CANADA – Canada has one of the most superior health care systems in the world, by far better than the US, if you judge by accessibility by all citizens and affordability for all. Canada has a better education – Canada has always ranked much higher than the US on any measure of education around the globe.
By: Christopher Luke, [email protected], Contributor
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In terms of living, Canada has a longer life expectancy, much stricter gun laws, better social safety nets, and a general “niceness” that is renowned world wide. Canadians are tolerant, respectful, polite, and always willing to please others. (Yes, we have our share of nasty people but I’m speaking in generalities).
As for working, Canadian industries are highly competitive globally. I must admit that there may be more opportunities in the US, due to its size, but Canadians do pretty darn good. Our dollar is strong, but we are smart enough to keep it just under the value of the American dollar because this brings many Americans into Canada to visit our beautiful landscape as visitors and to do business cheaper.
Canada’s Military might not be as large as the that of the US, but Canada has a reputation for highly trained forces, and world-wide success as liberators and peace keepers. We do not use weapons for protection – we don’t need it because we do not allow our criminals to freely arm themselves. We live in a much safer, more peaceful and less stressful environment than you would find in much of the US. Even in our largest cities, violent crime is much lower when compared to similar sized cities in the US.
Canada has an unimaginable beauty of landscape and we preserve it in our national parks. We have four seasons – and our summers are beautiful. Winters are cold but are also amazingly enjoyable, and as a Bassa boy from Lower Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, I must admit that I love the winter months. I really do. Don’t even know if I can ever live in a tropical country. LOL
Our politics are vastly different. Canada invests in its people. We have incredible social safety nets to support those who can’t support themselves. Don’t get me wrong, we do not encourage lazy people, but as a society, we strive to help others to bring the best out of them.
When you read rankings of countries based on any number of factors, Canada always scores high, and much higher than the US.
Canada has the 10th largest economy in the world, making us one of the wealthiest nations with a consistently high standard of living. Canada’s unemployment rates are lower than other countries in the G7 (Group of Seven) or OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).
Canada is a major contributor to quantum computing, medical discoveries, space science and technology, and while other nations continue to debate the issue, we’ve been celebrating inclusivity and same-sex marriages for years.
And we’re polite. In fact, our politeness is one of the reasons we play well with other nations and why our general satisfaction levels consistently rate high. That’s according to the results of the 2016 Best Countries survey conducted by U.S. News & World Report, in collaboration with BAV Consulting and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
In January’s World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau called Canada a ‘great place to invest’ because of our public health care, education, safety and economic stability. Business decision-makers eye Canada as the place they’d like to locate or relocate their businesses and/or head offices speaks volumes about our quality of life and the opportunities Canada offers.
Our tax structures aren’t the highest among nations, but they aren’t the lowest either. That makes the Canadian workplace, benefits and lifestyle a selling point to organizations seeking to attract and retain a workforce. Canada’s also a great place to start a business. Interestingly, in a field where Asian countries typically reign, Canada sits at 4th place, and the only non-Asian country to rank in the top five.
We have greater economic freedom because of our sound, reliable and transparent public finances. Canadian banks and banking systems are better and stronger (4 of the top 10 banks in the world are Canadian).
Canada has a relatively lower unemployment rate than the U.S., particularly among young workers. Canadians have better health care, benefits, paid holidays and paid leaves, including maternity and paternal leave. A new mother can take up to a year off work with pay, and a new father can take up to four months off work with pay and other benefits.
Our workplaces are mandated by law to be inclusive and welcoming, with opportunities open to all. According to a BMO study, “in Canada, nearly half of millionaires are immigrants or second-generation residents, compared to just one-third in America.”
And this brings me to the title of this write up: ‘How can Liberians immigrate to Canada as skilled workers through what is known as “Express Entry?”
WHAT IS EXPRESS ENTRY (EE)?
Express Entry (EE) is a Canadian online immigration application system. It allows people from overseas to submit a profile through an online application portal and be considered as skilled immigrants. Candidates with the highest rankings are invited to apply for permanent residency in Canada.
HOW DOES EXPRESS ENTRY WORK?
Express Entry works by:
- First, you have to take and pass an English language test called the IELTS “General Training” test in neighboring Sierra Leone, or anywhere the test is offered. Unfortunately, the test is not offered in Liberia, but it is offered in most English speaking African countries, the US and Europe. The link for the test can be found at https://admissiontestportal.com/en/ielts/liberia/
- Having your degrees and diplomas assessed online through the World Education Services (WES) in Canada. The link for this organization can be found at https://www.wes.org/ca/eca/
- As soon as you have your test results and school documents assessed and evaluated, then proceed to the next information below.
- Fill out a profile online for Express Entry by clicking on the link below: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/submit-profile.html
- If you are highly ranked, you will be invited to apply for permanent residence as a skilled immigrant in Canada, or one of the ten Provinces (States) that make up Canada.
- Once you have applied, your Permanent Resident (PR) application will then be processed within the next 6 months, at a fee of course. It takes up to two years to get into Canada as a Permanent Resident from the day you start the process.
- You do not need to pay an Immigration Representative, as you can do this on your own if you have access to a computer and the financial resources. An Immigration Consultant would not get you a Visa. They can only advice you on the process.
WHICH IMMIGRATION PROGRAM DOES EXPRESS ENTRY COVER? You can use Express Entry to apply for the following programs listed below;
- The Skilled Worker Program
- The Skilled Trades Program
- The Canadian Experience Class
- Some candidates for Ontario’s Provincial Nominee Program are also selected through Express Entry.
HOW DO YOU QUALIFY FOR AN EXPRESS ENTRY? You qualify for Express Entry if you meet the eligibility criteria for the Skilled Worker program, Skilled Trades program, or Canadian Experience Class.
HOW ARE EXPRESS ENTRY PROFILE POINTS DETERMINED? Your Express Entry profile will get you points based on:
- Your level of education (At least a university degree, or a three years college diploma)
- Your abilities in English and/or French (Canada’s 2 official languages). To meet this requirement, you need to write an English or French language test as mentioned earlier.
- Your work experience and skills (have a minimum of two years of work experience in your intended field).
- Your age (the maximum age limit is 34. Oh yes, we need very healthy and strong people who can work and contribute to the economy).
- If you have a job offer in Canada, that helps too, but not necessary
- Your spouse’s education, language abilities and work experience, if you are immigrating with a spouse
- Additional points are also awarded if you completed a college or university program in Canada.
**********This chart outlines the points you can get for each category. Please note that EE points are different from the Federal Skilled Worker point system.
HOW DOES EE CHOOSE PEOPLE FOR PR?
- Once you submit a profile online, your profile will be entered into a pool (group) of all the people who have currently applied for Express Entry.
- You will then be ranked against other people in the pool. Your ranking is based on the number of points you have.
- If you are at the top of the rankings, your profile will be drawn (selected) from the list of applications. You will then get anInvitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence as a skilled immigrant by the federal or a provincial government.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has an up-to-date notice about the number of ITAs being issued, and minimum number of points you need to get an ITA. Read more about the Express Entry pool, ranking and draws system. For More Information, please visit the links below.
- Comprehensive Ranking System Chart – This chart outlines how many points are awarded for each category in the Express Entry system. From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
- How Express Entry Works – Details about how Express Entry works. From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
- Express Entry: Potential Candidates (Video) – A video about how Express Entry works. From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
- Skilled Immigrants (Express Entry) – Information on selection criteria and how to apply. From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
OTHER WAYS TO IMMIGRATE TO CANADA
- If you are older than 34, don’t worry. Apply as an International student. Our International student fees are 50% lower than the US and the UK. Apply for a one- or two-years master’s degree, a Ph.D. or a diploma program at a publicly funded post-secondary institution.
- Visit Ontario Colleges Application Services at https://www.ontariocolleges.ca/en or Ontario Universities Application Centre at https://www.ouac.on.ca/ or Ontario’s Universities at https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-universities
- You would receive a work-permit whilst you are in school. When you are done your studies, you would be eligible for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) which is valid up to three years.
- During this time, you can apply for the EE program for Permanent Resident. Please visit this link for more information:http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=507&top=15
- If you are a Liberian on a DED or TPS in the US, you can still apply using the Express Entry system as well, or apply for a school in Canada.