Canada Permanent Residency-Rights and Obligations

Permanent residence in Canada applies to persons who are not citizens of Canada but who have been granted permission to live and work in Canada without any limitation on their stay.

A Canada PR visa is valid for five years, after which it can be renewed. A permanent resident is expected to live in Canada for two years out of a five-year period or risk losing their PR status.

To obtain permanent residence a person must apply for the visa and must demonstrate how he meets the criteria for becoming a permanent resident.

Canada offers many immigration programs, each of which have their own criteria and requirements. The popular Canada immigration pathways are – Express Entry program, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP), Startup visa program etc.

The Express Entry system and the Provincial Nominee Program are the two most preferred programs to apply for PR visa.

Given below is information on the eligibility requirements, steps in the application process and the documents required for each program.

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Application for Canada PR through Express Entry program

Step 1: Create your Express Entry profile

As a first step you will have to create your online Express Entry profile. The profile should include credentials that include age, work experience, education, language skills etc.

If you want to qualify for the Canada PR as a skilled worker, you should score 67 points to meet the eligibility criteria. Check your score in the Canada immigration points calculator. If you qualify, you can submit your profile. This will be added to the other profiles in the Express Entry pool.

Step 2: Complete your ECA

An Educational Credentials Assessment or ECA will be required for education completed overseas. This is to prove that the educational qualifications possessed are equal to those awarded by the Canadian educational system.

Step 3: Complete your language ability tests

As the next step in the Express Entry program, you should take the required English language proficiency tests. The recommendation is a score of 6 bands in each section of the IELTS. Your test score should be less than 2 years old at the time of application.

You will gain extra points if you know French. To prove your proficiency in French, you can give a French language like the Test de evaluation de Francians (TEF).

 Step 4: Calculate your CRS score

The profiles in the Express Entry pool are ranked based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Based on the profile of applicants a CRS score is given which will help to provide a ranking in the Express Entry pool. The assessment fields for the score include:

• Skills
• Education
• Language ability
• Work experience
• Other factors

Your profile gets selected for the Express Entry draw if you have the required CRS score for that draw.

One of the best ways to increase your CRS score is to get a job offer from a Canadian employer, this can add anywhere between 50 to 200 points to your score depending on the skill level.

Another option to improve CRS is to get a provincial nomination. Several of Canada’s provinces have PNPs linked to Express Entry streams. A provincial nomination adds 600 points which can definitely get you an ITA.

 Step 5: Get your Invitation to Apply (ITA)

If your profile gets selected from the Express Entry pool, you will get an ITA from the Canadian government after which you can start the documentation for your PR visa.

Application through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) for PR visa

The Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) was started by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to help the different provinces and territories in Canada to select immigration candidates who are willing to settle down in a particular province or territory in the country and have the skills and expertise to contribute to the economic development of the province or territory. But not all of Canada’s provinces and territories participate in the PNP.

Nunavut and Quebec are not part of the PNP. Quebec has its own separate program – Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) – for inducting immigrants to the province.

Nunavut does not have any immigration program for the induction of newcomers into the territory.

Steps to apply for the PNP

1. You must apply in the province or region where you desire to settle.
2. If your profile is attractive and meets the eligibility criteria, you could be nominated by the province to apply for a PR visa.
3. You can apply for your PR visa after you are nominated by a province.

After you receive your ITA you must submit the required documents to get your PR visa.

Other immigration programs

The Canadian government runs certain pilot programs for helping immigrants enter the country as permanent residents.

These include the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP), the Agri-Food Pilot (AFP), and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP).

PR visa holders in Canada enjoy the following benefits:

• Can apply for Canadian citizenship in the future
• Can live, work and study anywhere in Canada
• Eligible for healthcare and other social benefits enjoyed by Canadian citizens
• Free education for children
• Option to make the country a business base
• Tax benefits
• Protection under Canadian law

Apart from this, as a PR visa holder, you can change employers, move between provinces, and bring your family with you or you can later sponsor your spouse or partner or dependent children to join you in the country.  Your PR status does not expire. You can choose to remain a PR visa holder if you wish, but to maintain your status you must live in the country for at least two years in a five-year period.

When renewing your Canada PR visa, you must prove that you were physically present in Canada for at least 730 days (roughly two years) during this five-year period. The 730 days need not be continuous, you can enter and exit the country any number of times.

Once permanent residents have met certain residency requirements, they can apply for citizenship.

If you have received Canadian citizenship, you can apply for a Canadian passport vote and run for political office as well.

Once permanent residents have met certain residency requirements, they can apply for citizenship.

Renewing your PR visa

Most PR cards are valid for five years, but some are valid for only a year. The date of expiry is written on the card.

You can’t use your Canada PR card as a travel document when your PR card expires. IF your PR card expires within six months, you can apply to get your card renewed. You have got to be in Canada when renewing your PR visa.

If you are returning to Canada and you have an expired PR card, you have to get your Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) to return to Canada by plane, train, bus, or boat. Without one, you may not be able to board a commercial means of transport to enter Canada.

When your PR visa expires, you will have to apply for a new one. You will still be a permanent resident even if your card expires.

Here are the renewal charges for your PR visa:

Fees for PR card: 50 CAD

Processing time:

• Renewal or replacement – 97 days.
• New PR card – 130 days.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to Canada, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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