Immigrate to Canada from Pakistan
Canada is home to more than 300,000 individuals of Pakistani heritage. If you are planning to move from Pakistan to Canada, you are in the right place. This page offers a summary of the immigration pathways available for people from Pakistan.
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Overview: Why immigrate from Pakistan to Canada?
Canada is a popular destination for people from Pakistan due to its strong economy and wide range of opportunities. Even with a relatively small population, Canada is home to a large and active South Asian community that contributes significantly as skilled professionals and business owners.
The country also offers a high quality of life, including safety, political stability, a well-developed healthcare system, and a globally respected education system. Public schooling in Canada is highly regarded, and at the post-secondary level, the country has many top-ranked universities, colleges, and vocational training institutions.
Today, more than 300,000 people of Pakistani background live in Canada. They are well represented in Canadian society, including in politics as Members of Parliament and Senators. This community continues to grow as more people from Pakistan move to Canada for work, study, and permanent settlement. Most permanent residents eventually become Canadian citizens, gaining access to one of the world’s most powerful passports, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 180 countries.
In general, many immigrants from Pakistan arrive through economic immigration programs. In the coming years, opportunities are expected to increase further as Canada continues to maintain high immigration targets.
How can you immigrate from Pakistan to Canada?
Applicants from Pakistan are often well positioned for Canadian immigration due to strong English skills, education levels, and professional experience. These factors are highly valued in Canada’s economic immigration system.
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
One of the main pathways for skilled workers is the Federal Skilled Worker Program. It is designed for individuals who have foreign work experience and do not necessarily need a Canadian job offer or prior connection to Canada.
Applicants are assessed based on their ability to contribute economically in Canada, considering factors like education, work history, language skills, and adaptability.
To qualify, candidates generally need:
- At least one year of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) skilled work experience within the last 10 years, in occupations classified under National Occupational Classification (NOC) (TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3
- Language ability equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or higher in English or French across reading, writing, speaking, and listening
- A Canadian educational credential or a foreign qualification supported by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
Applicants must also score at least 67 points under the selection criteria and show sufficient financial resources to support settlement in Canada.
What happens if you qualify for FSWP?
FSWP is managed through Canada’s Express Entry system.
Once eligible, candidates create an Express Entry profile with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). They are then ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which considers factors like age, education, work experience, and language ability.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts Express Entry draws approximately every two weeks, issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to the highest-ranked candidates in the pool.
Once an application is submitted, IRCC generally aims to process Express Entry permanent residence applications within about six months, making it one of the faster immigration pathways.
The system is designed to support Canada’s annual immigration goals, with a target of welcoming over 110,000 permanent residents through Express Entry each year. Because of its structured selection process and relatively quick processing times, Express Entry is considered one of the most efficient options for skilled economic immigrants seeking permanent residence in Canada.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Another major route is the Provincial Nominee Program. Canada’s provinces and territories operate their own immigration streams based on local labour market needs and population goals.
Through the PNP, provinces can select skilled workers who match their economic requirements and nominate them for permanent residency.
Applicants can either apply directly to a provincial program or be selected from the Express Entry pool. If a candidate receives a nomination through an Express Entry-linked stream, they are awarded an additional 600 CRS points, which almost guarantees an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
