There’s more than one way to immi­grate to Canada.

Are you com­ing to Canada to work, invest, or start a busi­ness? Do you want to go to school or learn a lan­guage? Do you have fam­ily in Canada?

Find the immi­gra­tion path that’s best for you.

Here’s a quick out­line of Canada’s immi­gra­tion pro­grams:

IF YOU ARE A…	CONSIDER APPLYING TO IMMIGRATE AS A…
Skilled worker or professional	Federal Skilled Worker or Provincial Nominee
Person with a con­firmed job offer or you have a job that does not require a work permit	Temporary Foreign Worker
Student	Student
Relative of a fam­ily mem­ber liv­ing in Canada	Sponsored Family Member
Person with expe­ri­ence work­ing or study­ing in Canada	Canadian Experience Class candidate
Self-​​employed indi­vid­ual with expe­ri­ence in cul­tural activ­i­ties, ath­let­ics, or farm management	Self-​​Employed Person
Refugee seek­ing protection	Refugee
Seasoned entre­pre­neur	Entrepreneur
Investor or wealthy individual	Immigrant Investor

Each of these pro­grams has strict require­ments and its own appli­ca­tion process. Click the links above to learn more about what’s involved.

Whether or not you qual­ify under a fed­eral immi­gra­tion pro­gram, you may qual­ify — or qual­ify more quickly — under a Provincial Nominee Program, which enables immi­grants with cer­tain skills to set­tle in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, or other Canadian provinces.

While many peo­ple are able to apply on their own, some find it eas­ier to get help from a qual­i­fied immi­gra­tion con­sul­tant or lawyer. Living Abroad in Canada offers a free immi­gra­tion refer­ral ser­vice that can put you in touch with an expert who can help you.

Have you immi­grated to Canada under one of these pro­grams? Share your story in the comments.

Photo by sfllaw (flickr)