Canada is a land of many religious organizations, this has made Canada as a nation prepare a pathway to enable religious leaders from around the world to easily immigrate to Canada. Are you a religious leader who is looking to immigrate to Canada under the Religious Worker Visa? This article will help you step by step on how to immigrate to Canada as a religious leader successfully.
Clergies are one of the most significant people that any nation is favoured to have. As a nation, Canada has been a home to people from all over the world who have different cultures, religions, and beliefs. The diversity that is in Canada, makes it a place where different religions and beliefs can be started and many works of religious nature can take place in. This has made religious ministers (clergy) some of the needed people in Canada, so as to lead and help the started religious organizations and help people in their worship.
Some of the Religious Minister Titles include:
| Archbishop | Bishop |
|---|---|
| Cardinal | Chaplain |
| Evangelist | Granthi |
| Imam | Minister |
| Pastor | Priest |
| Rabbi | Monk |
As a Clergy, you might be invited by a certain religious organization/ministry in Canada to help in offering religious service or even in help in church expansion in some cases. You cannot come to Canada as a church planter.
Main duties of a Religious Worker in Canada
There are many duties a clergy can perform, but in order to be considered for immigration to Canada and establish yourself as a religious worker in Canada, you must be able to perform some duties as made clear by the Canadian government.
- preach doctrine – advance the spiritual teachings of a religious faith
- maintain the doctrines and spiritual observances on which those teachings are based
- perform functions related to gatherings of the congregation or group or
- provide spiritual counselling, either as an ordained minister or a member of a religious order
- provide religious instruction
- promote a particular faith
Other duties may include:
- conduct of regular religious services
- administration of rites of faiths such as marriages and funerals
- prayer and the promotion of spirituality by delivering sermons and other religious talks
- provision of spiritual and moral guidance to members of a religious faith
Not all works For example, the work of an administrator or office manager in a religious organization is generally not considered to be of a religious nature. Similarly, clerical duties, accounting, gardening, etc. are not considered work of a religious nature, even if performed for a religious organization
What are the immigration Pathways for Religious Workers?
There many pathways foreign nationals can use to immigrate to Canada, in reference to Clergy, there are two main pathways:
A religious leader may be eligible with either of the pathways, depending on how the applicant wants and sees suitable the choice can be made.
Religious Leader Work Exemption Permit – R186 (I)
Canada allows foreign nationals religious leaders to live and work on a temporary basis without a work permit. The religious leaders must be receive a job offer from a religious organization in Canada and plan to perform religious duties as listed above while in Canada.
Eligibility requirements under Work exemption Permit
- Genuine employment offer from a religious organization in Canada: A candidate cannot immigrate to Canada without a job offer. The religious organization offering the employment must first be genuine and secondly the offer itself. In some cases some documents may be required to proved the validity of the organization as well as the job offer given, this can include Certificate of Incorporation of the employer in the province or territory of destination, proof of registration as a charity or non-profit organization with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) under the Income Tax Act, and others.
- Proof of individual ability to minister to a congregation in the applicable religious organization: A foreign nation must provide this proof to the officer at the time of application. Documents of proof of ordination or appointment of the foreign national, letter of authorization from the governing official of the denomination that includes; the current status of the foreign national within the denomination, recognition of the foreign national’s entitlement to minister to the denomination’s congregation may be required.
Religious Worker LMIA-Exempt Work Permit – R250(d)
This pathway is for Clergy who wish to move to Canada with an LMIA-exempt offer of employment application as part of their application. No every job from a Canadian religious organization is a sufficient proof to be considered for a Religious Worker LMIA-Exempt Work Permit. Some jobs opportunities such as administration or office manager, though are taking place in a religious organization are not considered as work of religious nature. Foreign nations who want to immigrate to Canada as a clergy must perform work of religious nature, as listed above.
Benefits of Religious Worker LMIA-Exemption over Work Exemption
Both pathways allow foreign nations who are clergy to immigrate to Canada as a Religious leader and perform works of religious nature, but the applying for Religious Worker LMIA-Exemption (exemption code 50) could be more beneficial to a religious leader depending on the nature of the calling or preferences.
- Longer period of Stay in Canada: A calling could be a short as possible and as long as possible. If a religious leader has a short-time call to Canada, having a Religious Worker Work Exemption Permit – R186(I) would be suitable. Because this kind of a permit is temporary, it grants 6 months of stay to clergy. A Religious Worker LMIA-Exemption R250(d) permit is what a clergy should apply for if they have a long-time call in Canada, it can granted for up to 3 years.
- Renewing: Since a work exemption permit R186 (I) is short lived, religious leaders will have to always renew their permit which can be very troublesome to them and the Canadian officials. This temporary visitor visa is not designed for people who come in to work more permanently at a church. Having an LMIA-Exemption permit which is longer is perfect for those who want to work permanently at a church and receive a fair financial compensation.
- Eligibility for government services and benefits: With an LMIA-Exemption permit, a religious leader has access to the services and benefits such as medical coverage provided by the government of Canada in the province where you plan to reside.
- Spouse companionship and work permit. Religious workers who want to come to Canada along with their spouses, can grant their spouses the ability to apply for an Open Work Permit to be able to accompany them and work legally in their stay in Canada. Also, your children can study in Canada who are in pre-school, primary or secondary levels without having a study permit.
- Permanent Residency: If a religious leader considers to stay in Canada, having a real work permit, LMIA-Exempt Work permit, adds additional 50 points to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)Score in their Express Entry or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) application. Having additional points is very significant and could be the difference for the clergy among many who apply to receive an Invitation to Apply for Permanent Residence (ITA).
Religious leaders who are already in Canada without a work permit under the Work Exemption Permit R 186(I) can apply for an LMIA exemption R 250(d) work permit while in Canada. In such a case the employer must complete the offer of employment in the Employer Portal in the IRCC website and pay employer compliance fee, if required.
What is the processing fee for an LMIA exemption Religious Work permit?
The work permit processing fee is applied to the religious worker application depending on the religious nature of the organization in Canada and whether the worker will receive a remuneration or not. If a religious worker won’t receive remuneration there is no processing fee applied to the work permit application. The religious worker must not receive any remuneration other than a stipend for living expenses, which should be, if monetary, below the minimum wage under the applicable federal, provincial or territorial law. Otherwise, the foreign national should receive only non-monetary benefits (for example, accommodation and health care).
Foreign nationals who are provided with free room and board and receive a stipend may still qualify for a work permit processing fee exemption provided that the room and board are:
- integral to the foreign national’s ability to perform the work according to the terms set out in their employment arrangement (meaning on-site residency is a requirement of the job) and
- non-monetized (for example, it has little or no market value, is not provided in a monetary form like an allowance, does not constitute a taxable benefit, cannot be converted into an economic payout).
What is the processing time for Religious Work Permit Application?
The processing time for a clergy work authorization is usually around 1 to 3 months, depending on different circumstances the application can take longer. In some cases an applicant can be in Canada while the Religious Worker Permit is being processed.
Can i apply for an LMIA exempt work permit while in Canada as a Religious worker?
Yes, an applicant can apply for an LMIA-exempt work permit while in Canada after coming through a work without a work permit authorization, Religious Work Permit. With this work permit, an applicant can acquire an open work permit for the spouse as well as study permit for the children in pre-school, primary, and secondary level.
Can i apply for Permanent Residence after getting a Religious Worker Permit?
An applicant can apply for permanent residence as a Skilled Worker under Canada’s Express Entry system, or as a Provincial Nominee in some provinces like British Columbia and Alberta if your ministry will sponsor you.
