Immigrate to Canada as an Athlete

A practical way to become a permanent resident or citizen of Canada is to immigrate to Canada as an athlete. Athletes are special people treated and managed, especially by the Canadian government, because of their direct contribution to the growth of the socio and sports sectors of the country.

Similarly, they also help expose the country to the international community as a vibrant, friendly, and progressive country when they represent it and do well in local and international competitions.

Furthermore, athletes make the country popular and proud when they fly the flag of Canada for the world to see.

When you immigrate to Canada as an athlete, you set yourself up for the best of life experience. This is because Canada offers you the best stage, assistance, and opportunities to express and showcase your talent and to live your best life by demonstrating your skills, prowess, and competence in your chosen sport.

Canada offers you the greatest opportunity to express yourself with confidence. In Canada, your background or nationality counts for nothing; likewise, it is an equal opportunity country for anyone to fulfill their aspirations and where the wildest of dreams can come, as there is a level playing ground for all to thrive and succeed regardless of nationality or origin.

Additionally, as you immigrate to Canada as an athlete, you get the privilege to become a Canadian citizen in no time.

Thus, your athletic skills and ingenuity are of great importance in Canada; meanwhile, you also benefit immensely from using your skill, time, and effort by making a move to immigrate to Canada.

Who is an Athlete?

By definition, an athlete is also referred to as a sportsman or sportswoman. He or she is an individual who competes in one or more sports that often involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs.

Likewise, most professional athletes have particularly well-developed physiques obtained by extensive physical training and strict exercise accompanied by a strict dietary regimen that makes them fit and suitable to perform at the professional level of their sport.

Responsibilities and Duties to undertake to Immigrate to Canada as an Athlete

Athletes perform some or all of the following responsibilities and duties:

They train under the direction and guidance of a coach or trainer to qualify for the competition.
Attend and participate in scheduled practice and training sessions.
Participate in local, regional, provincial, territorial, national, or international competitions and sporting events.
Assess performance after an event to identify strengths and weaknesses.
Represent the province or country in sporting events as flag bearers

Job Descriptions of an Athlete

Athletes participate in competitive sports events on an amateur or professional basis. Consequently, they compete in team sports such as swimming, hockey, handball, baseball, football, lacrosse, etc. or in individual sports such as boxing, karate, skiing, figure skating, or track and field such as scrabble, snooker, poker, or chess. Therefore, they find employment from professional team organizations, the government, or may also be self-employed.

Examples of Athlete Roles and Titles in Canada

As an athlete desiring to immigrate to Canada to work under this NOC category 5251, you may be employed under working titles such as:

amateur athlete
archer
athlete
automobile racer
badminton player
baseball player
basketball player
billiard player
bowler
boxer
canoeist
chess player
chuckwagon driver
chuckwagon racer – stampede
competitor – chess
competitor – gambling
coxswain
curler
cyclist
demolition driver
discus thrower
diver – Olympic sport
fencer
figure skater
football player
footballer
gamer – video games
golf player
golfer
gymnast
hammer thrower
handball player
harness race driver
harness racing driver
helmsman – sports
hockey player
javelin thrower
jockey
judoka
jumper
pentathlete
ping-pong player
poker player
prizefighter
professional athlete
professional boxer
pool player
race car driver
rider
rodeo performer
rower
sailboarder
short-distance runner
shot put
skater
skier
snowboarder
soccer player
sprinter
stampede performer
stampede racer
standardbred pacer
stock car racer
sulky driver
swimmer
table tennis player
tennis player
track athlete
volleyball player
water-polo player
weight-lifter
wrestler

Thus, jobs on the Canada NOC List have designated immigration codes; the code for Athletes on the NOC is 5251. Therefore, all these roles an athlete holds are eligible to apply under this specific NOC category of 5251.

Inclusion(s)

Included as members of this category are the following:

competitor – gambling
gamer – video games

Exclusion(s)

The following under-listed do not fall into the category of athlete occupational code in the NOC list of 5251

Coaches
Sports instructors
Sports officials and referees

Minimum Qualifications and Employment Requirements to Immigrate to Canada as an Athlete

Firstly, as an athlete, you must be able to demonstrate ability in a particular sport or type of game.
Thereafter, undergo extensive training under the supervision of a coach.
Certification may be obtained with a particular sports federation before you can participate in that sport or become an athlete.
In Canada, a background with athletic training and college or university studies is significant and, therefore, strongly recommended and highly favorable.

General Requirements to Immigrate to Canada as an Athlete

The first step to beginning to immigrate to Canada as an athlete is obtaining the Canadian immigration points needed for the Express Entry pool through the Canadian Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

Therefore, the following immigration requirements are needed to be satisfied for you to obtain the critical CRS Points:

Age
Academic Qualifications
English language proficiency
French language proficiency
Partner’s skills/qualification
Work experience

Specific Employment Criteria to Immigrate to Canada as an athlete

Certification may be obtained with a particular sports federation.
In Canada, a background with athletic training and college or university studies is strongly recommended and highly favorable.

Pathways to Immigrate to Canada as an Athlete

Jobs and titles in the Canadian NOC list are designated as ‘in demand.’ This is because the athlete job list in the NOC code 5251 is very much in need; however, it requires eligible practitioners to fill available positions across Canada.

Therefore, as an eligible, highly skilled athlete in Canada, you have the chance of becoming a full-time worker from your first day, either as a direct employee, a contractor staff, or self-employed.

Moreover, athlete jobs in Canada offer better pay than in most countries; likewise, the Canadian employment law, which insists on the work-life balance, is another great benefit, as it enables you to truly live your life to the fullest while you build a career through your work.

Thus, choosing to immigrate to Canada as an athlete, there are many ways which you can do so. In addition, if you land a job offer, that can be an added advantage because having a job offer is an essential criterion that increases your chances in the Express Entry pool as it awards you with more points.

Therefore, the following are pathways by which you can immigrate to Canada as an athlete:

What Advantages are there to Immigrate to Canada as an Athlete?

To begin with, when you immigrate to Canada, and you consequently become a permanent resident in Canada, you enjoy enormous benefits from various Canadian socio programs in addition to the following:

Opportunity to live and work in one of the finest countries in the world.
Freedom to enter and exit Canada without restriction
Sound education in prestigious Canadian institutions
World-class Healthcare
Access to social benefits
Citizenship and a dual Nationality after four years
Security and protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Steps to take to Immigrate to Canada as an Athlete

The following requirements, age, qualification, work experience, and others, as listed above, can increase your chances of getting the necessary CRS points to add to your overall Immigration Points score, which must be equal to or exceed a total sum of 67.

Therefore, the following steps are necessary for you to take to prepare yourself to immigrate to Canada under any of the above-listed pathways.

Firstly, you have to undertake a free online visa assessment to check your eligibility to satisfy the requirements for Canadian immigration and whether you meet the criteria needed to award you points to immigrate to Canada as an athlete.
Secondly, after receiving an Invitation to apply (ITA) from Canadian Immigration, note that you have only 60 days to formally send your application.
Verify your qualifications through standard testing, education equivalence certificates, and skilled worker assessments.
Fourthly, upon invitation to apply for Canadian Visa, submit your best application by meeting all requirements since your express entry profile is only valid for one year.
Lastly, ensure that all your qualifications and certificates are assessed by the relevant and approved ECA as required by Canadian immigration.

Frequently Asked Question

Can I Immigrate to Canada as an Athlete without a Job Offer?

Absolutely yes, you can, as long as you have obtained all the required minimum total CRS score on your Express Entry account for your application equivalent to the 67 immigration point benchmark for your Canada Federal Skilled Worker Visa.

Nevertheless, with a job offer awarding you with added CRS score of 200 points, you boost your chances of selection from the pool of applications.

Conclusion

In conclusion, athletes are in high demand in Canada; therefore, you have the golden opportunity to become a Canadian Permanent Resident with or without a job offer. Likewise, as an athlete with the relevant skill to work in Canada, you qualify to immigrate to Canada.

Immigrate to Canada as an Athlete

Who is an Athlete?