- The family class — you must have a close relative living in Canada who has legally promised to give you financial help.
- The independent and other class — you can apply on your own, with or without the financial help of relatives in 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. Except for refugees and members of the Family Class, everyone is assessed on a point system. Points are given for various factors:
- Education;
- Job training;
- Work experience;
- Occupation;
- Arranged employment;
- Age;
- Demographic factor;
- Ability to communicate in either English or French;
- Personal suitability;
- Having a relative living in Canada.
You also must have a medical examination and your background checked. This is to see if there are health or legal reasons that would stop you from being admitted to Canada as a permanent resident.
Canada’s immigration policy is both a federal and a provincial responsibility. Whether or not you are selected may be affected by the immigration priorities of the province in which you wish to settle. For example, the province of Quebec employs immigration officers abroad to interview potential immigrants to Quebec and to assess applications from those who want to settle in that province as independent immigrants.