How to Immigrate to Canada without a job offer

If you are wondering how to move to Canada without a job, then you are in the right place!

While a job offer from a Canadian employer can increase your odds of moving to Canada and can expedite the process, it is not always a requirement for those wanting to move to Canada. The following programs do not require a job offer in order to qualify to apply for Canadian permanent residence:

Express Entry without a job offer

The most popular way to move to Canada without a job offer is by using the Express Entry system. For those who have never worked in Canada, the Federal Skilled Worker program is the program that many immigrants use. The Federal Skilled Worker program allows individuals from around the world to apply for Canadian permanent residency based on a variety of factors which include:

• the applicant’s age
• their education
• their work experience
• their English or French language skills.

The Federal Skilled Worker Program does not require a job offer in order to be eligible, nor does it require any Canadian work experience, thus making it the easiest Canadian immigration option for prospective immigrants from around the world.

For those who have at least one year of skilled Canadian Work Experience, the Canadian Experience Class is the most popular program to attain your Canadian permanent residency.

Individuals who are in the trades industry, and have at least one year of full-time paid work experience in a qualifying trade, will first need to come to Canada to “challenge” the trades test in order for them to obtain a Canadian Red Seal certificate. Once they have obtained the certificate they can enter the Express Entry pool through the Federal Skilled Trades program.

Those wishing to apply through the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Canadian Experience Class must create an Express Entry profile and enter the Express Entry Pool of applicants. Once applicants enter the Express Entry pool, they are given a score based on their:

• age
• education
• work experience (foreign and/or Canadian)
• language abilities in English and/or French
• connections they have to Canada

If the applicant’s score is high enough, they will be invited to apply for Permanent Residence. If an applicant’s score is not high enough, then they will need to increase it, or they will not be invited to apply for permanent residence.

The Caveat

If you are considering immigrating to Canada through one of these programs that uses the Express Entry system, you need to remember that not everyone who qualifies for Express Entry will be chosen to apply for permanent residence due to its points and ranking nature. You need to renew your Express Entry profile every 12 months.