The Canadian government has set ambitious targets in the Immigration Levels Plan for 2023-2025, with the aim of welcoming a substantial number of new permanent residents. In 2023, they are targeting the admission of 410,000 to 505,000 permanent residents, followed by 430,000 to 542,000 in 2024, and 442,500 to 550,000 in 2025. These record-high targets underscore the government's belief in the pivotal role newcomers play in driving economic growth and enriching our communities. Additionally, achieving these levels will facilitate family reunification and enhance the protection of democratic and human rights on an unprecedented scale.

To stimulate economic growth, Canada is leveraging various business temporary and permanent residence programs, which are designed to attract overseas individuals possessing the capital, business acumen, and entrepreneurial skills needed to contribute significantly to the local economy.

Notably, Canada's Intra-company Transfer (ICT) work permit process caters to multinational companies who wish to transfer their management, senior executives or specialized knowledge employees to Canada to manage its Canadian or North American business affairs or establish a new business node. From the perspective of these high-skilled employees, this program enables them to be seamlessly transferred from the foreign company to its qualifying Canadian parent company, branches, subsidiaries, or affiliated companies, potentially leading to fast-track pathway to the Canadian permanent residence for them and their family members.

A decision on this work permit application can be obtained in as short as 6-10 weeks from the Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada (IRCC), depending on the home country of the transferee.

Eligibility for the ICT program hinges on employees having held similar positions in the foreign company for at least 1 year within the 3-year period preceding their application. Moreover, qualified applicants can bring along their spouse or common-law partner and their children under 22 years of age. Their spouse or common-law partner may work in Canada on an open work permit with no employer restriction, and their children may study on a student visa.

The ICT program is subdivided into 2 categories:

1. The ICT - Executive or Senior Manager, and
2. The ICT - Specialized Knowledge.
   

The Executive or Senior Manager category is for employees who will be in a senior management or executive position in Canada, while the Specialized Knowledge category is for employees who have specialized knowledge of the company's products, services, research, equipment, techniques, or management.

This ICT program has several benefits for both the employer and the employee, including:

1. Streamlined application process: The ICT program has a streamlined application process, which can result in faster processing times compared to other work permit categories.
2. Longer work permit duration: ICT work permits can be issued for up to three years, which is longer than the standard work permit duration.
3. No labour market impact assessment (LMIA) required: Employers do not need to obtain a LMIA to hire an employee under the ICT program, which can simplify the hiring process.
4. Pathway to permanent residency: Employees who work in Canada under the ICT program may be eligible to apply for permanent residency through the Canadian Experience Class or other immigration programs.

To apply for an Intra-Company Transfer Work Permit in Canada, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Determine if you are eligible: To be eligible for an Intra-Company Transfer Work Permit, you must have been employed by a company that has a qualifying relationship with a Canadian company. You must also have been employed by the foreign company for at least one year in a similar position to the one you will be filling in Canada.
2. Obtain a job offer: You will need a job offer from the Canadian company that you will be transferring to. The job offer should include details such as your job title, job duties, salary, and length of employment.
3. Set up the Employer Portal Profile: submit an offer of employment, obtain an Offer of Employment Number, normally starts with a 7-digit number, starting with the letter “A”,
4. Apply for a Work Permit: You can apply for a work permit online or on paper. You will need to provide supporting documents such as your job offer letter, proof of your qualifications, and proof of your relationship with the foreign company.
5. Pay the application fee: There is a fee to apply for a work permit. You will need to pay this fee when you submit your application.
6. Wait for a decision: It can take several weeks or months for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to process your application. If your application is approved, you will receive a letter of introduction that you will need to present to a border services officer when you enter into Canada.

There are several ways to become a PR of Canada. 

Here are some of the most common options:

For ICT work permit holder specifically, an additional 50 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points may provide the applicant with the needed CRS boost to be selected in the EE pool.

1. Receive social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, like health care,
2. Live, work or study anywhere in Canada,
3. Apply for Canadian Citizenship if eligible,
4. Being protected under Canadian laws and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

As a Canadian permanent resident, the transferee may then apply for Canadian citizenship once the requirements are met.

The eligibility criteria are as follows:

1. Having been physically living inside Canada for at least 1,095 days (approx. 3 years) in the latest 5 years before filing for Citizenship,
2. Having filed for income tax for at least 3 years in the latest 5 years before the application,
3. Pass the citizenship test,
4. Prove his/her language skills in one of the two official languages, English (and at the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) Level 4 or higher) or French (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) Level 4 or higher), if s/her is between 18 to 54 of age at the time of application.

For the language ability, the Canadian government provides government-funded training courses such as:

1. Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC/CLIC)
2. MCIIT-ESL/FSL/CL
3. Progress Report (Manitoba)
4. MIDI-Echelle Québécoise (Quebec)
5. ELSA (British Columbia)

Benefits of an ICT Work Permit in terms of temporary residency:

If the transferee or a family member has been living in Canada as a temporary resident under a work permit, open work permit or student permit, s/he may be able to include some of the residency time spent in Canada. Each day a temporary resident spent in Canada within the past 5 years counts as 0.5 days in the calculation of his/her physical presence. A maximum of 365 days can be used as a temporary resident (or protected person) towards the time spent in Canada when filing for a citizenship application.

Final steps to Canadian Citizenship:

1. Determine the transferee's eligibility: To be eligible for Canadian citizenship, the transferee must meet specific criteria, such as being a permanent resident of Canada, having lived in Canada for the specified amount of time, being able to communicate in English or French, and having knowledge of Canada's history, values, and institutions.
2. Gather the transferee's documents: Various documents are required as part of the citizenship application, including the permanent resident card, passport, and other identification documents.
3. Complete and submit the application: The transferee can apply for citizenship online or by mail. The application will request information about the transferee's personal background, residency, language skills, and other relevant details.
4. Wait for processing: It can take several months to process a citizenship application. During this period, the transferee may be asked to provide additional documents or attend an interview.
5. Take the citizenship test: The transferee will be required to take a citizenship test to demonstrate their knowledge of Canada's history, values, and institutions.
6. Attend a citizenship ceremony: If the application is approved, the transferee will be invited to attend a citizenship ceremony where they will take the Oath of Citizenship and receive their citizenship certificate.

Et voilà! Transferee to Canadian citizen!

It is important to note that the ICT program has stringent and specific eligibility requirements, and the application process can be complex and extremely time-consuming. It is recommended that the transferee or the employer consults with a qualified immigration professional to determine if the program is the right fit for them.

Related Topics: Canada Intra-Company Transferee (ICT) | English Level Self-Assessment for Canada Immigration

Tags: #can #canict #canictvisa #canintracompany #cantransferee #canintracompanytransfer #canworkvisa #canictfees #canlawyer

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