Immigration pathways
Immigration to Canada is not one door — it is several routes. Each route below shows the steps in order, the programs that carry it, and the guides and tools for each step.
1. Skilled work → Express Entry → permanent residence
- Check your CRS score and see what would raise it.
- Enter the Express Entry pool under the Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades program.
- Receive an invitation, apply for permanent residence, then land in Canada.
- After meeting the residence requirement, apply for citizenship.
CRS calculator · Federal Skilled Worker (open) · Canadian Experience Class (open) · Federal Skilled Trades (open) · Express Entry guide · Path to citizenship
2. Provincial nomination → permanent residence
- Match your profile against all provincial streams.
- Apply to a province or territory stream — many require a job offer or a connection to the province.
- With a nomination, gain 600 CRS points in Express Entry or apply directly for permanent residence.
- Land, settle, then follow the path to citizenship.
Program matcher · Provincial calculators · All programs · PNP guide
3. Study → work → permanent residence
- Get a study permit and complete a program at a designated learning institution.
- Apply for a post-graduation work permit and gain Canadian work experience.
- Qualify under the Canadian Experience Class or a provincial graduate stream.
- Apply for permanent residence, then citizenship when eligible.
Study permit guide · PGWP guide · Canadian Experience Class (open) · Express Entry guide
4. Family → permanent residence
- A spouse, common-law or conjugal partner in Canada sponsors you for permanent residence.
- Parents and grandparents use a separate program — currently paused — while the super visa offers long temporary stays.
- After landing as a permanent resident, the path to citizenship opens when residence requirements are met.
Spouse and partner sponsorship (open) · Parents and grandparents (paused) · Family sponsorship guide · Super visa guide
5. Business → permanent residence
- Federal business programs are currently paused (start-up visa, self-employed persons).
- The working route today is provincial entrepreneur streams — several provinces run them.
- Build the business, meet the stream conditions, then apply for permanent residence.
Start-up Visa (paused) · Self-Employed Persons (paused) · Provincial entrepreneur streams · Business immigration guide
6. Care & humanitarian → permanent residence
- Home care worker pilots are currently paused; the caregivers guide covers the routes that remain and what to prepare.
- Humanitarian and refugee routes are assessed case by case — the guide explains who they are for and what evidence matters.
- Some closed pilots stay listed for reference so you can see what existed and what replaced it.
Home Care Worker Pilots (paused) · Caregivers guide · Humanitarian & refugee guide
Not sure where you fit?
Answer a few questions and the matcher compares your profile against all 106 programs; the CRS calculator shows where you stand for Express Entry.
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General information only — not legal advice. Program statuses change: open, paused and closed labels above reflect the catalog at the last site build; always verify a program at canada.ca before applying.
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