Citizens of other countries who have been granted the right to reside permanently in Canada and work or study without restrictions. Refugees, refugee claimants, temporary foreign workers and those with study or work permits are not included. Note that the Canadian government defines immigrants as including refugees, but the United Nations High Commission for Refugees distinguishes between immigrants, who choose to settle in another country, and refugees who have been forced to flee their country of origin. Settlement services and similar programs designed for new immigrants are generally also applicable to refugees

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Individuals who have fled their native country and been given official permission by the government to settle permanently in Canada. Convention refugee status, in keeping with the United Nations 1951 Geneva Convention, is given to people who are outside their country of nationality and unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on the individuals' race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. People in need of humanitarian assistance may also be accepted as refugees. These types of refugees are usually the victims of natural disasters (such as a tsunami) or disasters of human origin (such as a major nuclear emission).

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