By Monique Lapointe, Manager, Immigration Services

Do you know how easy it is to immigrate to Canada? Well it’s not. Many Canadians and foreigners believe that immigrating to Canada is a simple process that can be accomplished in a few months. In fact, processing times depend on the nature of the immigration program and the applicant’s country of origin. If someone is planning to settle in Quebec, the procedure is more complicated because Quebec has the right to select its own immigrants. This means that the process involves more money, more time, and additional eligibility criteria. For instance, if someone wanted to become a permanent resident through the Skilled Worker program, they would first need to be selected by Quebec (Quebec Selection Certificate) before obtaining Federal approval of their application. On average, the entire process can take 2-3 years to complete.

On the other hand, family reunification is one of Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s top objectives under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. If a Canadian sponsors a spouse, the process is expedited and, in some cases, the sponsored person can remain in Canada with their spouse throughout the processing of their application. The eligibility criterion under this program, however, is limited to the legitimacy of the relationship.