How to Immigrate to Canada After 35

Since the implementation of the Express Entry system, it has gotten harder for people over 35 to immigrate to Canada because the Express Entry pool has grown more competitive as Express Entry has emerged as the most popular Canadian immigration system. So how can someone over 35 immigrate to Canada?

Anyone seeking to immigrate to Canada as a Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Tradesperson, or member of the Canadian Experience Class, as well as many Provincial Nominees, uses the file-management system known as Express Entry. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, essentially your overall ranking against everyone else in the Express Entry system, is given to anyone who submits an eligible profile through the Express Entry system. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada only accept applications for permanent residence from those with the highest CRS scores.

87% of immigrants who entered the country through the Express Entry system in 2020 were between 18 and 34. This increased compared to 85 percent in 2018 and 86 percent in 2019. These figures make it abundantly clear that Express Entry prefers candidates under 35. Depending on their marital status, the Comprehensive Ranking System can give an applicant up to 110 points for age. Each birthday after the applicant turns 30 results in a loss of points. Your marital status and age both affect how many issues are taken away. By the time they turn 35, single applicants lose 33 points, and married people lose 30 points.

People over 35 who want to immigrate to Canada may want to look into other Canadian immigration in Canada programs since Express Entry is becoming less of an option for mature applicants. However, applicants over 35 may wish to raise their CRS score to be chosen through the Express Entry system rather than turning to other programs.

Options for increasing your CRS score

Option 1: Earn Points Through Your Spouse or Common Law Partner

First, if your spouse has a degree (and an ECA if it was acquired outside of Canada), has passed a language test, or has job experience in Canada, you can receive bonus points. Second, leaving them out of your application may result in a better CRS Score; try this out to see if it makes a substantial difference.

Third, you could have a different score than your spouse or partner. For instance, if your spouse is 29 years old, has a Ph.D., and has three years of job experience. Still, you are 32 years old, have an undergraduate degree, have worked for ten years, and scored poorly on the language exam.

Option 2: Write a Language Test for a Second Language.

If a person who speaks French and English has only taken one approved language test, they can increase their CRS score by a maximum of 74 points by taking an approved test in their second official language. For applicants hoping to get more points, there are also longer-term options.

Option 3: Obtain Additional Educational Credentials.

For applicants who already hold a degree from a three-year or longer program, for instance, obtaining a second degree can increase their CRS score by 32 or 33 points, depending on their marital status. Depending on their marital status, a master’s degree may add 39 or 40 points to their score. In either case, they would add 15 points if they finished the program in Canada while they had a valid study permit.

Option 4: Complete Studies in Canada

An excellent route to Canadian permanent residency is through studying abroad. Depending on the length and difficulty of the program the applicants completed, their CRS score may increase by 15 or 30 points after they have graduated from their Canadian educational institution. Then, they can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) to gain Canadian work experience if they are still short on points. PGWPs are given out for a period ranging from eight months to three years, depending on how long the applicant’s educational program was.

Suppose a candidate can obtain 12 months of full-time Canadian work experience in a position at NOC Skill Level 0, A, or B, depending on their marital status. In that case, they may qualify for the Canadian Experience Class, and their CRS score will increase by at least 35 or 40 points.

The spouses of international students studying in Canada may occasionally be able to apply for an open work permit, which would allow them to work there. In contrast, their spouse is enrolled in school. Suppose the spouse has worked for the equivalent of one year full-time in a paid, skilled occupation in Canada. In that case, they can apply through the Canadian Experience Class, or if their employer is satisfied with them, they can support them in applying for Permanent Residency through a Provincial Nominee program. It could improve the couple’s Express Entry competitiveness.

Option 5: Work in Canada With a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)

Another choice is to try and land a company that can demonstrate that they could not find a Canadian to fill the opening. An impact analysis of the labor market is what this procedure is called (LMIA). Finally, you can increase your Express Entry application score by 50 or 200 points or apply for permanent residency through a Provincial Nominee Program.

Option 6: Employed in Canada Via an Internal Transfer

They might also be qualified to apply for an intra-company transfer work permit. For example, if they work for a multinational corporation that wants to relocate them to Canada or their company wants to relocate them there to grow the business, they do not need an LMIA. In addition, some applicants can increase their Express Entry CRS score by 85 to 240 points after working in Canada for a year on this work permit or apply for permanent residency through a Provincial Nominee program.

Option 7: Employed as a French speaker in Canada

Fluent French speakers who have been offered a full-time job in a skilled position outside of Quebec may be qualified for a work permit that doesn’t call for an LMIA. Some applicants could also increase their Express Entry CRS score by between 85 and 240 points after working in Canada for a year on this work permit or apply for permanent residency through a Provincial Nominee program.

Alternatives to Express Entry for Immigrating to Canada over the age of 35

Candidates can pursue immigration through Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs with many options mentioned above (PNP). For those over 35 who want to immigrate permanently to Canada, there are other immigration options available.

Option 1: The Federal Self-Employed Persons Program

Suppose a person has participated in world-class athletics, world-class cultural activities, and self-employed cultural activities from the previous five years. In this case, they may be eligible to apply for permanent residence under the federal Self-Employed Persons Program.

Option 2: Immigration as an Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurial immigration to Canada is the only remaining choice. Depending on your age, education, work experience, net worth, and entrepreneurial history, there are various programs available for those looking to start a business in Canada or purchase an existing business in Canada. Federal and Provincial programs are the two categories into which Canada divides its immigration policies.

Except for Quebec, which has its immigration programs, federal programs are managed by the Canadian Federal Government and allow individuals to live and work anywhere in Canada. The Start-Up Visa is one of the current federal programs for entrepreneurs. The Start-Up Visa is available to those who receive a letter of recommendation from a predetermined number of business incubators, angel investor groups, or venture capital funds. This program has no minimum personal investment amount or net worth requirement.

Each province or territory manages its provincial programs, which are tailored to meet the needs of that province or territory. The initiatives were designed to allow areas to bring in new immigrants to meet their particular needs. To qualify for these programs, the applicant must intend to buy/start a business in that province and manage day-to-day operations. Each program has different requirements, such as a candidate’s minimum net worth, the amount they must invest in Canadian businesses, 

the number of jobs they must create for Canadians, the years they must have owned and operated a company, their age, and their educational background. Some of these applications have two parts. To participate in the first phase of some of these programs, candidates must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) along with a complete business plan, which is then evaluated. The candidates must wait until they are chosen based on their EOI score.

Once a candidate has been chosen, a work permit is typically given to them, enabling them to enter Canada and conduct business there. Then, after a predetermined amount of time, they will need to demonstrate that they successfully implemented their business plan. After completing this phase, they can apply for permanent residence.