Canada is a desirable destination for many UK citizens. A commonwealth country with similar culture, Canada is a vast landscape that offers a variety of lifestyles for a wide range of people. Over 25,000 UK citizens have immigrated to Canada in the last 10 years.

Perez McKenzie Immigration is a dedicated and experienced team of experts who can help by guiding you and your family through the process of immigration from the UK to Canada.

Canada is a desirable destination for many UK citizens. A commonwealth country with similar culture, Canada is a vast landscape that offers a variety of lifestyles for a wide range of people. Over 25,000 UK citizens have immigrated to Canada in the last 10 years.

Obtaining a work permit in Canada can be quite easy for UK citizens who are between the ages of 18 and 35. Through International Experience Canada (IEC), eligible applicants can obtain two work permits in the following options:

1. Working Holiday
2. Young Professionals
3. International Co-op (Internship)

There is a maximum of two lifetime participations through IEC:

• a first participation of 24 months under any category
• a second participation of 12 months under any category

Recognized Organizations like Stepwest can assist applicants with two additional participations within the limits above, for a total 4 participations.

Recognized Organizations are designated by the government to provide these additional participations for a fee. Their spots are highly sought after.

A full list of the available ROs can be found here.

We are offering pre-sales for the 2025 season through Stepwest. If you are interested in an additional participation, please get in touch with us by booking a consultation! We are the only immigration firm in Canada partnered with Stepwest, who we have worked with for the past 4+ years.

If you find an employer in Canada who desires your services, they can apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) which proves that there is no applicant in Canada who can or is willing to do the job that you are offered. A very comprehensive application, LMIA’s can be a lot of effort for an employer to complete. Most employers request help from immigration professionals to complete their applications quickly and correctly.

The LMIA is completely upon the employer to complete. UK citizens can benefit and apply for a work permit once a Canadian employer has a positive (approved) LMIA.

UK citizens can apply for some specific work permits, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. Unfortunately, Canada and the UK do not have a trade agreement that is favourable to professionals or technicians like some other countries.

Some of the most widely used exemptions are:

• Francophone Mobility: For those who speak French to an intermediate level. Provide proof of your job offer in Canada and of your French proficiency to be eligible.
• Intra-Company Transfer: For those who work at a multi-national company and are being transferred to work in Canada.
• Reciprocal Employment: For those who will work at a multi-national company in Canada that can provide proof they employ Canadians in the UK.

Canada has many high-level universities such as the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, McGill University, the University of Waterloo, and McMaster University, to name a few. These universities offer a wide range of academic programs to choose from.

After concluding studies, students can be eligible to apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) which can be issued for up to three years, depending on the length or program of study completed.

Canadian Permanent Residence is one of the most desirable statuses in the entire world, there is no wonder why it has become so competitive within the last decade.

Express Entry is Canada’s federal program to apply for PR. There are three streams for eligibility into Express Entry:

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is intended for skilled workers who have accumulated at least 12 months of full-time equivalent skilled work experience in Canada.
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is designed for skilled workers who have at least one year of work experience in a qualified occupation, in or outside of Canada.
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is for skilled tradespeople who have at least two years of work experience in a specific trade.

Once eligibility requirements are met, candidates are ranked in the Express Entry pool by their score, using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Draws occur approximately every two weeks, where the government will target the general population, or specific occupations and French-speaking populations. Certain occupations can provide you with a chance to be invited at a lower score than the rest of the regular pool inhabitants.

Almost every province or territory in Canada has a program for attracting and targeting potential applicants who are interested in contributing economically. If you are approved and nominated by a province, you can subsequently apply for permanent residence.

Like Express Entry, provinces also target specific occupations or populations that they deem as desirable or in high demand. These can change at any time, usually as demand rises and falls. Check out their websites to discover what they are targeting!

Canadian citizens or permanent residents are able to sponsor their spouses and common-law partners to move to Canada and become permanent residents.