Canada opens new VAC in Portugal

The advantage of having a VAC in your space is that VAC service brokers can be found by cellphone, e-mail or in particular person to reply questions in native languages and to assist ensure that your utility is full.

With the opening of the Lisbon VAC, candidates in Portugal will now not have to journey outdoors of the nation, which helps scale back prices in addition to distance and journey time and enhance shopper service.

Non-Portuguese residents residing in Portugal who want a visa to come back to Canada may also entry companies on the Lisbon VAC.

The brand new VAC is at the moment taking appointments and has been since February 12, 2024.

With this new centre, IRCC’s VAC community will include 163 places in 110 nations all over the world. Canada began opening VACs within the mid 2000s. The primary location was in India, adopted by China.

Why is Canada opening a brand new VAC in Portugal?

The ties between Canada and Portugal have grown stronger with time. Canada is dwelling to a vibrant neighborhood of Portugese immigrants and Canadians of Portugese origins.

The media launch by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) cites these causes as to why Canada is making it simpler for Portuguese residents to journey to Canada. The 2 nations have robust bilateral relations—celebrating 70 years of formal diplomatic relations in 2022. Roughly 448,000 individuals of Portuguese origin reside in Canada, in accordance with the most recent Census.

The brand new visa utility centre in Lisbon will provide Portugese residents higher flexibility and accessibility to go to, research or work in Canada. It’s going to additionally open the door to new alternatives for social, financial and cultural alternate—benefitting each nations.

“The opening of the first-ever Canada visa utility centre in Portugal is one other instance of our dedication to enhancing visa processing effectivity and shopper service,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller mentioned in a media launch. “Portuguese residents already take pleasure in visa-exempt journey to Canada for as much as six months, and the brand new VAC will make it even simpler for them to use to go to longer, research or work in Canada, all whereas contributing to our economic system and deepening the ties between our nations.”

Transfer to Canada from Portugal

In case you are concerned about Canadian everlasting residency, it’s possible you’ll be eligible for sure immigration packages even if in case you have by no means set foot in Canada earlier than.

Many individuals come to Canada by means of financial immigration packages just like the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) or by means of packages managed by the Specific Entry system.

Though, a lot knowledge signifies that everlasting residents with Canadian expertise are inclined to fare higher within the labour market of their first yr after acquiring everlasting residency standing.

Along with finding out in Canada, there are lots of choices for Portugese residents to launch their Canadian careers. Listed below are simply two choices:

Digital Nomad

Do you know that Canada explicity permits for digital nomads to work remotely in Canada during their customer visa’s validity?

That’s proper. And Portugese residents can keep in Canada for as much as six months with simply an digital journey authorization (eTA). The method is comparatively fast and easy and might be accomplished on-line.

Nevertheless, if you happen to plan to remain for longer than six months otherwise you wish to work in Canada, you’ll have to apply for a visa and a research or work allow.

Worldwide Expertise Canada (IEC)

Portugal is one in all over 30 nations which have a bilateral youth mobility settlement with Canada.

With Worldwide Expertise Canada (IEC) Portugese youth ages 18 to 35 can take a working vacation in Canada for as much as two years.

Each week, Moving2Canada reviews on the happenings within the IEC program. As of February 16, there are nonetheless 1,768 spots obtainable in all IEC packages for Portugese residents, and the chances of being invited to use are “Wonderful.” For extra weekly updates, try our IEC Information Hub.

It’s nonetheless early within the yr, the IEC season began and January and can probably be open till the autumn, then a brand new season will begin within the new yr. So if you wish to apply for IEC 2024 it’s not too late!

Get entry to free sources that can assist you transfer to Canada by means of IEC while you create a free Moving2Canada account and join our publication.

In case you’re concerned about transferring to Canada however unsure which program it’s possible you’ll be eligible for, test your eligibility for greater than 20 Canadian immigration packages by taking Moving2Canada’s free Canada Immigration Quiz.