Canada is a popular destination for Kenyan nationals due to the economic opportunities it offers. There are now over 13,000 people of Kenyan origin who live in Canada, and this number continues to grow each year due to more Kenyans moving to Canada to immigrate, work, and study.
Canada also offers many advantages, such as being a safe and politically stable country, a thriving economy, a highly developed healthcare system, and an internationally recognized education system. Looking ahead, there will be more opportunity for Kenyans to immigrate to Canada due to Canada's commitment to increase its immigration levels.
If you are looking to immigrate to Canada from Kenya, you have come to the right place. This article provides an overview of Canadian immigration options available to Kenyans.
Why Kenyans are Well-Positioned for Canadian Immigration
Kenyans are in a strong position to immigrate to Canada due to their high levels of English language proficiency, education, and professional work experience. These are among the key factors that Canada considers when selecting economic class immigrants.
Canadian Immigration Programs
Canada offers several options for immigrants who want to settle here. These options will depend on your interests, your eligibility, and the resources you have. With over 80 immigration channels, Canada offers a variety of possibilities for all sorts of candidates.
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Here are some of the most common and accessible pathways for Kenyans:
1. Express Entry System
Express Entry is the quickest way to immigrate to Canada. It is a Canadian Immigration Program that allows immigrants to live and work in Canada as skilled workers. The target is for more than 110,000 permanent residents to be admitted through Express Entry per year.
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): The FSWP may be the best option for you if you are a Kenyan living overseas. The FSWP allows candidates with work experience and no connection to Canada or job offer to apply for permanent residence. The program targets skilled workers who will be able to use their foreign work experience, education, language skills and other human capital factors to become economically established in Canada. In addition, IRCC sets a 6-month processing service standard under Express Entry.
Applicants will be pooled and ranked according to their eligibility. If you’re eligible, you will receive an invitation to apply for PR through the Express Entry.
2. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is the other major option for Kenyan immigration candidates. Each province and territory of Canada - except for Nunavut and Québec - has its own PNP. Every PNP has immigration programs that target certain groups called “streams”. These streams would then have their specific set for requirements.
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Canada is a federal country with 10 provinces and three territories, the majority of which administer the PNP. The program allows each province and territory, with its own population and economy, to design immigration pathways based on its economic and demographic needs. Through the PNP, provinces and territories can nominate skilled worker candidates for immigration to their respective jurisdictions.
Kenyan candidates may be able to apply to immigrate to Canada directly through a PNP, provided they meet eligibility criteria. They may also enter the Express Entry pool and be invited to apply for nomination by a province that will select candidates from the federal pool. If they are nominated through an Express Entry-linked stream, they will receive an additional 600 CRS points. This means they are virtually guaranteed to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence (ITA) in a subsequent Express Entry draw.
However, the PNP category generally requires that applicants reside in the respective Provinces after they arrive in Canada. When interested, you must first choose a province you’re interested to work or study in.
3. Family Sponsorship
Family Reunification remains a cornerstone of Canada’s immigration policy. Your family member who is already living in Canada can sponsor you to immigrate in the country. Families in Canada can sponsor their relatives to come to Canada permanently. To qualify to sponsor your relative, you have to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Also who you can sponsor is: your spouse and children under the age of 22 (there are some exceptions to this). Sponsoring your parents or grandparents is no longer an option at this time. All categories have the same eligibility as for the sponsors. Everything is mostly done online for these applications.
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4. Work Permit
Many applicants for Canadian immigration first get Canadian job offers, apply for a work visa, and then on that basis, immigrate to Canada. The LMIA involves securing a Canadian job offer, having the Canadian employer apply for an LMIA through Service Canada, and then the applicant applying for the work permit after the LMIA is approved. In most cases, your job offer must come from an employer with a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Each Express Entry program will have its own requirements when deciding if your job offer is valid.
5. Investor Category
The Investor Category is designed for high-net-worth individuals who have owned or managed businesses overseas. By allowing experienced business people to invest in the Canadian economy, they are contributing to Canada’s overall growth and prosperity. There are essentially two investor programs in Canada: The Federal Investor Program and the Quebec program. Both programs are somewhat similar and require that the applicants have a high net worth and make a large investment in an approved investment fund for 5 years. As of June 2014, applications still in the backlog of the federal Immigrant Investor Program and Entrepreneur Program were terminated.
Other Important Considerations
- Age: There are no age restrictions for any Canadian immigration program. However, in most economic immigration categories, candidates aged 25 to 35 earn the highest points.
- Language: Moving to Canada from Kenya includes adjusting to the country’s official languages.
- Cost: The cost of immigrating to Canada typically amounts to approximately $2,300 CAD for an individual applicant and around $4,500 CAD for a couple. It’s important to note that these figures do not encompass the settlement funds required, which can vary depending on family size, starting at roughly $13,000 CAD for a single applicant. For those applying through a provincial program, additional fees may apply.
Settling in Canada
Most Kenyans tend to settle in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Hamilton. According to Statistics Canada, 3,475 immigrants arrived from Kenya between 2016 and 2021.
How a Canadian Immigration Lawyer Can Help
For your application, Canadian immigration attorneys will be your point of contact with the government. To know more about these options on how to move to Canada from Kenya, consult with an immigration lawyer. If you are thinking of immigrating to Canada from Kenya, your first consideration will be to select the most appropriate Immigration category.
If you want to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry or another skilled worker pathway such as the PNP, the first step is to complete a free CanadaVisa assessment form. If you are eligible for Canadian immigration, a member of the Cohen Immigration Law team will reach out to provide you with as much assistance as possible.
Permanent Residence Status and Citizenship
Achieving “permanent resident status of Canada”, after emigrating from Kenya, is also referred to as “Immigration to Canada” or becoming a “landed immigrant of Canada”. The issuance of a Canada immigrant visa, is the successful conclusion of the Canada Immigration Application process. This bestows upon you a permanent resident status so you will be able to enjoy all the same rights and privileges as those of a Canadian citizen (i.e. free health care, free elementary and secondary education, subsidized post-secondary education, the right to work in Canada) with just a few exceptions.
Unlike Canadian citizens, a permanent resident cannot vote; a permanent resident cannot hold a Canadian passport; and a permanent resident can be deported for certain criminal convictions.
As a permanent resident of Canada, if you have lived in Canada for at least a total of 1095 days within any consecutive four (4) year period of time after receiving your Canadian Permanent Residence, you will be eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship. Once you have obtained Canadian Citizenship, you will be eligible to apply for a Canadian passport.
In accordance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act of Canada, a permanent resident must have lived in Canada for a total of at least 730 days within the five (5) years previous to the date of expiration on his/her Permanent Resident Card in order to be eligible to renew the Permanent Resident Card, subject to certain exceptions.
Once you have been issued a Canadian immigrant visa, you must present yourself to a Canada Immigration officer at one of the official ports of entry of Canada. Canada aims to welcome over 1.4 million permanent residents from 2024-2026.
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