How to Immigrate from the Bahamas to Canada: Families, Students, and Workers

Canada, or the Great White North. In North America, Canada is a developed country that attracts many immigrants. For a developed country, it scores highly on well-known economic, development, and quality of life measures. However, if you read this post, you probably had the thought of relocating from the Bahamas to Canada on the back of your mind.

On the surface, Canada might not appear all that foreign to you as a Bahamian; after all, the two countries share a commonwealth heritage, speak the same language, and have Queen Elizabeth II as their heads of state. You also have firsthand experience with what it’s like for a nation to be a popular tourist destination due to the fact that you reside in one.

The reasons you would desire to move to a nearby monarchy that is well-known for its long winters, vast area, and exceptional performance in almost every measurable metric of development will be covered in this section. Along with moving to the Great White North, we’ll discuss what a Bahamian could need. Read on!

Why migrate from the Bahamas to Canada?

We can therefore understand; the Bahamas are a magnificent place with lovely beaches, clear skies, and sporadic hurricanes. You are a Bahamian who loves your monarch and the beauty of your country’s archipelago very much. Despite its brief mention, you may also be familiar with Canada, the “anglo-franco” nation that defines North America’s North. That’s correct, as Canada rarely appears in the headlines, unlike its southern neighbor. There are a few compelling reasons to focus more on the American monarchy, though.

Education

Without a doubt, Canada is a leader in the world of education. While its southern neighbor, the United States, boasts several of the most prestigious universities, Canada has a number of higher education institutions that are at the forefront of the humanities, science, medicine, and technology. They also have an elementary and secondary school system that is on par with American standards. If you’re seeking for a cutting-edge, high-quality, and affordably priced education for yourself or your children, Canada is a fantastic alternative.

Employment

The unemployment rate in the Bahamas is now 14.41%. The unemployment rate in Canada is considerably lower at 5.3%. The Canadian economy is predicted to grow by about 4%, while the Bahamian economy is predicted to grow at a far slower rate of less than 1%. Therefore, those who are on the rise might want to consider Canada.

Quality of Life 

Canada is a first-world country that provides a variety of conveniences and enjoyable activities for people of all ages. The cost of living there is cheaper though when compared to the bulk of other nations in that category. It is therefore perfect for those who desire to begin a new life.

The findings show that Canada performs better than the OECD on 11 quality of life indicators. The Bahamas are renowned for having a good level of living and an HDI of 0.805. However, with Canada’s HDI of 0.93, you might want to consider the monarchy in Canada.

Business

When compared to the Bahamas, Canada comes in at number 23 out of 190 countries in terms of how simple it is to conduct business there. The Bahamas are one of 119 countries worldwide. This may surprise some people given the absence of income and business taxes on the island.

Rights Protection

According to the data, Canada has a Freedom House rating of “Free,” and it scores better than the OECD on 11 parameters of quality of life. Canada obtains a “Free” grade from Freedom House and a total score of 98 for its upholding of political and civil liberties. With exceptionally low crime rates, it has also been rated as one of the safest places on earth. The Bahamas are renowned for having a good level of living and an HDI of 0.805. However, with Canada’s HDI of 0.93, you might want to consider the monarchy in Canada.

5 Ways to Move to Canada from the Bahamas

You now understand the potential benefits of relocating from the Bahamas to Canada. So let’s discuss how you can accomplish this.

#1. Express Entry

Express Entry is a mechanism that the Canadian government employs to handle online applications for skilled workers. There are three immigration routes under the rapid entry pathway, but only two of them are crucial to you as an immigrant to the Bahamas. As follows:

The Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program evaluate applicants based on their age, job experience, language ability, and educational background using a CRS-based scoring system. The top-scoring candidates are invited to submit an application for permanent residence. For qualified professionals, this process can be completed in as little as six months.

#2. The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

It’s for foreign nationals, such as Bahamians, who wish to live in a certain Canadian province, want to become permanent residents of Canada, and have the education and experience necessary to support the local economy.

Create an Express Entry Profile and submit an application straight to the relevant province if you want to use the PNP. It makes use of a point-based system, just like express entry. However, there are certain minimum standards for each province.

It takes six to twelve months to complete a PNP application.

#3. Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP)

Through this program, skilled people who wish to immigrate to one of Canada’s Atlantic provinces—Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island—and work there can do so. It is adapted to the economy of all four Atlantic provinces rather than just one, similar to the PNP.

International graduates or skilled workers from a Canadian institution are required to apply for this program. As a result, as a Bahamian with in-demand abilities, this is only one of many professional prospects.

#4. Start-up Visa

Immigrants who wish to launch a business in Canada and boost the economy can apply for a startup visa. You could use this procedure to enter Canada as a Bahamian if you have a business proposal and Canadian investors. This also applies to business owners who desire to expand or relocate to Canada.

#5. The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)

It’s a program run by the local community for highly trained Bahamians and other international employees who desire to live and work in participating Canadian communities. Because these areas are often smaller than the well-known cities, the Canadian government is employing this tactic to share the economic benefits of immigration to settlements that would otherwise be excluded. Look at the list of participating communities.

There are distinct prerequisites for entering Canada for each of these Pathways.

Prerequisites for entering Canada

There are various prerequisites for traveling from the Bahamas to Canada. They largely depend on the path you choose. Some, however, apply to all routes in the same way. They include:

• Proof of Citizenship
• Work Experience
• Medical Examination
• Language Proficiency
• Police Character Certificate
• Educational Qualification
•  Proof of Funds (B$12,000 to B$16,000)

Proof of Citizenship

The first need for obtaining Bahamian citizenship is evidence of your Bahamian origin. Whether you are relocating to Canada or somewhere else, this is true. The primary form of identification is a Bahamian national passport, though any travel document issued by the Bahamas might also be accepted. Therefore, in order to start your voyage, you will need one of those.

Work Experience

If you’re traveling to Canada from the Bahamas via a career-based path, having real-world work experience can be quite beneficial. The jobs required in Canada are identified by the National Occupation Classification (NOC).

Medical Examination 

You will need a medical checkup as part of the application procedure to determine your eligibility. This is merely a precaution to ensure that you don’t endanger the health of Canadians.

On the other hand, the validity of the exam results is limited to one year.

Proficiency in Languages

French and English are the two official languages of Canada. You must therefore have obtained a minimum score of 7 on the Canadian language standard from recognized writing, reading, speaking, and listening tests in either English or French. Due to the fact that English is the official language of the Bahamas, you might not be able to take the IELTS. However, if for any reason you decide to take the French language exam in its instead, performance will be measured using the Canadian Language Benchmark.

Police Character Certificate

To prove that you are acting honorably and are not eluding the Bahamian police, you will be needed to provide a police certificate. This certificate will reveal your prior criminal background. Therefore, the less there is of it, the better it is for you.

Educational Requirements

A specific minimum degree of education is necessary to be eligible for each of the several pathways. For instance, the Federal Skilled Workers program demands certification from a secondary or postsecondary institution as well as an evaluation of your educational credentials from a specified institution in order to show that your certificate is comparable to the equivalent Canadian version. In contrast, the skilled trades program merely demands a certificate, certification, or proof of your subject-matter competence.

Proof of Funds

You must show that you have enough money in order to move your family from the Bahamas to Canada. This sum may differ depending on the size of your family. While typically between B$12,000 and B$16,000 (CA$ 15,000 and CA$ 20,000), the amount. Additionally, you will require official letters from your bank to prove that you have the right to withdraw these funds anytime you need them.

Steps for Immigrating to Canada in General

You have many options for entering Canada as a citizen of the Bahamas. However, many of these programs’ applications are managed through the express entry system, which is run by the federal government. We try to combine the stages a person from the Bahamas would need to complete in order to come to Canada because a lot of them match enough procedures, if not requirements.

Step 1: Confirm Which Pathway Is Right for You

To choose the immigration road that would be best for you, you must first carefully review all of the conditions and terms of the aforementioned immigration pathways, which normally depends on the reason(s) for your migration. Once you have a complete grasp of what each pathway has to offer, use the prerequisites of each program to evaluate if you are qualified to apply. You can also do this for the programs you believe will benefit you the most.

Step 2: Meet the minimum requirements for your preferred path

There’s a chance that not all of them will be satisfied right away. The language requirements shouldn’t be too challenging for you as a Bahamian, though, as long as you don’t employ “The Dialect” on your test. Try your best to fill in any gaps you may have.

Step 3: Get a job offer from Canada

You might receive a job offer from Canada if you apply through employer-driven schemes like the Atlantic immigration program. If such is the case, taking this action will increase your chances of being accepted into skilled immigration programs like the Rural and Northern Pilot or the Federal Skilled Workers Program. It will also raise your chances of coming to Canada by any of the aforementioned options, with the exception of a Start-up Visa.

Step 4: Find a sponsor in Canada.

This is particularly true for a startup visa applicant who needs funding for his idea from one of the listed organizations on the programs page. But if you see this road, you will look into it more. Your sponsor can be the university or college if, for instance, you want to study in Canada from the Bahamas. If not, a Canadian family member could sponsor you through the Family sponsorship pathway.

Step 5: Prepare your documents.

In particular, be sure you have everything the Canadian Consulate in the Bahamas advises you’ll need. Call (242) 393-2123 or email [email protected] to get in touch with them.