Moving to Canada from Italy
Italians built whole neighbourhoods of Toronto and Montreal in the 1950s and 1960s, and a new generation is arriving now: engineers, nurses, chefs, tradespeople and graduates who move to Canada from Italy on the Working Holiday or a CETA permit and stay through Express Entry or a provincial nomination. This guide walks through every route, what each requires, what it costs, how long it takes, and what is different for Italian applicants, including the French lever that Italian speakers reach faster than most.
Key takeaways
Italy is visa-exempt for visits, an IEC partner to age 35, and covered by CETA's work-permit categories. Italian applicants need a strong English test to compete in Express Entry, and French at CLB 7 opens the category with the lowest cut-offs. The usual path is Working Holiday or CETA permit, Canadian experience, then CEC or a nomination. Dual citizenship is allowed on both sides.
- Visits: eTA only, $7. Work and study need a permit.
- IEC Working Holiday: ages 18 to 35, open permit, up to 12 months; Italy's quota fills fast each season.
- CETA: LMIA-exempt permits for EU contractual service suppliers, independent professionals and intra-company transferees.
- Express Entry: English at CLB 7+ to compete, CLB 9 to lead; ECA for the laurea; French at CLB 7 opens the category.
- Trades, chefs and health workers have category draws and Alberta streams of their own.
- Both countries allow dual citizenship.
How to move to Canada from Italy
To move to Canada from Italyis to secure Canadian status, a work permit or permanent residence, through a federal or provincial program; there is no bilateral migration agreement beyond the youth mobility arrangement and the EU-Canada trade agreement. Italian applicants start with a visa exemption for visits and interviews, a Working Holiday that runs to age 35 (later than most European partners), CETA's work-permit categories, university degrees that assess cleanly, and an aptitude for French that turns into the best lever in the system. The disadvantages are English scores, which decide more of the CRS than Italians expect, and the 2026 arithmetic everyone faces: general Express Entry cut-offs above 500 unless a category, a nomination or French applies.
The main routes from Italy at a glance
| Route | Who it fits | What you need | 2026 reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| IEC Working Holiday | Italian citizens aged 18 to 35 | Italian passport, $2,500 in funds, insurance, a place in the IEC pool | Open permit for up to 12 months; quota fills early in the season, so enter the pool when it opens |
| IEC Young Professionals / International Co-op | Ages 18 to 35 with a job offer or study placement | Employer-specific offer in your field | Less used; the Working Holiday is more flexible |
| CETA work permit | EU professionals with a Canadian contract or employer | Contractual service supplier, independent professional or intra-company categories | LMIA-exempt; consultants, engineers, transferred staff |
| Express Entry (FSW, CEC) | Skilled workers with TEER 0 to 3 experience | English test, ECA, NOC code, competitive CRS | CEC after a year in Canada is the common route; from abroad needs a category or nomination |
| Express Entry categories | French speakers (CLB 7), trades, health, STEM, agriculture | The category's eligibility plus a profile in the pool | French and trades rounds have cut off far below the general rounds in 2026 |
| Provincial nomination | Workers with a job in a province | Alberta Worker EOI, BC registration, Ontario job-offer stream; a nomination adds 600 CRS | All prioritise in-province workers |
| Employer work permit (LMIA) | Cooks, chefs, tradespeople and others with an employer outside CETA | Positive LMIA | Restaurants and construction employers file them routinely |
| Study permit then PGWP | Students in eligible programs | Acceptance, attestation letter, funds | A planned route to PR at public institutions |
| Spousal sponsorship | Partners of Canadians and PRs | Genuine relationship, eligible sponsor | About 27 months inland, 17 outland; free first call with us |
The IEC Working Holiday: the Italian way in
Italy is a partner country in International Experience Canada, and the age limit for Italians is 35, five years later than for Dutch, Belgian or French applicants. The permit is open and currently issued for up to 12 months; the agreement has allowed a further participation in some circumstances, so check the current terms before assuming one season is all you get. You need an Italian passport, proof of $2,500 in funds, health insurance for the full period and a police certificate (casellario giudiziale). Italy's quota is popular and fills early: enter the pool the week it opens. The months count for the Canadian Experience Class and for provincial nominations; six months in, sit the English test, order the ECA, code your job and submit an Express Entry profile.
Express Entry from Italy, and the French lever
Express Entry manages the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. You create a free profile, are scored out of 1,200 on the CRS, and wait for a round whose cut-off you meet. The preparation is an English test (CLB 9 in every ability is where the points are; CLB 7 is the floor to be competitive), an ECA for the laurea, and the right NOC code. The difficulty is the score: 2026 CEC rounds have cut off above 500 with no all-program rounds.
French is the Italian applicant's best move
CETA and other employer routes
The EU-Canada trade agreement gives Italian citizens LMIA-exempt CETA work permits as contractual service suppliers and independent professionals on a Canadian contract, as intra-company transferees moving to a Canadian branch, and as investors. Chefs, cooks and tradespeople, three occupations where Italians are in demand, usually arrive on an LMIA-backed permit or the Working Holiday; our guides to immigrating as a chef and as a tradesperson cover the category draws and provincial streams that follow.
Provincial nomination, study and family
A nomination is worth 600 CRS points and every province nominates people already working there. Alberta's AAIP has the Opportunity Stream for most occupations with an Alberta job and a Tourism and Hospitality Stream that fits the ski-town kitchens Italians often start in; score the Worker EOI on the AAIP calculator. British Columbia runs monthly priority draws; Ontario, home to the largest Italian community, requires a job offer for every worker route since its June 2026 redesign. A study permit for a PGWP-eligible program leads to a post-graduation work permit and from there to PR; if your partner is Canadian, spousal sponsorship does not depend on your score, and the first call is free for spousal enquiries.
What is different when you move from Italy
- Visa-exempt. An eTA is all you need to visit, interview or land with a permit approval letter.
- Dual citizenship. Italy and Canada both allow it. Italy's March 2025 limit on citizenship by descent affects Canadians seeking Italian citizenship, not Italians moving here. See our dual citizenship guide.
- Driving licences. Italian licences are not on the Alberta or BC exchange lists; expect a knowledge test and a road test, and bring your driving record for insurance.
- Documents. Birth and marriage certificates, degrees and the casellario giudiziale must be translated by a certified translator; IRCC accepts translations with an affidavit.
- Health care. Alberta and Ontario cover eligible newcomers from arrival; BC after up to three months. Working Holiday participants hold private insurance throughout. Register with AIRE at your consulate when you leave Italy.
- Tax and pensions. Canada taxes residents on worldwide income; the Italy-Canada tax treaty prevents double taxation and the social security agreement lets INPS and CPP contribution periods count towards each other. Get cross-border advice.
What it costs and how long it takes to move to Canada from Italy
| Route | Government fees (CAD) | Other typical costs | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| IEC Working Holiday | $179.75 participation + $100 open work permit holder + $85 biometrics | Insurance, flights, $2,500 funds | Weeks after an invitation; enter the pool early |
| CETA work permit | $155 + $85 biometrics | Contract documents, credentials | Weeks to a few months |
| Express Entry PR | $1,525 per adult, $260 per child, $85 biometrics | Language tests ~$300 each, ECA ~$300, police certificates, medical ~$300, proof of funds from $15,263 | About 6 months after ITA, plus preparation |
| Provincial nomination + PR | Provincial application fee (Alberta publishes it on alberta.ca; Ontario $1,500 to $2,000); then federal fees | As above | Province months, then about 6 months federal |
| Spousal sponsorship | $1,205 (sponsorship, processing and right of PR fees), $85 biometrics | Relationship evidence, medical, police, translations | About 27 months inland, 17 outland |
How Wild Mountain Immigration helps you move from Italy
We are a licensed RCIC practice (CICC R706497) in Canmore, Alberta, run by an immigrant, and we work with Italian clients entirely online. We map the route, plan the language tests so the French category is in play where it can be, prepare the Express Entry profile and the Alberta, BC or employer file, and keep your permit alive through the wait. Start with the eligibility checker.
Compliance note. Program rules, IEC terms and cut-offs are current to August 2026 and change; confirm on canada.ca. We do not advise on Quebec immigration or on Italian citizenship law. Nothing here guarantees a permit, a nomination or PR.
Frequently asked questions
Do Italian citizens need a visa for Canada?
Not for visits. Italian citizens are visa-exempt and need only an electronic travel authorization (eTA), $7, to fly to Canada for up to six months. Working or studying needs a permit, and living in Canada permanently needs permanent residence through one of the routes on this page.
What is the easiest way for an Italian to move to Canada?
For anyone aged 18 to 35, the International Experience Canada Working Holiday: Italy is a partner country, the permit is open, and it is currently issued for up to 12 months, with the agreement allowing a further participation in some cases (check the current terms). It is the standard first step, and the Canadian experience it produces opens the Canadian Experience Class and provincial nominations. Skilled workers over 35 use Express Entry or a CETA-based work permit with a Canadian employer.
Can I keep Italian citizenship if I become Canadian?
Yes. Italy and Canada both permit dual citizenship, with no application or declaration required on either side. Separately, Italy tightened citizenship by descent in March 2025, limiting it to two generations, which affects Canadians of Italian ancestry seeking an Italian passport rather than Italians moving to Canada.
Is an Italian degree recognised in Canada?
For immigration, a laurea triennale, laurea magistrale or dottorato needs an Educational Credential Assessment from a designated organisation such as WES, and Italian university degrees assess cleanly (a triennale as a bachelor's, a magistrale as a master's). For regulated professions, engineering, nursing, medicine, architecture, teaching, trades, the provincial regulator runs its own recognition process, which can take a year or more.
Does Italian count as a language for Canadian immigration?
No. Express Entry and provincial programs score only English and French. Italian applicants need an English test (IELTS General, CELPIP or PTE Core) at CLB 7 or higher to be competitive, and an Italian speaker who adds French at CLB 7, which many reach quickly, becomes eligible for the French-language category draws with the lowest cut-offs of any round.
How long does it take to move to Canada from Italy?
A Working Holiday permit can be in hand within weeks of an invitation from the IEC pool, though Italy's quota fills quickly each season. A CETA or LMIA work permit takes one to four months including the employer's side. Express Entry runs about six months after an invitation plus the preparation before it. Plan a year from decision to landing for a permanent route.
Where do Italians settle in Canada?
Toronto has one of the largest Italian communities outside Italy, with Vaughan and Woodbridge at its heart, and Montreal the second (though Quebec runs its own selection, outside our practice). Vancouver's Commercial Drive, Calgary and Edmonton have established communities too. Young Italians on the Working Holiday spread across the ski towns and the cities.
Can Italians drive on an Italian licence in Canada?
For the first 60 to 90 days after becoming a resident, with an international driving permit alongside it. Italian licences are not on the direct exchange lists in Alberta or British Columbia, so expect a knowledge test and a road test to get a provincial licence; bring an extract of your driving record to reduce insurance costs.
Ready to plan the move from Italy?
A licensed RCIC in the Canadian Rockies maps your route, online and honestly, from the Working Holiday to permanent residence.