Actually, the immigration policies are really only relaxed when it comes to people seeking asylum or refugee status. And even then, it’s not like people from those groups are automatically let in. There’s a whole vetting process that goes on.
As far as the rest of the world goes? You still have to apply for permanent residency, which requires a criminal background check (the expense of which is on the applicant), a positive health evaluation (the expense of which is on the applicant), actually meeting the minimum requirements to immigrate, and paying a fairly high application fee (e.g., for the Family Class, the immigrant’s sponsor has to pay a sponsorship fee of $1050, and the principle applicant has to pay a biometrics fee, an $825 application fee for themselves or their spouse (common-law included), and a $225 fee for dependent children…and then, they have to tack on a $500 right of permanent residence fee for each person on the application (not counting those on the application that are not moving to Canada).
Sponsors sign an undertaking with the Government of Canada to fully support everyone immigrating to Canada for a period of – I think – five years, during which time nobody in that group is allowed to be on any form of social assistance.
Breaking the undertaking or committing fraud in the application can and will result in the withdrawal of legal status in Canada, prevent you from travelling to Canada for a period of years, and prevent you from applying for permanent residence again for a period of years.
A conviction for illegally immigrating to Canada carries a prison sentence that is enforced, followed by an involuntary deportation to the person’s country of origin (though this may be different for stateless persons).
If you get through all those hoops, congratulations, you are now a permanent resident of Canada. You get all the benefits of living here, excluding the right to vote, but also including paying taxes, and if you’re from the U.S. originally like I was, you get the privilege of filing a tax return with both countries every year.
Source: I’m a natural-born American that moved to Canada and became a naturalised Canadian citizen. I also have an immigration consultant diploma from an accredited Canadian college.
TL;DR: Immigrating to Canada is actually not a cheap, fast, or easy process – though it probably is still faster, cheaper, and easier than the immigration process in the U.S.
