If you are interested in immigrating to Canada, you have a number of options when applying for permanent residence status. Read about these programs and decide which class suits you and your family best.

1.Indepenedent Category
Under the Independent category a person with specific occupational skills and experience can qualify. These skills must de readily transferable to Canada. Everyone who applies is assessed and chosen by the same standards. These standards show how well a person can adjust to Canadian life and settle successfully. It depends on the following factors such as education, job training, work experience, occupation, age ,demographic factor, ability to communicate in either English or French ,personal suitability factor.

This selection criterion is uniform for all prospective immigrants wishing to immigrate to Canada from all over the world, Human Resource Development, Canada, comes up with the list of these occupation in demand upon completion of through research of the job market in Canada. At present, there are over 1000 such occupations open to prospective immigrants to Canada with their families. Before approval of Immigration case one has to prove that he/she meets the education, skills and training requirements of the occupation he/she intends to pursue in Canada and that he/she has preformed the duties that a Canadian performs in the particular occupation in Canada.

• Skilled Worker Class Immigration
  
  Canada values the skills and experiences that foreign professionals and workers bring with them. Skilled workers have education, work experience, knowledge of English and/or French and other abilities that will help them to establish themselves successfully as permanent residents in Canada.
  To be accepted as a Skilled Worker, applicants must:
  ·        meet the minimum work experience requirements;
  ·        prove that they have the funds required for settlement; and
  ·        earn enough points in the six selection factors to meet the pass marks(Presently one has to score a minimum of 67 
          points). The selection factors are:       
                                                                                                     

  Factor One: Education: Maximum                                                    Factor Two: Official Languages                               ·        1st Official Language: Maximum ·        2nd Official Language: Maximum                                        Factor Three: Experience: Maximum     Factor Four: Age: Maximum                  Factor Five: Arranged Employment In Canada: Maximum  Factor Six: Adaptability: Maximum                                                Total: Maximum                         Pass Mark:

  25 16 8 21 10 10 10 100 67

  
  
  If your score is the same or higher than the pass mark, then you may qualify to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker. 
  
  2.Businesss Category
  Canada has a strong economic culture. If you have experience running or investing in businesses, you may qualify to come to Canada as a business immigrant. Business immigrants are people who can invest in, or start businesses in Canada and are expected to support the development of a strong and prosperous Canadian economy. The Business Immigration Programs seek to attract people experienced in business to Canada.
  Business immigrants are selected based on their ability to become economically established in Canada.
  There are three classes of business immigrants:
  

• Investors
  The Immigrant Investor Program seeks to attract experienced persons and capital to Canada. Investors must demonstrate business experience, a minimum net worth of CDN $800,000 and make an investment of CDN $400,000.
  
• Entrepreneurs
  The Entrepreneur Program seeks to attract experienced persons that will own and actively manage businesses in Canada that will contribute to the economy and create jobs. Entrepreneurs must demonstrate business experience, a minimum net worth of CDN $300,000 and are subject to conditions upon arrival in Canada.
  
• Self-employed persons
  Self-employed persons must have the intention and ability to create their own employment. They are expected to contribute to the cultural or athletic life of Canada. They may create their own employment by purchasing and managing a farm in Canada.
  
  3.Provincial Nomination
  Most Canadian provinces have programs that encourage immigrants to settle in those provinces and benefit their economies. Most provinces in Canada have an agreement with the Government of Canada that allows them to play a more direct role in selecting immigrants who wish to settle in that province. If you wish to immigrate to one of Canada’s provinces as a Provincial Nominee, you must first apply to the province where you wish to settle. The province will consider your application based on their immigration needs and your genuine intention to settle there.
  
  4.Family Class Immigration
  Family class immigration reunites families in Canadian homes. On June 28, 2002, CIC changed the application submission process for the Family Class, to allow clients to submit joint applications, including both the sponsorship application and the permanent resident application. On February 17, 2003, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) introduced a new application kit and submission process. This affects Family Class sponsorship and permanent resident applications for spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners and dependent children applying outside of Canada.
  CIC has introduced this new  process which allows clients to complete the medical examination prior to submitting the joint application. The improved process will assist in faster processing of applications made on behalf of spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners or dependent children. The new joint kit gives the sponsor more responsibility in achieving timely processing of applications without sacrificing integrity of the application process."
  
  5.Quebec-Selected Immigration
  Quebec is responsible for selecting immigrants who wish to settle in Quebec.