Canada is one of the most preferred destinations for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency. This Great White North nation provides high living standards, a reliable economy, and a diverse culture. The country offers plenty of opportunities for immigrants to obtain a Permanent Residency (PR).
Acquiring PR in Canada has several benefits which we will explore in this post. We will summarise these benefits for you and provide the pathway to apply for this visa.
How does PR in Canada benefit you?
You can apply for a PR in Canada if you meet all the criteria, and after you have your Permanent Residency, you will enjoy the following benefits:
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Apply for Canadian Citizenship in the future
With a Canadian PR, after a certain period, you can apply for citizenship. Once obtained, this grants you the right to obtain a Canadian passport, the right to vote, and even run for public office.
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You can gain access to healthcare
Canada provides Medicare, a healthcare program that is publicly funded. It ensures to provide immigration status with access to essential medical services like doctor visits, emergency treatments, and hospital care.
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You can save money in education
Compared to other developed countries like Australia, the UK, or the US, education is more affordable in Canada. Hence, you may find Canada more economical on a comparative scale among other countries for fulfilling your academic goals.
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Your family can join you
One of the main advantages of becoming a permanent resident is the opportunity to have your family members live with you. So, your spouse or your common-law partner and dependent children can live with you.
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You get Social Security benefits
You get various security benefits, including unemployment insurance, disability benefits, and retirement pensions. The Canadian government provides a social security system that gives you and your family members the financial stability and comfort to live in the country. You also get protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Once you gain a PR in Canada, you are obligated to pay taxes and follow Canadian laws at any level.
Who is eligible to apply for a PR in Canada?
There are three ways for international students to apply for a PR in Canada:
- CEC – Canadian Experience Class
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (Express Entry)
- Provincial Nominee Program (Non-Express Entry)
1. CEC – Canadian Experience Class
The Canadian Experience Class is meant for those with Canadian work experience, wishing to become permanent residents in Canada.
The minimum requirements to apply for this class include:
- Having at least 1 year of skilled paid work experience in Canada (or an equal amount of work experience in a part-time job) in the 3 years before applying for CEC.
- Gaining skilled work experience in Canada while working as a temporary resident. Skilled work experience refers to gaining one or more NOC Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) under the following categories:
- TEER 0
- TEER 1
- TEER 2
- TEER 3
- Proving that you performed all or most of the main duties mentioned in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC (National Occupational Classification).
- Volunteer work or unpaid internships will not be considered eligible for a CEC. You have to be earning wages or receive earned commission to gain eligibility.
- You must take and meet the minimum score for approved language tests for speaking, reading, listening, and writing. The test score must be valid on the day you apply for CEC.
2. Federal Skilled Worker Program (Express Entry)
This Express Entry is for experienced skilled workers who wish to become permanent residents in Canada. The minimum requirements to be eligible for this program are:
- Having skilled work experience in one of these NOC TEER categories:
- TEER 0
- TEER 1
- TEER 2
- TEER 3
- You must have the same type of job as the job you wish to apply for your immigration application.
- You’ve obtained skilled work experience within the last ten years abroad or in Canada.
- Your skilled work experience should entail at least one year of continuous work or 30 hours per week.
- Volunteer work or unpaid internships will not be considered eligible. You have to be earning wages or receive earned commission to gain eligibility.
- You must take and meet the minimum score for approved language tests for speaking, reading, listening, and writing. The test score must be valid on the day you apply for the Express Entry.
- If you’ve attained education in Canada, you must present a certificate, diploma, or degree from a high school or post-secondary institution in Canada.
- Those who have obtained foreign education can submit a completed educational credential and an educational credential assessment for educational purposes.
- You must show proof of funds to sustain you and your family to live in Canada.
3. Provincial Nominee Program (Non-Express Entry)
The Provincial Nominee Program is a non-express entry where you:
- must meet the minimum requirements of one of the territory or province’s non-Express Entry streams
- must be nominated under that specific stream
How to apply for Permanent Residency in Canada?
The process to apply for a Canadian PR is as follows:
- Fill out the online application form
- Scan and upload requested and supporting documents
- Pay the application fees
- Submit the completed application
You can apply for PR through Express Entry if you have been invited to apply for the same. Note that its validity remains for 60 days and not more.
- Sign in to the IRCC Secure Account and then click the link under Express Entry that says ‘Apply for Permanent Residency’.
- Make sure to submit all the requested and necessary documents to prove your eligibility. You will have to translate any non-English or non-French documents. Get these documents stamped by a certified translator. Alternatively, you can get an affidavit from the person who translated your documents in case you are unable to access a certified translator. Make sure to also submit a scanned copy or scanned certified photocopy of the original document that was translated.
- You must provide a valid passport. Renew the passport if it expires within 6 months of the application date. Once you receive your renewed passport, update the same information in the application form.
- The statements you make in the form must be true and complete.
- Fill up all the mandatory fields without which you won’t be able to submit the form. You will have the feature to save your information entered in the form and go back whenever and as often as needed.
- Once you’ve submitted all your documents and necessary information, it’s time to pay the fees. This includes
- the processing fee for you and your family
- right of PR fee
- Biometrics fee
You can pay via a credit or debit card to complete the payment. At best, you can pay for the processing fee during the application but if you wish to avoid delays, you may complete full payment of all the fees included.
TYPE OF APPLICATION FEES |
CAD |
| Your application feesProcessing Fee
Right of Permanent Residence |
$850
$515 = $1,365 |
| Your application fees without the Right of Permanent Residence | $850 |
| Application fee for spouse or partnerProcessing Fee
Right of Permanent Residence |
$850
$515 = $1,365 |
| Your spouse or partner’s application fees without the Right of Permanent Residence | $850 |
| Application fee for a dependent child |
$230 per child |
The processing time takes about six months or less after getting your complete application.
What happens after approval?
Once your application is approved, you will receive the following mail:
- A COPR or Confirmation of Permanent Residence
- A PR or Permanent Resident Visa if you are from a country that requires a visa
Your information on the COPR should be the same as your passport. Therefore, we advise that you double-check the details on your COPR.
If you are already in Canada, you must confirm your PR status virtually. For this, you will be contacted via your phone number or your email address.
You may also confirm your PR status through the Permanent Residence Portal. In this case, you will receive emails from a mailbox ending in cic.gc.ca. In this email, you will be requested to confirm your email address, and whether you are physically present in Canada. You will also be given information about the Permanent Residence Portal and options if you can’t use it.
In the process of confirming your status, you will be asked to provide your photo, to begin with issuing your Permanent Resident Card (PR Card). Until you get your first PR card, you can use your printed and signed e-CORP to prove your PR status and apply for government benefits and services.
If you need more information about becoming a permanent resident in Canada, connect with our experts today.
FAQs
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What happens if my application for PR gets approved while I am outside Canada?
If your application gets approved while you are outside Canada, you need to follow a different protocol. Firstly, if it’s your first time travelling to Canada, use free pre-arrival services to help you learn about life in Canada.
Furthermore, you must have the following:
- A valid passport
- Your COPR and your PR visa
- Proof of funds to support you and your family members joining you
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Can I include student work experience as part of my Express Entry work requirement?
This depends on where you were working and studying. You must meet the minimum requirements for 1 or more Express Entry Programs, which includes your work experience requirement. Your student work experience will count towards the minimum requirements for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. However, student work experience will not count towards the Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades Program.
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What is the validity period of a PR card?
The expiry date will be mentioned on the PR card granted to you. PR cards are usually valid for five years, while some are valid for one year. You cannot use an expired PR card as a travel document, which is why you should apply for a renewal within six months of expiry.
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Can I travel to the US with a Canadian Permanent Residence?
A landed immigrant with a Canadian Permanent Residence must have a nonimmigrant visa if they seek to travel to the US. However, the permanent resident may not require a nonimmigrant visa if they are a national of a country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), meets its requirements, and will be travelling to the United States for 90 days or less under that program.