Life in Canada

Canada offers many business immigration programs for Middle East citizens and temporary residents to settle in Canada.

Each year, thousands of people move to Canada from the Middle East to study, work or settle down permanently. 

In this article, we look at some of the reasons Canada is a smart destination, both for Middle East citizens and expats. We also look at some of the routes you can leverage to immigrate to Canada from the Middle East as a permanent resident.

In this blog:

- WHY SHOULD I IMMIGRATE TO CANADA FROM THE MIDDLE EAST?

- HOW TO MOVE TO CANADA FROM THE MIDDLE EAST PERMANENTLY?

- PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAMS

- START-UP VISA (SUV) PROGRAM

- WILL I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY CITIZENSHIP IF I MOVE TO CANADA?

- HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU NEED TO MOVE TO CANADA FROM THE MIDDLE EAST?

WHY SHOULD I IMMIGRATE TO CANADA FROM THE MIDDLE EAST?

Over the last few years, an increasing number of Middle Easterners are choosing to immigrate to Canada. Immigrating to Canada can be an attractive alternative as the country offers a quality of life and opportunities, as well as avenues to settle down permanently and get Canadian citizenship. 

Some of the factors that lure newcomers from the Middle East may be Canada’s publicly-funded universal health care, better job opportunities, and the affordability of high-quality education. Many people also immigrate for family reunification reasons and even political and safety reasons.

HOW TO MOVE TO CANADA FROM THE MIDDLE EAST THROUGH BUSINESS IMMIGRATION?

Canada offers many immigration programs that allow foreign nationals to get permanent residence (PR) and live, work, study, and settle here permanently. You may be eligible to apply for Canadian PR under many programs such as Express Entry, Federal Skilled Workers (FSW) program, Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Family Sponsorship. Individuals interested in moving to Quebec can opt for the Quebec-selected Skilled Workers program. If you’re looking to move to one of the four Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island), the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) may be a better fit for you. Nevertheless, at QICMS we handle only Permanent Residency through Investment in Canada such as Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP), Start-Up Visa (SUV) program,  Quebec Entrepreneur Program, and Quebec Immigrant Investor Program. Quebec Investor is currently paused, with the requirements under review by the Quebec provincial government.

CANADA PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAMS

Most of Canada’s provinces and territories have their own Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which allows each province/territory to invite newcomers to settle in the province or territory permanently.

CANADA START-UP VISA (SUV) PROGRAM

Canada also offers a Start-up Visa (SUV) program, which is a business investment-related program, which allows entrepreneurs to invest in an existing business or start a business in Canada that can compete on a global scale. There are qualifying criteria for eligible businesses you’ll need to meet.

To qualify, you’ll first need a letter of support and commitment certificate from a designated organization willing to support your business idea. Next, you’ll need to get a work permit and start your business in Canada. Once you’ve set up your business, you’ll need to apply for PR under the Start-up Visa program before your commitment certificate expires.

WILL I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY CITIZENSHIP IF I MOVE TO CANADA?

You don’t need to give up your citizenship to become a Canadian. Canada offers dual citizenship, so you can continue to hold your citizenship even after you become a Canadian citizen. However, you’ll need to check if your country of origin permits dual citizenship. For instance, some Middle East countries do not allow dual citizenship. You can, however, continue to hold your original citizenship along with Canadian permanent residence.

HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU NEED TO MOVE TO CANADA FROM THE MIDDLE EAST?

The amount of money needed to move from the Middle East to Canada will depend on the immigration pathway you choose.

APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE – BUSINESS IMMIGRATION

The first wave of immigration from the Middle East came from Syria and Lebanon as early as 1882. There are hundreds of thousands of people of Middle Eastern descent currently living in Canada. Whether you are moving from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, or Yemen, you will find that Canada offers many opportunities.

Canada offers many direct and indirect permanent residence pathways for Middle East citizens and temporary residents to settle in Canada. Immigrating to a new country is a big decision and you must weigh your options before embarking on this life-changing journey. If you’re unsure about which immigration stream may be right for you and your family, consult with us so we can help and guide you.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Canada is still processing permanent residence applications. Welcoming immigrants into Canada will be the key to economic recovery post- coronavirus.

If you would like to view our Canadian Provincial Nominee Program comparison table, please click here.

If you would like to view our comparison table for all Canadian immigration programs, please click here.

Start your Free Assessment now and we will determine which programs are available to you based on your circumstances and interests.