Skilled Workers and Businesspeople

• The Canadian Federal Skilled Workers Program allows working professional and highly-skilled technical workers to immigrate to all Canadian provinces except Quebec (Quebec has its own, similar program) for the purpose of employment. To be eligible for Federal Skilled Workers Program you mast have an offer of employment in Canada, have worked in Canada legally for at least one year or have at least one year of experience in a select list of professions. If you meet minimum requirements, your application will evaluated based on your education, professional experience, language abilities, age and potential employment.
  
  If you do not qualify for the Federal Skilled Workers Program, you can apply to become a provincial nominee. Qualifications vary between provinces, but generally take into account many of the same factors as the federal program.
  
  One of the simplest ways to immigrate to Canada is through the Canadian Experience Class program. This program requires that you have worked full-time as a temporary foreign worker at a Canadian business for at least two years or graduated as a postsecondary student from a Canadian or university.
  
  If you are an investor, entrepreneur or self-employed individual willing to invest at least $400,000 Canadian to start a business, manage your business or make investments within Canada, you can immigrate through the Business Immigration Program.
  
  

Sponsorship and Refugees

• For spouses, dependent children, parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will allow your relative to sponsor you so you can become a permanent citizen of Canada. To find out about this option, you should inquire directly to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
  
  Refugees currently living in Canada can obtain legal status if they can prove that their removal from Canada would result in "a danger of torture, a risk to their life or a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment," according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. For refugees who are not currently residing in Canada, immigration and legal status is only granted if the refugee is referred by an official sponsoring organization like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or if they are sponsored by individual Canadian groups or citizens.