Canada has many modern and multicultural cities, each with its own personality, its own history and especially its own hinterland. Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are perhaps the best known, but there are so many others that showcase different aspects of Canada such as maritime culture, mountainous landscapes, French and British historical influences, Indigenous peoples or again the biodiversity so characteristic of this vast country: the province of Quebec alone is three times the size of France, 15 times Cuba and 150 times Jamaica!
Canadian cities are generally much smaller than the largest cities in the United States, so they are more easily visited! If you are aiming for an objective other than tourism, know that Canada is the country of opportunities to be seized, whether for studies, work or simply life!
Are you planning to apply for a visa to go to Canada? Read on to find out which visa category to steer towards.
The tourist visa in Canada: to travel through an incredible country
First of all, you should know that as a French person (also Belgian or Swiss), you are entitled to the Electronic Travel Authorization (AVE Canada) which remains the best way to travel to Canada as a tourist. This procedure, which is part of the visa waiver program for citizens of certain countries, is not only faster and safer… and it is also cheaper: it will cost you 7 Canadian dollars if you do not go through not by a third party provider.
If for one reason or another, you are not entitled to the Canada eTA, you can apply for a tourist visa, also called a temporary residence visa in Canada. Canada’s tourist visa requirements are clear and easy to understand. The entire visa application process is done online. Canada usually issues long-term multiple entry visas lasting 5 to 10 years if your profile is “low risk”.
Even if you don’t intend to travel to Canada immediately, obtaining a Canadian tourist visa may be more attractive than obtaining an eTA for one simple reason: visitor visas to Canada are generally long-term visas (5 to 10 years). Apply now and you’ll have it for the next 10 years;
The study permit in Canada: to boost your employability
Canada has been a destination of choice for international students for decades. Canadian higher education establishments enjoy a worldwide reputation and their graduates have no difficulty entering the job market in Canada but also elsewhere. Most universities regularly appear in international rankings and are renowned for their academic rigor, their propensity to encourage research and innovation as well as the rich associative life they offer their students.
As Canada is a bilingual country, several of its universities offer courses in French and/or English, which is excellent for boosting your language level. Most French-speaking universities are located in Quebec. There are also a few French-speaking universities in the provinces of Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Alberta.
To study in Canada as a foreigner, you will need a Canadian study permit if your course lasts more than 6 months.
The permanent visa in Canada: to change your life
Canada has a long history of immigration. Post-war immigration policies created generations of new Canadian citizens and helped build a modern, multicultural, dynamic and prosperous Canada. In the years since, Canada’s immigration policy has changed many times. But Canadian national identity is based on multiculturalism and immigration… values assumed and promoted by successive governments in this forward-looking country.
Canada welcomes approximately 250,000 newcomers each year. In absolute numbers, the neighboring United States welcomes many more new migrants each year, but Canada’s population is almost ten times smaller than that of the United States. In percentage terms, Canada welcomes twice as many migrants as the United States. In fact, one in five Canadians was born abroad. Canada has a lot of experience with immigration and is invested in the success of its new migrants.
Are you considering immigrating to the land of maple syrup? You will need to apply for a permanent visa for Canada.
The work visa in Canada: to (re)launch your career
Canada has an aging population and faces a rather significant labor shortage, particularly in the health care, human services, high technology and construction sectors, in the broad sense. So-called “professional” immigration is an inseparable part of Canada’s state policy to maintain a level of prosperous growth.
In short, Canada needs you to support its economy and social services. In 2016, there were almost a million and a half qualified jobs to be filled without a relevant application. By 2021, this number is expected to exceed two and a half million. Do you have expertise in a particular area? Do you have a rare skill? Do you master a promising new technology such as Big Data, Deep Learning or Artificial Intelligence? It is possible that the rest of your career will take place in Montreal, Toronto, Quebec or Vancouver.
