When is the right time to immigrate to Canada?

The short answer is, immigrate now if you’re younger than 30 years old. The immigration system in Canada is based on points, and you’re penalized for being over 30 years old (subtract 5 points for each year after 29). There are some ways around this though. See below.

Other than that, there are a number of factors to consider.

• Have you just finished undergrad (younger than 30) and want to pursue higher education? Go to Canada instead of going to the USA! The US immigration system will stress you out for decades before you might manage to somehow get a green card. By the time you get a green card, you’ll be saddled with debt, child-care, healthcare costs etc. Forget about becoming an entrepreneur or changing careers at any point in the US. You’re stuck to jobs which are related to your degree because your visa and green card application are based on your field of education.
• If you have decided to go to Canada for your master’s (younger than 30), make sure you work in the field of your undergrad degree for 12 months before you start your master’s. That will push your points really high because Canada wants people who have both Canadian as well as international experience. You’ll be able to get your Permanent Residence within a few months of completing your master’s degree if you do this. If you don’t, you’ll have to wait till you have 12 months of Canadian experience in the field of your undergrad or your master’s before you can apply. You should have your PR within 18 months of graduation either way (approval or rejection happens within 180 days of submission of application).
• If you’ve already completed your Master’s/PhD in another country and have 1–3 years experience in the field of one of your degrees, set up your profile and apply now.
• If you’re older than 30, you could still get through the PR process if you have a master’s/PhD and 1–3 years of experience in the same field as one of your degrees. However, if you’re way older than 30 (39+), you’re better off applying for a Provincial Nomination before you apply for Permanent Residence. One of Canada’s 10 Provinces or 3 Territories should nominate you and say they would like to have you move to their province as an immigrant, based on your education and/or work experience. This will give you 600 points on your PR profile and you’re sure to get through. However, it takes about 12 months (depending on the province) to get a Provincial Nomination, and you’ll be obliged to stay in that province for a few years, or your PR renewal application or citizenship application can get denied. Exceptions can be made for people who can prove that they tried hard to get a job in that province but were not able to.
• Are you a medical doctor, a pharmacist, or a lawyer? You’ll have to meet certain qualification criteria before you become eligible to practice in your field in Canada (depending on the province). Find out what courses or exams you will be required to study, and how long it will take to do so. For some specialized medical doctors, this could take close to a decade.

Canada is one of the easiest countries to immigrate to if you’re young, fluent in French/English, have a degree, and at least 1 year of work experience. The right time to immigrate is now.