Permanent Residency in Canada: Be a part of beauty and diversity of Canada

Permanent Residency (PR) in Canada is a golden ticket that allows you to stay and settle in the Great White North. It is a legal status provided to immigrants who wish to make Canada their permanent abode. It is frequently regarded as a means of achieving Canadian citizenship and enjoying the Canadian dream.

Canada PR Visa VS Canadian Citizenship?

In important aspects, Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) and Canadian citizenship do differ.

How to get a Canada PR Visa?

A Canadian Permanent Residency Visa entitles individuals from various countries to live and work in Canada permanently.  Canada PR Visa has a validity of 5 years, and candidates with a Canada PR card can reside, receive an education, and work in Canada freely.

Eligibility Criteria for Canada PR Visa

Using a Comprehensive Ranking System' (CRS), which is a point-based system, nominees are evaluated under The Canadian Express entry system, which is an online system used to manage applications by skilled workers. Some Criteria within Canadian Experience Class (Express Entry) include:

1. Education: while the Canadian Experience class demands no educational requirements, for improvement of ranks in the system completing a foreign educational credential assessment (ECA) through a designated organization, proving your education to be equivalent to a Canadian diploma, degree, or certificate. Points are also given for certificates, degrees or diplomas from a Canadian secondary or post-secondary institute if one has done their schooling in Canada.
2. Language Proficiency: Proficiency in French or English. One can take an IRCC-approved language test such as the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for English and TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French and meet the benchmark required.
3. Work Experience: Continued Full-time or equivalent part-time skilled work experience of a minimum of 12 months in the preceding 3 years in Canada before applying. Could be full-time at one job, at more than one job or an equal amount in part-time.
4. Admissibility: A Canadian Immigration officer decides if one is admissible when one applies for a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or upon arrival at a port of entry. In case you are found inadmissible, you are denied the Visa or eTA, denied entry to or removed from Canada.
5. Where to live: The province of Quebec selects its immigrants under its own specified conditions. One must choose to live outside said province. If one wishes to live within it they must go through the "Quebec-selected skilled workers".
6. Age: The age of the applicant is worth 12% of the overall criteria for selection. If you are over the age of 47, no points are allotted under CSR under the Age factor. But worry not, points for skills and job offers are going nowhere.
7. One is ineligible for the Canadian Experience class if they are a refugee claimant, working unauthorized or the work experience gained was without the status of a temporary resident.

One shall note, that even if the requirements have been achieved, getting a Visa is by no means guaranteed.  The selection process is tough and rigorous. The candidates are assigned an overall score out of 100. Those scoring 67 points or above qualify for the Federal skilled workers program. Scoring below 67 points gets you disqualified. We however wish you the best.

Options to get a Canadian PR Visa:

1. Express Entry System: This system oversees applications for three federal economic immigration programs, namely:

• The Federal Skilled Worker Program,
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program,
• The Canadian Experience Class.

2. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): If one is eligible for the above-mentioned programs, through express entry they can also apply to PNP. Every province and territory within Canada, (except Quebec), carries its own PNP. These programs permit provinces to nominate individuals meeting their specific labour markets.
3. Family Sponsorship: Citizens and permanent residents of Canada have the opportunity to sponsor their close family members as well as certain other relatives. These programs allow qualified sponsors to help their family members obtain PR status.

4 Quebec-selected skilled workers: Quebec has its own rules when choosing immigrants, thus a skilled worker who wishes to live in Quebec may choose this application process.

Navigating the Canada PR Application Process:

A walkthrough of a Canada PR Application (taking express entry for reference)-

STEP 1. Determination of eligibility for an Express Entry program (one from above mentioned)

STEP 2. Language proficiency test to obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if required.

STEP 3. Creation of an Express Entry profile to receive a 'Comprehensive Ranking System' (CRS) score.

STEP 4. Submission of the profile with the documents and the wait begins for an 'Invitation to Apply' (ITA) for permanent residence.

STEP 5. Completion of the PR application within the allotted time frame and payment of fees. While Waiting for the application to be processed, fulfil any additional requirements such as biometrics or changes in the submitted data.

STEP 6. Upon verification of the submitted information, a decision would be made on the given application. If rejected the applicant will have to submit a new profile to meet the criteria and be accepted in the pool once more. If accepted acquire the 'Confirmation of Permanent Residence' (COPR) and a Permanent Resident Visa (if applicable).

 Now off you go to Canada (if you are already not there, that is), present the documents at the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) and become a Permanent Resident! You will need to confirm the PR status virtually in most cases. Confirm it using the PR Portal. Once that is done an e-COPR shall be made available as proof of your new status in Canada!

Document Checklist for Canada PR Application

It is to be noted that the documents that will be attached will have to be in English or French.

1. Identification Documents:

- Valid passport/travel document (for you and each accompanying family member)

- Birth certificates or proof of relationship documents (marriage certificates, adoption papers, etc.) 

2. Language Proficiency:

- Language test results (IELTS, CELPIP, TEF, etc.) demonstrating command in either French and/or English.

3. Educational Documents:

- 'Educational Credential Assessment' (ECA) report (for Federal Skilled Worker Program) or verification of Canadian education.

- Transcripts, degrees, diplomas, or certificates for educational qualifications

4. Work Experience:

- Letters of reference from past and current employers, including job titles, duties, and duration of employment

- Employment contracts or offer letters, if applicable

5. Police Certificates and Clearances:

- Police clearance certificates from each country or region where you have lived for a certain period (varies by program)

6. Medical Examination:

- Medical examination reports conducted by a panel physician approved by IRCC

7. Forms and Application Documents:

- Completed application forms specific to the program you are applying through

- Family information forms, travel history forms, etc.

- Recent passport-sized photographs.

Processing Time and Fees for Canada PR Application

The processing time is a variable factor, pivoting on the program, the magnitude of applications being processed, and other individual factors.

Here's a general overview of the fees for the application -

1. Processing Fee: For Permit Holder Class (under Permanent residence), the processing fee is $CAN 335 (subject to change).
2. Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF): The fee paid by PR applicants when their applications get approval. The PR status shall not be granted unless RPRF is paid. The RPRF is currently $CAN 515. Therefore, the application total is $CAN 850.
3. Biometrics Fee: Depending upon nationality, one may be required to provide biometrics (fingerprints and photos) as part of the application process. The biometrics fee is CAD $85 per person (subject to change).
4. Permanent resident cards/travel document: A PR card costs, as well as a PR travel document, cost $CAN 50.

5. Application: The application fee under Express Entry is $CAN 1365. Including your Spouse: $CAN 1365 and including a dependent child is $CAN 230.

FAQs 

How is a CRS score calculated?

The CSR score calculated includes Core points up to 600 and additional points up to 600, making the total out of 1200. The core includes factors like skills and experience, education, spouse or common-law partners etc. The Additional factors include a valid job offer, a sibling with PR or Citizen status, strong command of the French language etc.

Can Canada PR expire?

Most PR cards have a validity of five years, some even have a validity of one year. After the expiry date, mentioned on the card itself, the card cannot be used as a travel document.

I am outside Canada and my PR card expired, what do I do?

In such cases apply for a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) in order to re-enter Canada. Without a valid PR card or PRTD, you will be denied boarding.