For permanent residency, Canada offers several immigration programs. Some well- known immigration programs are the Express Entry program, the Provincial Nominee Program, the Quebec Skilled Workers’ Program, etc. The most popular among these is the Express Entry program. All these immigration programs have some requirements in order to apply for PR in Canada.
If you have applied for permanent residency (PR) under any of these programs, you must meet the eligibility requirements. So, what are the requirements for the PR visa? Here are the details.
Before you go ahead and apply for your Canada PR, we suggest that you first clear the Language Proficiency Test and the Educational Credential Assessment. These are vital requirements for your PR visa and getting them first is crucial to the success of your PR application.
- Language Proficiency Test: To prove your proficiency in the English language, you will have to obtain a good score in a popular English language proficiency test. The most popular test is the IELTS and you need to have a minimum score of 6 bands in all the four language skills to qualify for a PR visa.
- Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): The second important requirement is to get your Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from the World Education Services (WES) or any other assessing authority. The ECA helps to verify your educational qualifications gained outside Canada.
Once you have fulfilled these vital requirements, the next step is to meet the other requirements for your PR visa. These are:
Age requirement: According to Canada PR visa rules of 2019, a person must be at least 18 years or older to apply for a PR visa.
Educational requirement: The minimum educational qualification is a Bachelor’s degree to apply for a PR visa.
Language requirement: The minimum language requirements are CLB 7 which is equivalent to a score of 6 bands in the IELTS exam.
Work experience requirement: You need to have at least one year of work experience to apply for a PR visa.
Adaptability: Though this is not mandatory, if family members or close relatives are living in Canada and will be able to support you when you move in there or if your spouse or legal partner is ready to migrate with you to Canada makes you eligible for extra points.
Here are the points you can score under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) if you meet these eligibility requirements:
- Age: You can score the maximum points if you are between 18-35 years. Those above this age will gain lesser points.
- Education: Your minimum educational qualification must be equal to the higher secondary education level in Canada. The higher level of educational qualification means more points.
- Work experience: To score the minimum points you should have at least one year of work experience. If you have more years of work experience you will gain more points.
- Language ability: You must have at least 6 bands in your IELTS equivalent to CLB 7 to be eligible to apply and score the minimum points. Higher scores mean more points.
- Adaptability: You can score ten points on the adaptability factor if your family members or close relatives are living in Canada and will be able to support you when you move in there. You can also gain points if your spouse or legal partner is ready to migrate with you to Canada.
- Arranged employment: A valid job offer from a Canadian employer entitles you for ten points.
You need to have a minimum of 67 points out of 100 to enter the Express Entry pool. Once your application is in the Express Entry pool you will get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) based on the Express Entry draw that is conducted periodically.
Documents required to apply for PR after ITA:
Once you get your ITA, you must submit the following documents along with your application for a PR visa:
- Medical Certificate
- Police clearance certificate
- Documents as proof of details about you and your family members, i.e. birth certificates, marriage certificate, passport, etc.
- Statements as evidence of proof of funds that will support your initial stay in Canada with your family members
If you are not sure about your eligibility requirements for your Canada PR visa, consult an immigration expert who will give you the right guidance.