Skilled migration — points-tested permanent residence routes

Express Entry — Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Federal permanent-residence stream for applicants with qualifying Canadian work experience.

Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)

Federal points-based permanent residence for skilled workers without prior Canadian experience.

Express Entry — Federal Skilled Trades (FST)

Permanent residence for qualified tradespeople with a Canadian job offer or provincial certification.

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Province-led permanent residence streams giving a 600 CRS boost when aligned with Express Entry.

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)

Points-based permanent residence visa for skilled workers without employer or state sponsorship.

Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

State-nominated permanent residence visa providing a 5-point SkillSelect boost.

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)

Provisional 5-year regional visa leading to permanent residence via subclass 191.

EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)

Employment-based first-preference green card for individuals with extraordinary ability — self-petitionable.

EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)

Second-preference green card with a waiver of the job offer and PERM labor certification, where the beneficiary’s work is in the US national interest.

EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers

Third-preference employment-based green card requiring employer sponsorship and PERM labor certification.

Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa

Points-based residence visa for skilled workers — New Zealand's primary pathway to permanent residence for skilled migrants.

Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa

Points-based visa for highly skilled foreign professionals — the fastest route to Japanese permanent residence (1–3 years).

F-2-7 Points-Based Long-Term Residence

Points-based long-term residence for skilled professionals scoring 80+ points — the bridge between work visas and permanent residence in Korea.

Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte)

Austria's points-based work and residence permit for skilled workers, key workers, and graduates of Austrian universities — 70 points required.

EU Blue Card

Belgian highly qualified employee route under the EU Blue Card framework.

EU Blue Card

Luxembourg residence and work route for highly qualified third-country employees.

Blue Card

Czech EU Blue Card route for highly qualified employment with a qualifying contract and salary.

Temporary residence for highly skilled work (EU Blue Card)

Poland’s EU Blue Card-style temporary residence permit for highly skilled employment.

EU Blue Card / highly qualified worker

Greek route for highly qualified third-country employees with a qualifying contract and salary.

Critical Skills Work Visa

Work visa for foreigners holding a skill or qualification on South Africa's official Critical Skills List, issued for up to five years and offering a direct route to permanent residence.

Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)

Points-based talent route for highly skilled or talented people to settle in Hong Kong without first securing a job offer.

Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T)

A ten-year renewable pass for highly skilled expatriates already established in Malaysia, allowing them to change employers without reapplying.

SMART Visa

A BOI visa for talent, investors, executives and startup founders in targeted industries, granting up to four years of stay with no separate work permit required.

Turkey Turquoise Card

Special status conferring the rights of an indefinite work permit on highly qualified professionals, investors, researchers, and cultural figures, after a three-year transition period.

5-year Talent Visa

Nomination-only 5-year multiple-entry visa for highly skilled professionals and global talent, launched in 2025.

EU Blue Card (Croatia)

Croatia's stay-and-work permit for highly-qualified third-country nationals with a qualifying job offer, granting EU-wide mobility benefits.

Hungarian Card

A residence permit for highly-skilled third-country workers introduced under Hungary's admission regime effective 1 March 2024.

EU Blue Card (Hungary)

The EU Blue Card for highly-qualified third-country nationals employed in Hungary, with EU-wide mobility benefits.

R Talent Visa (high-level and urgently needed talent)

For you if you are a recognised high-level expert or have skills China urgently needs: the R visa is the talent route, normally used alongside a top-tier Foreigner Work Permit and, after arrival, a residence permit.

EU Blue Card (Bulgaria)

If you are a highly-qualified non-EU professional with a Bulgarian job offer above the salary threshold, the EU Blue Card gives you residence plus EU-wide mobility benefits.

EU Blue Card (Romania)

If you are a highly-qualified non-EU professional with a Romanian job offer above the salary threshold, the EU Blue Card gives you residence plus EU-wide mobility benefits.

Temporary Residence - Professional (Profesional)

For degree-holders and qualified tradespeople: this route grants temporary residence to professionals, technicians, technologists or artisans who can certify their qualification.

Digital Nomad Residency (IT specialists, via Astana Hub)

For you if you are a foreign IT specialist: the Digital Nomad Residency is a route, run through Astana Hub, that can lead to a permanent residence permit in Kazakhstan - and that is the key difference from the Neo Nomad Visa.

IT Visa (IT Park founders and specialists)

For you if you are an IT founder or specialist: Uzbekistan's IT Visa, linked to IT Park, lets you live and work in the country without needing a separate work permit - a real simplification over the standard work route.

IT Specialist Residence (Moldova IT Park)

If you are an IT professional hired by a Moldova IT Park resident company, this is a faster, simplified residence route built for tech talent.

EU Blue Card (Slovenia)

If you are a highly-qualified non-EU professional with a Slovenian job offer above the salary threshold, the EU Blue Card gives you residence plus EU-wide mobility benefits.

EU Blue Card (Lithuania)

If you are a highly qualified professional with a Lithuanian job offer at the required salary, the EU Blue Card is a recognised route with EU-wide mobility.

EU Blue Card (Latvia)

If you are a highly qualified professional with a Latvian job offer at the required salary, the EU Blue Card gives you residence with EU-wide mobility.

EU Blue Card (Slovakia)

If you are a highly qualified professional with a Slovak job offer at the required salary, the EU Blue Card gives you residence with EU-wide mobility.