The immigration policy in Canada is structured around three main categories:
Economic, Family Reunification and Humanitarian.

 Economic Immigration 
This category represents the largest portion of immigrants arriving in Canada each year. Points are assigned for different factors including: education, work experience, age, English and/or French language skills, adaptability, arranged employment in Canada. A person must have a minimum number of points to qualify to enter Canada as a permanent resident. Within the economic class, the following programs exist: Federal Skilled Worker, Provincial Nominee Program, Business Immigrant, Canadian Experience Class (category that allows foreign workers or recently graduated international students working in Canada to apply for permanent residence).

Government of Canada
Immigrate to Canada

Government of Canada
How Express Entry works

 Family Reunification 
This classification of immigrants includes spouses, children and other dependents who qualify to join family members who are already living in Canada. This is the second-largest group of immigrants admitted on a yearly basis. A Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, dependent child (including adopted child) or other eligible relative to become a permanent resident. Qualifying sponsors must make every reasonable effort to support the essential needs of family members.

Government of Canada
Family sponsorship

 Humanitarian Considerations 
This classification includes Conventional Refugees, individuals who may be considered under Country of Asylum Class and compassionate cases. This is the smallest group of immigrants admitted to Canada each year. A conventional refugee is a persons who is outside their home country and cannot return due to well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or member in a particular social group.

Country of Asylum Class
This group is made up of individuals who are outside their home country or the country where they normally live and have been, and continue to be, seriously and personally affected by civil war or armed conflict, or have suffered massive violations of human rights.

Canada provides protection to thousands of people every year. Individuals must undergo extensive medical, and security and criminal checks.

Government of Canada
How Canada's refugee system works

Temporary Foreign Worker Program
This program helps fill genuine and acute labour needs when Canadians are not available. The program is currently under review. Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada are responsible for assessing applications from employers requesting to hire temporary foreign workers (TFW). This ministry issues labour market opinions (LMO) that corroborate employer needs and labour shortages in specific occupations.

Government of Canada
Temporary workers

New: As of June 1st, 2016, French-speaking or bilingual skilled workers who intend to work in a community outside Québec may be exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment.

Government of Canada
Hire French-speaking or bilingual workers outside Quebec