People outside of Canada often refer to a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa as a  "Canada Green Card". The term Green Card, of course, pertains only to US immigration status.

The different Canadian immigration categories are:

Federal Skilled Workers (Professionals): Federal Skilled Workers (Professionals) are primarily point based and confers permanent resident status upon applicants who are able to demonstrate an ability to become economically established in Canada. Applicants are assessed under 6 factors and numerous sub factors of assessment providing for 100 points. Individuals with at least one year of continuous full-time employment experience, or the equivalent in part-time employment in one or more "open" occupations, within the 10 years preceding the date of their application and who possess the required settlement funding, may qualify for assessment. Applicants who do not meet the applicable pass mark may be accepted under the positive discretion provisions of the regulations. This mechanism is (rarely) used to accept a number of applicants who will be able to successfully settle in Canada yet who do meet the applicable pass mark.

Provincial Nomination Program (PNP): Under the Provincial Nomination Program provinces select individuals who are interested in settling in their province and who will be able to contribute to the province's economic development.


Quebec Skilled Workers: Skilled Worker (Professional) applicants intending to reside in the Province of Quebec are selected based upon a different set of criteria than applicants who wish to settle elsewhere in Canada. The Quebec Immigration selection system is designed to indicate the likelihood of succeeding in settling in Quebec.


Business Immigration: Foreign individuals with business/managerial experience and relatively high net-worth may apply for Canadian permanent resident status under three sub-categories.


Investor Class: The Investor class is point based and confers permanent residence to applicants who demonstrate an ability to become economically established in Canada on the basis of their business or management experience and high personal net worth. Approval is contingent upon the investor undertaking to commit an irrevocable, passive, non-interest bearing investment of $400,000 in a government guaranteed investment fund.
A successful applicant is one who has a) managed a qualifying business and has controlled a percentage of equity of the qualifying business for at least two years in the period beginning five years preceding the application or managed at least five full-time job equivalents per year for at least two years in the period beginning five years preceding the application; b) possesses a personal net worth of $800,000 and c) undertakes to invest $400,000 in a government approved investment fund.

Entrepreneur Class: The Entrepreneur class is point based and confers permanent residence to applicants who demonstrate an ability to become economically established in Canada on the basis of their business experience and personal net worth. Approval is contingent upon the entrepreneur undertaking to invest and become active in the management of a qualifying business operated in Canada that will contribute to the economy and create employment.

A successful applicant is one who has a) managed a qualifying business and has controlled a percentage of equity of the qualifying business for at least two years in the period beginning five years preceding the application; b) possesses a personal net worth of $300,000 and c) undertakes to control a percentage of the equity of a qualifying Canadian business and provide active and ongoing management of the qualifying Canadian business that will create at least one incremental full-time job for Canadian citizens or permanent residents, other than the entrepreneur and their family members. This condition must be fulfilled for a period of one year within the period of three years after the day on which the entrepreneur becomes a permanent resident.

Self-Employed Class: The Self-Employed class refers to applicants who have the intention and the ability to create their own employment and make a significant contribution to the cultural, artistic or athletic life of Canada, or to create their own employment by purchasing and managing a farm in Canada. 
A successful applicant is one who has at least two years of experience in the period beginning five years before the date of the application and ending on the day a determination is made on the application, in self-employment in cultural activities or in athletics; participation at a world-class level in cultural activities or athletics; or farm management experience.

To qualify, the applicant must demonstrate a sufficient financial net worth which, although less than an entrepreneur and not specified in the regulations, should enable the applicant to be self-employed in Canada and make a significant contribution to specified economic activities in Canada and to meet the initial settlement requirements for the applicant and accompanying dependants.


Family Sponsorship: In certain circumstances, Canadian citizens and permanent residents are entitled to sponsor their close relatives from abroad.

Canadian Immigrants are entitled to live and work anywhere in Canada and they may sponsor close family members for Canadian Immigration status. Canadian immigrants enjoy many, but not all, of the privileges of Canadian Citizenship and may apply for Canadian Citizenship after 3 years.