Unlike fast-track citizenship programs, Canada is a route to actually live there — through business, family, Canadian ancestry, or youth work mobility. We work with a licensed Canadian immigration consultant (RCIC) and Canadian lawyers across four pathways.
Pick the one that matches your situation — or let us assess which fits, free of charge.
For business owners: net worth from CAD $300,000 and a real business you actively manage.
Details →If a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent was Canadian, you may already be a citizen. Government fee: just CAD $75.
Details →Ages 18–35 from partner countries: an open work permit to work and travel in Canada for up to 24 months.
Details →If your partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident — permanent residence with no investment required.
Details →A route for experienced entrepreneurs who want to start or buy and actively run a business in British Columbia. You first get a temporary work permit to operate the business; after meeting your performance agreement you receive a provincial nomination and then apply for permanent residence.
| Requirement | Base Stream | Regional Stream |
|---|---|---|
| Where the business goes | Anywhere in BC, including Metro Vancouver | Participating communities outside Metro Vancouver |
| Personal net worth | CAD $600,000 | CAD $300,000 |
| Minimum investment | CAD $200,000 | CAD $100,000 |
| Job creation | At least 1 full-time job | At least 1 full-time job |
| Community referral | Not required | Required before applying |
Within the past 10 years: 3 years as an owner-manager, or 4 years in senior management, or 1 year owner-manager plus 2 years senior management.
English or French at roughly CLB 4 — a comparatively low threshold.
You must actively run the business day to day; PR is not granted upfront but only after you operate the business and meet the agreement.
Invitations depend on your registration score: experience, net worth, investment size, and how realistic and beneficial the business is for BC's economy.
Submit your registration to BC PNP and receive a score.
Invitations are issued in periodic rounds based on score — the entrepreneur category is typically invited monthly or on a regular cycle.
Business plan, personal net-worth documentation, source of funds, investment plan and supporting documents.
On approval you sign a Performance Agreement with BC and receive a support letter to apply for a work permit.
Complete the investment, run the business and create the agreed jobs.
After meeting the agreement you receive the BC nomination and file for permanent residence with IRCC. Total timeline: roughly 4 years.
| Government fee | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| BC PNP stage | |
| Registration fee | $300 |
| Application fee | $3,500 |
| Reconsideration (if needed) | $500 |
| Work permit stage | |
| Work permit application | $155 |
| Biometrics | $85 |
| Spouse open work permit (if applicable) | $100 |
| Permanent residence stage | |
| Principal applicant processing fee | $1,590 |
| Right of Permanent Residence Fee | $600 |
| Biometrics | $85 |
| Medical examination | $200–400 |
BC PNP-stage government fees for either stream are typically CAD $3,800 (registration $300 + application $3,500). The table excludes professional/legal fees, accounting verification of net worth and source of funds, translation and police certificates. Amounts follow the official fee schedules in force.
Canada's Citizenship Act was amended (Bill C-3, in force 15 December 2025), removing the first-generation limit and greatly widening who qualifies. This is not immigration but confirmation of citizenship you may already hold — and the government fee is just CAD $75.
Proof that the parent, grandparent or great-grandparent was born in Canada, the applicant's birth certificate, and — where required — evidence of the Canadian parent's three years of physical presence.
Government fee CAD $75. Processing takes roughly 19 months as at August 2026; this figure moves, so check IRCC at the time of filing.
A temporary-residence program letting young people from countries with a Youth Mobility Agreement with Canada live, work and gain international experience for a limited period. It is designed for cultural exchange and real work experience — often the easiest first door into Canada.
An open work permit letting you work for almost any employer in Canada while travelling. Valid for up to 24 months (23 months for New Zealanders).
An employer-specific work permit for up to 24 months, in a job that contributes to your professional development.
An employer-specific work permit valid up to 12 months, to complete a placement required as part of your post-secondary studies.
Citizenship of a partner country; aged 18–35; a valid passport; at least CAD $2,500 in funds; health insurance for the whole stay; and admissibility to Canada.
The 2026 season includes 35+ partner countries — among them South Korea (age limit raised to 35), Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. Mainland China, Russia and the Gulf states are not currently in the program. Quotas and age caps vary by country; IRCC's official list governs.
A family reunification program allowing a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to sponsor their spouse or partner for permanent residence. The aim is to reunite families while confirming the relationship is genuine and not entered into for immigration purposes.
At least 18; a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person registered under the Canadian Indian Act. Permanent residents must live in Canada; citizens abroad may sponsor if they intend to return when the applicant becomes a PR. The sponsor must not be barred — for example by receiving social assistance other than disability, defaulting on a previous sponsorship undertaking, or certain criminal convictions.
A legally married spouse; a common-law partner after at least 12 consecutive months living together in a conjugal relationship; or, in limited cases, a conjugal partner where legal or objective barriers prevent marriage or cohabitation. The relationship must be genuine and the applicant admissible on medical, criminality and security grounds.
| Approximate time | Stage |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Sponsorship and permanent residence applications submitted online via the IRCC PR Portal. |
| 1–2 months | IRCC issues an Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR) and confirms the application is complete. |
| 2–4 months | Biometrics instruction letter (if required), medical exam request or review of an upfront medical, and sponsor eligibility assessment. |
| 4–8 months | IRCC assesses the genuineness of the relationship, reviews documents, and runs criminality, security and background checks. Extra documents or an interview may be requested. |
| 8–12 months | Final decision. If approved, the applicant receives a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and completes landing. |
The table shows the sequence of stages for a straightforward file (closest to an Outland case). Official processing times are roughly 20–28 months for Inland and generally under 20 months for Outland, and they change continually — IRCC's processing-time tool at the moment of filing governs.
| Government fee | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Sponsorship fee | $90 |
| Principal applicant processing fee | $570 |
| Right of Permanent Residence Fee | $600 |
| Total core government fees | $1,260 |
| Each accompanying dependent child | $180 |
| Biometrics (per person) | $85 |
| Medical exam (per person, varies by clinic) | $200–400 |
Police certificates, translation and notarisation may add further costs. Amounts follow IRCC's fee schedule in force at the time of filing.
Leave your details and we will identify the best-fit pathway free of charge, then arrange a formal assessment with our licensed partner.
Book a free consultation