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Canada has a vigorous and growing economy and a large demand exists for skilled workers and professionals. The impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. As with other first world nations , the Canadian economy is dominated by the service industry, which employs about three quarters of Canadians. However, Canada is unusual among developed countries in the importance of the primary sector, with the logging and oil industries being two of Canada's most important Canada offers landed immigrants and citizens universal medical coverage and a modern social security system. Property values in Canada are substantially lower, in most locations, than any found in Western Europe. This means that owning a home is possible for almost everyone. A fundamental part of Canadian Federal government policy is to encourage population growth through immigration. In recent years various provinces in Canada have also developed nominee programs to encourage and facilitate immigration to their specific provinces. The Province of Manitoba is located in the centre of Canada and has been a leader in developing a nominee program. Subsequently the provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia all have developed nominee programs. These programs target specific skill sets, which the individual province feels is important to the economic growth and development of the province. If that skill set is met, the immigrant is nominated and is not required to go through the normal point system under the Federal government program. The Federal government still must approve a provincial nominee however, its primary focus is to ensure that the nominee and his or her family do not have a criminal record or health issues which would make them inadmissible to Canada. Should that not be the case, the nominee is normally approved for permanent residency. In addition, the nominee programs provide for a faster processing time than the normal immigration process. The nominee programs in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia have programs for skilled labourers. In the event an employer obtains a favourable labour market opinion from Service Canada for a job and the job is offered to a foreign worker, that foreign worker can apply for a work permit and generally after a period of time (usually six months) the foreign worker can then apply for nominee status. The application for nominee status takes between three and six months and once that nominee status is granted, the worker and his family can apply for permanent residence. The provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia also have nominee programs for business class immigrants as well. These programs all have in common the fact that the applicant must have business experience in his or her home country and has a minimum net worth and will invest a minimum amount in the province in order to qualify as a business class nominee. In the Province of Manitoba, the net worth requirement is CDN$350,000.00 and the investment is CDN$150,000.00. In Saskatchewan the net worth requirement is CDN$250,000.00 and the investment is CDN$150,000.00. In British Columbia, outside Vancouver and Abbotsford, the net worth requirement is CDN$400,000.00 and the investment is CDN$200,000.00 and within Vancouver and Abbotsford the net worth requirement is CDN$800,000.00 and the investment is CDN$400,000.00. There is also a Federal Investor Class program, which has less criteria and does not require the investor to actually establish a business. The net worth of the applicant is required to be CDN$800,000.00 and the investment is the sum of CDN$400,000.00 which is paid to the Federal government for a period of five years, after which time it is returned to the applicant without interest. High Demand Occupation List
Links that may be of interest you Canadian government site: http://www.canada.gc.ca
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