Apply For Canada Permanent Residency Visa

Canada is one of the most popular countries of choice for migrants. After all, the country welcomes its immigrants with friendly policies and an open-minded, accepting government. Canada also offers personal freedom, numerous job opportunities, good living conditions, and a nice and comfortable lifestyle. Canada's Permanent Resident or PR visa has validity for five years which can be renewed later.

It is to be noted that a Permanent Resident or PR of Canada remains a citizen of his or her home country. The benefits of Canada PR are that it allows one to live, study, and work anywhere in Canada, be eligible for healthcare and social benefits available to Canadian citizens, and be protected by Canadian laws. It also allows one to apply for Canadian citizenship later.

However, the Canada Permanent Residency status does not allow you voting rights, run for political offices, or hold jobs that need a high-level security clearance.

Foreign students or skilled workers or refugees do not become permanent residents of Canada automatically. They have to apply for the PR visa to gain the status.

What are the different pathways to obtaining a Permanent Resident visa in Canada?

Applications for Canada PR visa are scrutinized on a points-based system. Applicants get points based on factors like their age, education, work experience, and language proficiency. The most popular immigration programs through which you can apply for permanent residency in Canada are:

• Express Entry Program
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
• Business Immigration Program
• Family Class Immigration

How to apply PR for Canada through the Express Entry Program?

This pathway is meant for skilled workers. It has three sub-categories:

• Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP)

You need to get at least 67 points out of the total 100 points to qualify for the FSWP pathway. The PR Canada eligibility factors include:

• Age: You should not be more than 47 years old. The maximum points awarded in this category are 35 which are given to those who are 18-35 years old.
• Education: One must have completed education equivalent to at least higher secondary education (or Grade 12) in Canada.
• Work Experience: You should have at least one year of full-time work experience in occupations listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) list as Skill Type 0 (managerial jobs), A (professional jobs), or B (skilled trades or technicians). More years of work experience win you more points.
• Language Proficiency: You need to have an overall score of Band 6 in the IELTS test (which should not be older than 2 years). You get extra points if you are proficient in French too.
• Adaptability: If are migrating to Canada with your spouse or common-law partner, you get 10 points.
• Arranged Employment: If you already have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer in hand, you can get a maximum of 10 points.

Applicants who qualify for the PR visa through the Express Entry (EE) program receive the Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canada PR status based on the points their EE profiles accrue. Once you receive your ITA, you need to submit all the documents as instructed.

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Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

FSTP is different from the FSWP as it caters to occupations that do not require much education, such as construction workers, chefs, electricians, etc. Applicants must have at least two years of experience in their skilled trade and IELTS scores of Band 5 (in Speaking and Listening), Band 4 (in Reading), and Band 4.5 in Writing) to qualify for this program.

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Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

It is meant for foreign workers with skilled work experience in Canada. Skilled workers need to have at least Band 7 IELTS score while skilled tradespersons require an IELTS score of at least Band 5 to qualify for the CEC pathway. One should be 47 years of age and have at least 1 year of work experience to apply for this PR visa. The maximum work experience considered for this visa is 6 years. While there are no minimum education requirements in this pathway, you can get up to 25 points for the degrees you hold. Qualified applicants need at least 67 points to qualify.

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What is a Provincial Nominee Program or PNP

Canada has about 80 different PNPs with their individual eligibility requirements. They allow provinces to target immigrants that can help them meet labor shortages or fulfill other needs. Most Provincial Nomination Programs require applicants to be connected to the province in some way. They might have studied there, worked there, or maybe required to have a valid job from an employer in the province. But there are PNPs where you can apply directly without having any previous connection to the province.

Popular PNPs for which applicants ask help for our help most often are:

• Alberta PNP
• Manitoba PNP
• New Brunswick PNP
• Ontario PNP
• Saskatchewan PNP

The eligibility requirements for different Provincial Nominee Programs are different. If you are looking forward to getting a PR visa through PNP in the Express Entry pathway, you will have to qualify for the EE program too. Getting nominated from some Canadian provinces is easier than others. It is also possible to get the Canada Permanent Residency visa through PNP if your CRS points are not high enough for other visa pathways.

You must note that you will not be able to settle down in big cities and municipalities of Canada through the PNP pathway. This option has been introduced to encourage immigrants to move to regional areas and promote economic development there.

How to apply PR to Canada through the Provincial Nominee Program?

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is meant for skilled workers who want to live in a specific province or territory of Canada and is said to be one of the easiest pathways to become a permanent resident (PR) of Canada. Each Canadian province may try to attract students, businesspersons, investors, skilled workers, or tradespersons depending on its local needs.

A provincial nomination can win you up to 600 points (out of a total of 1200-point Comprehensive Ranking System which increases your chances of getting PR approval considerably.

Some PNPs qualify for the Express Entry process too. It means that if you fit both the Express Entry pathway and the PNP pathway, you can apply directly to a province or territory, win a nomination and mention it in your EE profile.

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If you are interested in apply for the Canadian PR visa, PNPs provide you a high chance of fulfilling your dreams. Consult with Visa2Immigration Canada visa consultants to know your options.

What is the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP)?

QSWP is Quebec’s Provincial Nominee Program that offers skilled workers a fast and convenient way to settle in Canada. The applicants for this program need to apply for the Quebec Selection Certificate or Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ).

You do not need a valid job offer in order but if you have one, you have much higher chances of migrating to Quebec. Like the Express Entry program, QSWP also has a points-based system for selection.

Immigration authorities will assess your case and issue a CSQ. You need to apply for a PR visa within three months of getting the CSQ to migrate to Quebec.

How to apply for the PR visa through the Business Immigration Program?

Those who want to invest in a business in Canada or establish a new business in Canada can apply for the Business Immigration PR program. High net worth individuals and those with significant business or managerial experience of establishing and running businesses may win this visa. Investors, entrepreneurs, and self-employed people may move to Canada on this visa.

How to apply for the PR visa through the Family Class Immigration pathway?

Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are 18 years or older can sponsor their family members for the PR status. People who count as one's family members are:

• Spouse or Common-law Partner or Conjugal Partner,
• Dependent or Adopted Children,
• Parents, and
• Grandparents.

The sponsor must be residing in Canada or must have the intention to be in the country when the sponsored relative arrives. He or she must also agree to support the sponsored family members for a certain amount of time and prove that he or she is financially capable of doing so. The sponsors must not be bankrupt, charged with criminal offenses, and must not have a removal order (if they are permanent residents).

What are the documents required for PR in Canada?

To apply for the PR visa of Canada, you need to submit the completed application form with all the required documents, such as:

• Valid passport,
• Age proof,
• Identity proof,
• Educational documents,
• Work Experience proof,
• IELTS scores,
• Proof of funds,
• Job offer (if applicable), and
• Medical fitness and police clearance certificates.

What is the PR visa process for Canada?

Once you decide on the immigration program best suited to you, you need to gather all the documents first. Six steps of the PR process to Canada are:

1. Take the standardized language test (such as IELTS) before you start the application process. You may also want to take the French language test for extra marks.
2. Apply for the immigration program you have chosen. You must check eligibility for Canadian PR and the immigration program you choose. Your application and documents must satisfy all Canadian PR requirements to increase your chances of winning approval. Our Canada immigration consultants can guide you through this phase and become a permanent resident of Canada easily.
3. Make sure that you submit only genuine documents and that your education and work experience documents are authenticated. These documents are verified by experts and any type of fraud can lead to several penal liabilities.
4. Prepare your proof of funds to showcase that you have enough money to stay in Canada and support yourself and your family members for some time. You also need to get medical fitness tests and police verification done.
5. Be alert in responding to any clarifications or information sought by immigration authorities.
6. Once your PR status gets confirmed, you will receive a COPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence) card.

If you apply for a PR visa through the Express Entry scheme and get an ITA (Invitation to Apply), you need to apply within 90 days of receiving the ITA.

Typically, the processing time for the PR visa is 5 to 8 months. The actual time taken by PR visa processing depends on the immigration program you choose. The Canadian Experience Class PR visa, for example, typically gets processed within 3 to 4 months.

What are the PR visa fees for Canada?

A Canada PR visa applicant has to pay fees for himself or herself, spouse, and dependents mentioned in the application. These include:

• Visa fees for Primary Applicant or Spouse: CAD 825
• Permanent Residence fees for Primary Applicant or Spouse: CAD 500
• Visa fees for Dependent Child (under 22 years of age): CAD 225

Apart from Canada PR visa fees, you will also have to pay fees for Evaluations for Immigrations (ECA) by the World Education Services (WES), IELTS or other language tests, medical tests, and police clearance.

A single person who intends to immigrate to Canada must have at least USD 13,000 in his or her account while a couple must have about USD 16,500. A family of four needs to have about $24,100 as the settlement fund. Letters from banks in which your money is deposited serve as proof of funds.

If you choose to hire an immigration consultant to help you with the Canada PR visa process, you will also have to bear the cost of his or her fee. Talk to our expert to know how much you need to be able to migrate to Canada on a PR visa.