Permanent Residence

This status grants people who are not Canadian citizens the right to live and work in Canada without any time limit on their stay.

Express Entry (Federal Skilled Workers Program)

It is an online system that is used to manage applications for permanent residence from skilled workers.

How the program works

Canada ranks eligible candidates in the Express Entry pool using a points-based system known as the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-scoring candidates are then invited to apply for permanent residence during regular draws.

To be eligible to apply as a Federal Skilled Worker, you must score at least 67 out of 100 points on a selection grid used to assess Express Entry candidates.
This 100-point system evaluates applicants based on key factors including language skills, age, education, work experience, arranged employment in Canada, and adaptability.

How to apply

Canadian Experience Class

The CEC is a permanent residence category for people with skilled work experience in Canada. It was developed for temporary foreign workers and foreign graduates with qualifying Canadian work experience.

The Canadian Experience Class program is one out of three economic programs within the online Express Entry system.

Minimum Requirements

How Canadian Work Experience is calculated

Your skilled work experience must be paid work including paid wages or earned commission. Volunteer work or unpaid internships are not counted.

For part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours. You can work more than 1 part-time job to get the hours you need to apply!

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)

Each province and territory has its own “streams” (immigration programs that target certain groups) and requirements. For example, in a program stream, provinces and territories may target: students, business people, skilled workers, or semi-skilled workers

This program is for workers who

    • Possess the skills, education, and work experience to contribute to the economy of a specific province or territory.

    • Have the desire to live in that province or territory.

    • Aim to become permanent residents of Canada.

    To be nominated by a province or territory, you must follow the instructions on their official website and contact them directly. It’s important to note that Quebec operates its own immigration system and does not participate in the Provincial Nominee Program.

    How is it different from Express Entry?

    The Provincial Nominee Program allows Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals for immigration based on specific criteria set by the provincial government. If successful, applicants receive a provincial nomination, which can be used to apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence.

    In contrast, Express Entry is a federal immigration system that selects skilled workers for permanent residency based on factors like age, education, work experience, and language ability, and does not require a provincial nomination.

Provinces and territories that operate a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) can nominate candidates through the Express Entry pool, in addition to nominating foreign nationals to the existing paper-based process.

The Business Program

If you are interested in doing business in Canada, you may be eligible for a permanent residence through the Canada Business Immigration Program.

Individuals with business or managerial experience and a relatively high net worth may apply for Canadian permanent residence under the Canada Business Immigration Program, which includes the following sub-categories:

  • Investors

  • Entrepreneurs

  • Self-Employed Persons

  • PNP Business Programs

  • Corporate Immigration

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for processing under the Business Immigration Program, you must:

  • Have received a Letter of Support from a designated entity.

  • Meet the language requirements.

  • Have sufficient settlement funds that are transferable and available, free of debts or other obligations, excluding any investment made by a designated entity into your business

Test your eligibility!

Take our FREE online test

Work Permit

The Canadian work permit visa allows business people, permanent workers, temporary workers, students, and others to work in Canada.

Types of work permits

Eligibility requirements 

Post-graduation work permit

You may be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) if you graduated from a designated learning institution (DLI) and want to stay in Canada temporarily to work.