“I’m 46. Is it too late for me to apply for Canada PR?”
Not at all. There is no need to lose hope. We have worked with many senior immigrants and they are now permanent residents.
But what makes it so difficult to immigrate to Canada after 40 years of age. Let’s discuss this in detail and the possible solutions for this issue.
Immigration to Canada after 40
Hundreds of foreign nationals (40 years and above) are considering moving to the Great White North. Canada offers a quality life and ecosystem to raise a family with a free public education system and quality healthcare.
However, most of these Canadian immigration programs give preference to younger applicants. The good news is that there are still plenty of options for immigration to Canada after 45.
Let’s examine each of these options and how prospective immigrants can get started.
Professional Advice for 40+ Senior Candidates
How can I get Canada PR after 40?
Canada’s immigration programs assess applicants in a variety of areas. This can include occupation, work experience, education level, language proficiency, and age.
As an applicant, you can strive to gain more work experience, boost your education credentials, and work in an eligible occupation.
But, you cannot change your age. Your age reduces the possible options for Canadian immigration.
This is because the system relies on your “CRS score,” which is likely to be lower if you are past a certain age. The CRS points awarded to applicants based on their age are displayed in the following table.
| Age | CRS Points for Applicants that have a spouse or a common-law partner | CRS Points for Applicants without a spouse or a common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| 17 or younger | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | 90 | 99 |
| 19 | 95 | 105 |
| 20 to 29 | 100 | 110 |
| 30 | 95 | 105 |
| 31 | 90 | 99 |
| 32 | 85 | 94 |
| 33 | 80 | 88 |
| 34 | 75 | 83 |
| 35 | 70 | 77 |
| 36 | 65 | 72 |
| 37 | 60 | 66 |
| 38 | 55 | 61 |
| 39 | 50 | 55 |
| 40 | 45 | 50 |
| 41 | 35 | 39 |
| 42 | 25 | 28 |
| 43 | 15 | 17 |
| 44 | 5 | 6 |
| 45 or above | 0 | 0 |
As you can clearly see that an applicant’s CRS score gets lower after the age of 29. Applicants who are 45 or older get 0 CRS points in this category, which puts them at a disadvantage compared to younger applicants.
Here’re 4 Ways to Get Canada PR after 40 years of age.
1. Express Entry
It is the most straightforward of all the other immigration routes, but also the most difficult one. The reason for that is the age factor reduces about 100 CRS points from your Express Entry profile. So, how to compensate for this gap?
Applicants over 40 that wish to apply for permanent residence through the Express Entry Program have many other ways to boost their CRS score. This includes:
1. Scoring Well on Language Proficiency Tests
You can add some extra points to your CRS score by performing well on a Canadian language proficiency test. The points for each language benchmark are shown in the following table:
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level score for each ability | Applicants that have a spouse or a common-law partner | Applicants without a spouse or a common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| Less than CLB 4 | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 4 or 5 | 6 | 6 |
| CLB 6 | 8 | 9 |
| CLB 7 | 16 | 17 |
| CLB 8 | 22 | 23 |
| CLB 9 | 29 | 31 |
| CLB 10 or more | 32 | 34 |
Successfully Immigrate to Canada After 40 with ELAAR
2. Possessing Advanced Post-Secondary Education Degrees
You can also get a higher CRS score depending on your level of education. The following table describes the number of CRS points you can receive for each level of education.
| Education Level | Applicants that have a spouse or a common-law partner | Applicants without a spouse or a common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| High School or Less than secondary school. | 0 | 0 |
| High school graduation. | 28 | 30 |
| A one-year degree, or a diploma or certificate obtained from a university, college, technical or trade school, or any other similar institute. | 84 | 90 |
| A two-year program studied at a university, college, technical or trade school, or another similar institute. | 91 | 98 |
| A Bachelor's degree OR a three or longer program at a university, college, technical or trade school, or another similar institute. | 112 | 120 |
| Possessing two or more degrees, diplomas, or certificates. One of these must be awarded for a program that is three years or longer in length. | 119 | 128 |
| A Master's degree, or a professional degree required to practice in a licensed occupation such as medicine or law. | 126 | 135 |
| A doctoral-level university degree or Ph.D. | 140 | 150 |
3. Having a Valid Job Offer
Applicants can receive a significant number of CRS points for Express Entry if they have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.
You can earn between 50 and 200 points in this category, depending on your NOC code. NOC 00 jobs are rewarded 200 CRS points, while NOC 0, A, and B jobs are awarded 50 CRS points.
2. Business Immigration
Applicants above 40 can also apply for immigration using one of the many business immigration programs available. This includes:
These business immigration programs focus less on an applicant’s age, and more on their business experience and ability to contribute or invest in Canada’s economy.
This makes it ideal for applicants over the age of 40 who possess extensive business experience or possess the funds to make a significant investment in the country.
3. Study Permit to Permanent Resident
Many international students choose this Study Permit to PR pathway to attain settle in Canada permanently. In the same way, you can also study in Canada after 40 years.
It is a 3 step process, where you first apply for a Study permit, then you get a PGWP, and eventually, you can apply for PR via the Canadian Experience Class program.
Your “near me” immigration consultants may not even consider it as a good option, because there are very few universities that accept 40+ candidates.
Many local immigration agents try to enroll older clients in those universities which gives them the highest incentives. Thus, you end up paying hefty fees to these universities.
So, if you want to go with the Study option, always go with a Registered Canadian Immigration consultant like ELAAR.
Pro Tip: Many community colleges have low fees as compared to private colleges. Also, some provinces like Manitoba have very affordable fees in their colleges.
Get Canada's Study Permit after 40 years of age.
Getting Study Permit in Canada After 40
There is no such age limit for a Canadian Student Visa. If there is any restriction, it will be at the university level, not the visa level.
The first step would be finding a DLI that accepts candidates over 40 years of age.
Also, you have to convince the visa officer at the interview that you will return to your home country once you complete your study program.
You need to show proof of adequate funds available for all your expenses in Canada.
All these efforts can work out only if you have a strong case. We can help you submit a compelling case so that the study plan makes sense. You can book an appointment with ELAAR for professional advice on your case.
4. Apply for a Job in Canada
This option works for people with having significant experience in high-demand jobs in Canada.
- It is a 3 step process, where you first apply for a job in Canada.
- After getting a job offer you apply for a Canadian work permit and start working in Canada.
- Once you gain 1+ years of experience, you can apply for Canadian PR.
Alternatively, you can come to Canada with a tourist visa. After that, you can search for work in Canada and get a work permit.
For example, there is an extreme demand for Live-in caregivers in Canada. Many applicants who are 40 years and above apply for these jobs. The majority of these candidates come from the Philippines, Asian and African countries.
How can we help?
We can help applicants whether they want to gain additional CRS points by studying, working, or immigrating to Canada through business immigration.
In addition to this, our immigration consultants can also help your spouse apply for a Spousal Open Work Permit and dependent visas for your children.
This arrangement allows your family to come to Canada while you work towards achieving Canadian permanent residency.
Our immigration consultant team is headed by Keshav Sharma, a licensed immigration consultant with extensive immigration and business management experience.
He can use his expertise to guide you on business immigration matters and optimize your application as a mature immigration applicant. Get in touch with Elaar Immigration Consulting and start this process today.
