Which Route Are You On?
Most people from Taiwan come to Canada via one of these paths:
| Entry status | Common Purposes | Can be converted to | Maximum Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| eTA (visa-free) | Travel and short-term visits with family | Visitor -> Visitor Visa Extension | No restrictions |
| Working Holiday WHV | Experience life, save money, and explore immigrating | Work permit / study permit / PGWP | 35 years old |
| Student Visa | Study, work part-time, and obtain a PGWP | PGWP → CEC → PR | No restrictions |
| Work permit (LMIA) | Have an employer-sponsored job | CEC / LMIA → PR | No restrictions |
| PGWP | Working in Canada After Graduation | CEC / Skilled Worker PR | No restrictions |
Working Holiday (Working Holiday Visa / IEC)
Taiwan gets roughly 600–800 spots each year, applied for through the IEC (International Experience Canada) program. For many people this is the first step to “test the waters” in Canada.
Eligibility requirements
- Aged 18–35 at the time of application
- A valid Taiwan passport
- Have sufficient funds (we recommend $2,500 CAD or more)
- Healthy, with no serious criminal record
✅ WHV Advantages
- An Open Work Permit lets you work for any employer
- Free to move around and take on any legal work
- It's a low-cost way to explore whether to stay in Canada or not
- Save money while working and prepare for further visa options at the same time
❌ WHV Restrictions
- Up to 1 year (for a second time you must go to a different farm to enter the draw again)
- Spots are limited, and competition has heated up in recent years
- The WHV itself does not lead directly to PR (it must be combined with other strategies)
Study-Permit Route (Study → PGWP → CEC → PR)
This is currently the most common "standard" immigration path. The key points are as follows:
- Choose the right school and program: Not all programs grant a PGWP, so confirm the DLI list and PGWP eligibility
- Course length determines the PGWP: A 2-year program earns a 2-year PGWP, and a 3-year program earns a 3-year PGWP.
- Accumulate Canadian Experience during the PGWP period: Usually requires more than 1 year of full-time NOC TEER 0–3 work experience
- Apply for PR via Express Entry (CEC stream)：Selection by CRS score ranking
LMIA work permit route
If you have an employer willing to apply for an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) for you, this is another path toward PR:
- Employers need to prove to the government that "no suitable talent can be found locally in Canada"
- The fee is paid by the employer ($1,000 CAD application fee; IRCC explicitly prohibits employers from requiring job seekers to bear it)
- LMIA + work experience → Express Entry bonus points (50–200 points)
A Quick Look at Express Entry Points (CRS)
| Item | Highest score | How to Improve |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 110 | The younger you are the higher it is, peaking at 20–29 |
| Education Level | 150 | Master's/Doctorate > Bachelor's |
| English proficiency (IELTS/CELPIP) | 136 | CLB 9+ is the key threshold |
| Canadian work experience | 80 | The CEC stream matters most |
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 600 | Add 600 points at once for direct selection |
| An LMIA job offer | 50–200 | NOC TEER 0–1 adds 200 |
Year 1: Working Holiday Visa — Save Money and Explore Your Surroundings
Years 2–4: Apply for a 2-year college diploma, study while working part-time
Year 5: Graduate, apply for a 2-year PGWP, and start full-time work
Years 6-7: Accumulate 1 year of Canadian work experience -> CEC -> Express Entry -> Apply for PR
What Is the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)?
Besides the federal Express Entry, each province also has its own nominee program. The ones Taiwanese people most commonly come across:
- BC PNP (BC skilled talent): For specific occupational categories, you can be nominated directly for an extra 600 CRS points
- Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP): Occupations with major labor shortages in the Toronto area
- Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot: Living in a designated small city makes it easier to receive a nomination
❓ Visa FAQ
Can a working holiday be extended?
A WHV itself cannot be directly extended, but before it expires you can apply for another type of work permit (such as an LMIA work permit) or a study permit, to stay in Canada legally.
Do Taiwanese applicants need an additional immigration assessment?
no, Taiwanese passports do not trigger additional immigration screening. A common point of confusion involves two unrelated things: AOR (Acknowledgement of Receipt) is simply an application confirmation that IRCC sends after receiving permanent residency applications (such as Express Entry or spousal sponsorship)—it has nothing to do with nationality and is issued to all applicants, not a special procedure that Taiwanese citizens can "skip." When Taiwanese passport holders apply for an eTA (electronic travel authorization) or short-term TRV, they go through a completely different entry screening process, and the two should not be conflated.
Can my spouse come along?
Yes. When the main applicant holds a valid work permit or study permit, the spouse can apply for an Open Work Permit or Study Permit, depending on the status.
Can you apply if you have a bad record (DUI, minor offense)?
It depends on the situation. For minor offenses, you can apply for a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) or Criminal Rehabilitation; we recommend consulting an immigration lawyer or advisor first.
What's the difference between PR and citizenship?
PR (permanent residency) allows you to live and work indefinitely but does not include voting rights, a Canadian passport, or certain federal benefits, and you must meet residency obligations—spending at least 730 days out of every 5 years (1,825 days) in Canada, or you may lose PR status. Citizenship has different requirements: you must have physically resided in Canada for 1,095 days (3 years) during the 5 years (1,825 days) before applying. These are two separate day-count requirements; refer to IRCC's website for the latest details.
Complete Guide to Visas and Immigration
Below is the series of articles on Canadian visas and immigration compiled by Let’s Canada, covering all the main pathways from short-term travel to permanent residence. Click each title to view the full guide:
Short-term entry vs. in-country extensions
- what is a Visitor Record, and how does it differ from a tourist visa or eTA?: the differences between eTA, Visitor Visa (TRV), and Visitor Record; what maintained status is; and what to do before your working holiday expires
- US-Canada Border Crossing Guide: land border crossings, flagpoling to restore status (cancelled 2024/12/24), NEXUS card applications, and CBSA customs rules
Work and study
- Complete Canadian Work Visa Guide: employer-specific vs. open work permits, LMIA, GTS, CUSMA professional permits (not the same as the US TN visa), IEC, and how to choose among RO hidden pathways
- Complete Guide to a Canadian Working Holiday (IEC/WHV): The pool lottery mechanism, application fees, the open work permit, and how to transition to PR after it expires
- The Complete Study Permit Guide: DLI-recognized schools, GIC deposits, the SOP statement of purpose, and the PGWP post-graduation work permit
- LMIA Complete Guide: how employers hire foreign workers and identifying LMIA scams
- GTS Complete Guide: tech talent 2-week fast-track work permit stream and how to choose between Category A/B
immigrating, permanent residency (PR), and status
- Express Entry Complete Guide: The three major federal programs — FSW / CEC / FST — CRS score calculation, and category draw strategy
- A Complete Comparison of PR Application Routes: Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), family sponsorship, Quebec immigration — all the pathways compared at once
- Guide to Spousal and Common-Law Immigration Applications: Sponsor Eligibility, Inland vs Outland Application Routes, Spousal Open Work Permit, Sham Marriage Risks
- Can Americans directly obtain Canadian citizenship?: Citizenship by Descent, 2025 Bill C-3 Amendments, Common CUSMA Work Visa and Citizenship Misconceptions