A skilled worker is any worker who has special skill, training, knowledge which they can then apply to their work. A skilled worker may have attended a college, university or technical school. Skilled workers are chosen as permanent residents based on their education, work experience, knowledge of English and/or French, and other factors. These things often help them succeed in Canada.

The Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) is one of the three programs running under the Express Entry system. The qualifying candidates may apply for permanent residence under the Express Entry selection system, by creating their profile and submitting an expression of interest to immigrate to Canada.

The CEC is a permanent residence category for people with skilled work experience in Canada. It was developed for temporary foreign workers and foreign graduates with qualifying Canadian work experience. There is no education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class. You must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. The province of Quebec selects its own skilled workers.

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) grant individual provinces/territories the power to choose from the candidates wishing to settle in Canada. Each province/territory in Canada has its own PNP (except for Nunavut). Participating provinces and territories have signed an agreement with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to select their own immigrants to meet their needs for labour or business, ensuring the success of their establishment.

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document that an employer in Canada may need to get before hiring a foreign worker. A positive LMIA will show that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job. It will also show that no Canadian worker or permanent resident is available to do the job. A positive LMIA is sometimes called a confirmation letter.