Immigrating from New Zealand to Canada
Learn the various pathways of immigration to Canada, including family-sponsorship and employment from New Zealand.
Interested in Immigrating to Canada from New Zealand?
According to the 2016 Canadian Census, there were 15,395 Canadians who claimed full or partial New Zealand ancestry.
People from New Zealand, (also known as Kiwis), often immigrate to Canada for work or a job offer, to create a more suitable future for their families, to attend school, or to be in a place with a larger economy.
It is also common for Kiwis to immigrate to Canada as the first step in their ultimate decision to immigrate to the USA. This is because a Canadian Passport allows new immigrant Canadian Citizens to have the option of remaining in Canada or to live and work in the United States.
It is most typical to find New Zealand immigrants living in Canadian cities such as:
- Montreal
- Vancouver
- Ottawa
New Zealand
CanadaImmigration Process
Most New Zealanders come to Canada with a goal to stay there permanently. Many Kiwis have chosen to move to Canada in search of better opportunities and quality of life. Permanent Residency for New Zealand foreign nationals can be thought of as ‘tentative Citizenship” because of a few differences between permanent residency and citizenship in Canada. As a Permanent Resident, you cannot vote, and permanent residents may still be deported if they commit a serious crime. Two of the major ways to obtain permanent residency in Canada are through employment and family sponsorship.
Working in Canada
Family Sponsorship
Applying for Express Entry or PNPs
Those looking to immigrate to Canada from New Zealand also have the option to enter the Express Entry pool or apply for a Provincial Nominee Program also known as PNPs.
Express Entry is by far the most popular and typically the fastest program to obtain Canadian Permanent Residency through. The Express Entry program calculates a score for each applicant depending on a collection of categories. However, if your CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) is low, you can plan to apply in any of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) for Canada. When applying for a PNP, a Canadian province or territory must nominate an applicant.
If you are curious to know about your CRS Score, check out our crs score calculator!
Study Permits
Useful Resources for Kiwis in Canada
InterNations New Zealand Expats in Canada – connect with the expat community of New Zealanders in Canada. Attend monthly events and activities for New Zealanders expatriates to get to know like-minded expatriates in real life.
Safetravel – General travel advice for New Zealanders immigrating to Canada
Call Us Today
The first step towards moving to Canada is to get an assessment of your specific situation. Call us today at 866.934.7447 for an assessment to see if you are eligible to move to Canada, or fill out our online assessment form.