Individuals around the world aspire to immigrate to Canada for various reasons. Whether it is for tourism, to obtain an exceptional education, or to access healthcare, or the idea of living in a country where your children are safe and can grow, Canada has something for everybody. Canada continues to create opportunities for foreign nationals; it has become a hub for talents; many foreign nationals desire to immigrate to Canada and settle permanently. 

How can I achieve permanent residency?

There are many different pathways available for permanent residency. The first step is ensuring that you meet all the immigration program requirements you are applying for and are also admissible to enter Canada.

Express Entry

One of the primary objectives of the Canadian Immigration system is to successfully integrate permanent residents that can contribute to the Canadian economy. For that reason, Express entry is famously known as an immigration program in which immigrants can achieve permanent residency rapidly.

Express entry allows the Government of Canada to recruit and select immigrants they believe are skilled and able to contribute to the economic growth and prosperity of the country. Immigrants chosen by the Canadian government belong to the following economic immigration categories:

Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC) 

This program functions on a point system. Applicants are selected based on their ability to have at least 67 points out of 100. Applicants will receive points based on the work experience they’ve acquired in the last ten years, and factors such as education, language proficiency, and more.

Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) 

This program has the intention to attract skilled tradespeople to Canada. Unlike the FSWC, the program does not function on a point system but rather a pass or fail system.

Canadian Experience Class 

This program offers an opportunity for permanent residency for all applicants that have at least one year of full-time Canadian work experience.

Express entry involves two steps which are the following: creating an online express entry profile and then receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada. This invitation will allow you to apply for permanent residence. 

If invited to apply, you have 90 days to respond to the invitation, or the invitation will expire. When the invitation expires, your opportunity for permanent residence can slip away along with it unless you decide to restart the process from the beginning by submitting a new express entry profile, meeting eligibility requirements, and being accepted into the pool again.

If you respond within the 90-day time limit, Canadian Immigration can process your completed application for permanent residency within the next six months or less. This speedy procedure allows individuals to become permanent residents within six months!

Provincial Nominee Program

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is also a pathway that leads to permanent residency. A province in Canada will personally select immigrants they believe can contribute to the economy within that province and choose them to reside in their area permanently. As PNPs include many regions (all except Quebec), several have shorter processing times, so many foreign nationals choose this route for permanent residency.

The PNP requirements vary by province. Some target skilled workers, others look out for entrepreneurs and international graduates, while some target individuals with families currently residing in the province. 

The main objective for the nomination of immigrants to a province as permanent residents is their ability to become economically established in Canada as per the Immigration and Refugee Policies and Regulations (IRPR). The individual provinces have complete control over their selection criteria and eligibility requirements. However, Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will still conduct the process necessary to ensure the nominated candidate is admissible to Canada.

PNPS can also use express entry to select candidates if they have reached their standard number of nominees awarded to them each year.

What happens once you achieve residency permanent residency?

Once you have succeeded in becoming a permanent resident, you are entitled to health care and mobility rights. Despite being a permanent resident, there are still limits that could jeopardize your permanent residency – such as non-compliance regarding the fulfillment of residency obligations.

As a permanent resident, despite being able to travel as you please, there is a requirement to physically be present in Canada for a specific amount of time. Permanent residents who do not respect this mandatory obligation are at risk of having their permanent residency revoked and a removal order issued against them.

Permanent residents are also obligated to renew their PR cards every five years. A PR card is a document that serves as proof that you are a permanent resident and, upon returning to Canada from a travel destination, will ensure that you are permitted entry. 

Permanent residents who do not have a valid PR card while trying to enter Canada need a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) and must supply the officer with reasons for their PR card expiry. It is the discretion of the officer to permit a permanent resident with no PR card or PRTD entry. There are severe consequences beyond a refusal of admission for not having a PR card or PRTD.

Immigrating to Canada is allows for an easy transition when working with an accredited immigration consultant. E. Baka Immigration can make your journey to permanent residency in Canada straightforward and memorable. Please fill in the assessment form to get started, and one of our licensed immigration experts can identify the immigration program that suits your unique situation and adequately assist you.