Comprehensive List of Visa Options to Migrate to Canada for Work and Stay

Comprehensive List of Visa Options to Migrate to Canada for Work and Stay (2025)

Canada offers a wide variety of visa options for individuals seeking to migrate, work, and live in the country. Whether you are a skilled worker, entrepreneur, family member, or student, there is a pathway for you. Below is a detailed list of Canada’s visa options for living and working:

1. Express Entry Program

The most popular pathway for skilled workers to obtain permanent residency (PR) in Canada.

a. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

• Purpose: For skilled workers with foreign work experience.
• Key Features:
  • Points-based Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
  • Pathway to permanent residency.
• Eligibility:
  • Skilled work experience, language proficiency, and educational qualifications.

b. Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

• Purpose: For skilled tradespeople with specific qualifications.
• Key Features:
  • Focused on trades such as construction, maintenance, or manufacturing.
• Eligibility:
  • Job offer or certification in a skilled trade.

c. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

• Purpose: For individuals with Canadian work experience.
• Key Features:
  • Faster processing and pathway to PR.
• Eligibility:
  • At least one year of skilled work experience in Canada.

2. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

For workers nominated by a specific province or territory to address local labor shortages.

• Key Features:
  • Pathway to permanent residency.
  • Specific streams tailored to each province’s needs.
• Examples of PNP Programs:
  • Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
  • British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP).
  • Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP).

3. Work Permits

Temporary work visas that allow individuals to work in Canada.

a. Employer-Specific Work Permit

• Purpose: For individuals with a job offer from a Canadian employer.
• Key Features:
  • Tied to one employer or specific job.

b. Open Work Permit

• Purpose: Allows individuals to work for any employer in Canada.
• Key Features:
  • Not tied to a specific job.
• Examples:
  • Spouse or Common-Law Partner Work Permit.
  • Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

4. Global Talent Stream (GTS)

For highly skilled workers to obtain a fast-tracked work permit.

• Key Features:
  • Part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
  • Fast-track visa processing in 2 weeks.

5. Start-Up Visa Program

For entrepreneurs looking to establish a business in Canada.

• Key Features:
  • Pathway to permanent residency.
  • Requires endorsement from a designated Canadian organization.
• Eligibility:
  • Viable business plan and sufficient funds to settle in Canada.

6. Family Sponsorship Program

For Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor family members.

a. Spouse or Common-Law Partner Sponsorship

• Purpose: For spouses or partners of Canadian citizens or PR holders.

b. Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship

• Purpose: Allows parents and grandparents to migrate to Canada.

c. Dependent Child Sponsorship

• Purpose: For children under 22 to join their parents in Canada.

7. Student Visa (Study Permit)

For international students enrolled in Canadian educational institutions.

• Key Features:
  • Allows part-time work during studies.
  • Can transition to a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
• Eligibility:
  • Letter of acceptance from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).

8. Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

For graduates of Canadian institutions to work in Canada.

• Key Features:
  • Work permit valid for the length of the study program (up to 3 years).
  • Pathway to PR via the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

9. Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

For skilled workers and international graduates who want to live and work in Atlantic Canada.

• Key Features:
  • Applicable in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
  • Focus on retaining talent in Atlantic provinces.

10. Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)

A program designed to encourage immigration to smaller communities.

• Key Features:
  • Pathway to PR.
  • Community-driven program for addressing labor shortages.

11. Caregiver Programs

For individuals providing care to children, the elderly, or those with medical needs.

a. Home Child Care Provider Pilot

b. Home Support Worker Pilot

• Key Features:
  • Work permit with a pathway to PR.
  • Requires job offer and caregiver experience.

12. Self-Employed Persons Program

For individuals with experience in cultural or athletic activities.

• Key Features:
  • PR for individuals contributing to Canada’s cultural or athletic landscape.

13. Refugee and Humanitarian Visas

For individuals fleeing persecution or in need of protection.

• Key Features:
  • Permanent residency for refugees and asylum seekers.
  • Programs like the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR).

14. Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)

For short-term visits to Canada.

• Types:
  • Visitor Visa.
  • Super Visa (for parents and grandparents).

15. Canadian Citizenship

After fulfilling the residency requirement, individuals can apply for Canadian citizenship.

How to Choose the Right Visa

1. Skilled Workers:
   • Consider Express Entry or PNP.
2. Entrepreneurs and Investors:
   • Opt for the Start-Up Visa or Self-Employed Persons Program.
3. Students:
   • Apply for a Study Permit with the possibility of transitioning to a PGWP.
4. Family Members:
   • Use the Family Sponsorship Program.
5. Regional Opportunities:
   • Explore AIP or RNIP for smaller communities.

Final Notes

For accurate and updated details, visit Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) at www.canada.ca. Working with a registered immigration consultant can also simplify the process.