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Your Guide to Immigration Issues.
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For those of you who wish to emigrate to Canada, we put together this guide that explains the different immigration categories, requirements, how to prepare the immigration process without a lawyer, including links to the official immigration Web site of the Canadian government. Good luck!

Classes for Entering Canada

There are six classes of immigration for permanent residency applicants, and three non-immigration categories for people who wish to temporarily work in, study in or visit Canada. In this guide, we focus on the immigration categories only, non-immigration categories will be explained in a future guide.

Classes of Immigration

The six classes are: Skilled Worker Class, Business Class, Provincial Nomination, Family Class Immigration, International Adoption, and Quebec-Selected Immigration.

Skilled Worker:
According to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Web site (official government Web site), "Skilled workers have education, work experience, knowledge of English and/or French and other abilities that will help them to establish themselves successfully as permanent residents in Canada." The selection process is based upon a points system, and in order to be eligible as an applicant for the skilled worker class, you have to reach the pass mark of 67. There are six selection factors that are allotted a certain number of points. The factors are:

Education

Official Languages

Experience

Age

Arranged Employment in Canada

Adaptability

The minimum work experience requirements for skilled workers are:

At least one year of full-time work experience. You must have been paid for this work.

Your work experience must be in the category of Skill Type 0, or Skill Level A or B on the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC). Find your job title in the NOC list for full-time jobs you've had in the past ten years, and write down the four digit code. Make sure your work experience does not fall into the category of restricted occupations, for then you won't qualify for the skilled worker class. As of February 2005, there were no restricted occupations listed.

Language skills: Prove your proficiency in one or both of Canada's official languages, English and French, by either taking a "test by an approved organization," or "provide other written documentation that supports your claim."

Proof of funds: you have to be able to support your family for six months after arriving in Canada, for the government will not support newly arrived skilled workers. The minimum amount for a single person is $9,897 Canadian dollars, $12,372 for two persons, and so on. Find the complete list here.
If you already have a job arranged in Canada, you don't need to prove availability of funds.

If you want to find out whether you qualify as a skilled worker or not, take the self-assessment test here.

Finding Work

How quickly you will be able to find work in Canada depends on the job market in your field, your credentials and whether you will have to be licensed or not, among other criteria.
A good way to start your search is by going to job banks and other online job services; the CIC Web site lists several links that will also inform you about the labor market, job requirements and local and regional conditions in the different provinces and territories.
The CIC recommends having your credentials, i.e. diplomas, degrees, certificates etc., evaluated in order to compare to Canadian standards. Find out how to assess your credentials here. Be aware that a credential evaluation does not guarantee recognition of your credentials by a Canadian governing body. You might have to take additional assessments once you're in Canada, or get licensed to practice in your field by a Canadian regulatory body.