Immigrating to Canada

(material taken from cic.gc.ca on June 27, 2009)

Immigrating to Canada permanently is an exciting opportunity. However, there are several things you should consider before you apply to be a permanent resident.

If you want to immigrate to Canada, there are a few different ways to apply. You will need to decide which immigration program will work best for you and your family.

Skilled workers and professionals

Skilled workers are selected as permanent residents based on their education, work experience, knowledge of English and/or French, and other criteria that have been shown to help them become economically established in Canada.

This section will help you to find guides, information and the forms you need to apply as a federal skilled worker. Please note: the Federal Skilled Worker Program is for people coming to any part of Canada except Quebec. The province of Quebec is responsible for selecting its own skilled workers. If you plan on living in Quebec, see Quebec-selected skilled workers for more information.

The rules for applying as a federal skilled worker can change from time to time, so make sure you visit this site regularly if you are considering immigrating to Canada as a federal skilled worker.

Before you apply, make sure you refer to the updated selection criteria under Who can apply below, and are familiar with the current application procedures. After you apply, make sure you return to this Web page to find out about the steps that follow. more

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History of Canada

First Nation and Inuit traditions maintain that indigenous people have resided on their lands since the beginning of time, while archaeological studies support a human presence in the northern Yukon from 26,500 years ago, and in southern Ontario from 9,500 years ago. Europeans first arrived when the Vikings settled briefly at L'Anse aux Meadows around AD 1000; following the failure of that colony, there was no further attempt at North American exploration until 1497, when John Cabot explored Canada's Atlantic coast for England,[18] followed by Jacques Cartier in 1534 for France. more