demographic goals.

On the other hand, if you qualify for the Express Entry program, you will have the option to live and work anywhere in Canada.

Canadian Visa Requirements for UK Citizens

Before starting your visa application, you should take a visa eligibility assessment. Your eligibility assessment will determine if and what Canadian visa you qualify for. The results will set the path of your immigration process to Canada and obtaining a Canadian visa successfully.

Once you know what visa you qualify for, the real journey begins: you will be required to collect specific documentation under strict deadlines, provide health and police clearances, evidence of work experience and occupational skills, academic qualifications, and more.

Finally, you will be able to submit your visa application and await approval from the Canadian immigration authorities.

How We Can Help You Immigrate to Canada from the UK

UK immigration to Canada can be a breeze!

Great North Visa immigration team and RCIC’s are well experienced with handling any type of immigration case and have assisted many international clients. We recognize the potential difficulties of time management and staying organized when starting your visa application process. Therefore, we can provide tailored solutions to each client and take care of the hassle.

Our immigration services include (but are not limited to): access to job searching tools, C.V optimization, document collection and submission, guidance, and support in obtaining WES, legal assistance with complicated immigration cases, settlement solutions, and more.

Click below to be assigned a personal immigration agent and start your exciting journey to your new home in Canada. It’s time to move to Canada from the UK!