Canada is partway into a multi-year immigration plan that involves encouraging skilled workers from Spain and elsewhere to take up permanent residence. The growing economy means that Canada is likely to need as many as 1 million immigrants to fill a variety of positions
Spanish immigrants make up a small proportion of the Canadian population and can be found in many of the provinces in Canada.
Ontario is home to the most Spanish skilled workers and their families with more than 170,000 immigrants from Spain in the province, with further large populations in Quebec and British Columbia.
To check eligibility, candidates should fill in the free self-assessment form and find the right pathway from the six groups as follows:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Provincial Nominee Programs
- Quebec Skilled Worker Program
- Family Class Sponsorship
- Canadian Experience Class
- Investors and Entrepreneurs
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
Applicants for permanent residence from Spain who have the relevant skills or experience can apply using the FSWP. They must meet the following criteria:
- One year of continuous work experience in a skilled role that is classified under the Canadian National Occupation Classification (NOC) to level 0, A or B.
- Language skills in English or French to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 across speaking, listening, reading and writing.
- A recognized Canadian certificate, diploma or degree or a foreign qualification and the required Education Credential Assessment (ECA) Report.
The FSWP is subject to the Express Entry process which we will explain in a moment.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PSP)
Applicants who wish to live and work in a specific province may apply through that province’s PSP. This applies to all provinces except Quebec. Those wishing to settle and work in Quebec must apply to the government of Quebec using the Quebec Skilled Worker Program.
The PSP is a fast-track route to permanent residence and usually takes less time to process than other pathways. The requirements for each province can differ. Immigrants from Spain should identify the province they wish to live and work in and apply for a Provincial Nomination Certificate from the province’s government. If accepted, such candidates gain priority for permanent residence.
Other categories include Family Class, whereby persons already resident in Canada can nominate Spanish relatives for permanent residence, and Canadian Experience Class in which the applicant must have worked continuously in full-time employment in Canada or have a current job offer for more than a year in a recognized role.
Spanish nationals of high net worth, and entrepreneurs looking at starting a business in Canada, are encouraged to apply using the Investors and Entrepreneurs class pathway.
Express Entry
Express Entry is a fast-track process that applies to applicants from Spain and elsewhere using the Federal Skilled Worker or Trades Program and the Canadian Experience Class entry system. The applicant is required to submit an online profile. This will include details of their age, marital status, work experience, education, and other details. A rank will be determined using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) with scores attained in the categories mentioned above and more.
Those who score highly on the CRS, which is a pass or fail assessment, will be put into the Express Entry Pool. From the pool, a draw is made regularly and those who are successful are issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA). At this stage, they can begin applying for permanent residence.
Canada may permanently close the immigration plan once it has met the requirements, hence early application by Spanish nationals is recommended.