Every year thousands of immigrants apply for permanent residency visas to immigrate to Canada. Its popularity stems from Canada’s immigrant-friendly policies. Also, skilled immigrants are encouraged by the Canadian government to migrate and access better job opportunities.
Attracted to the promise of a quality standard of living and a more comfortable lifestyle, hundreds of aspirants apply for various immigration programs every year. Also, with numerous consultancies available, you will have to find the best canada job consultancy in Chennai to assist you in your PR application process.
Canada permanent residence
Canada permanent residence refers to someone who has been granted permanent resident status, but he is not a citizen of Canada. All permanent residents in Canada are citizens of different countries. They are required to meet a residency obligation to maintain their PR status. For instance, they will have to be present in Canada for a specific amount of time.
One of the options available to migrate to Canada is by securing Canada’s permanent residency visa. A PR visa grants you a permanent resident status for a validity period of five years. You can enjoy the following benefits if you are a PR visa holder:
- You can apply for Canadian citizenship after a specific time.
- You can live, work, and study anywhere in Canada.
- You are eligible for social and healthcare benefits available to Canadian citizens.
How to get a Canada Permanent Residency Visa?
You will need to go through a permanent residence application process and elaborate scrutiny to get a PR visa. You will have to apply through the Express Entry System, which is a point-based system. The factors based on which your application is assessed by Canadian immigration are your age, language, education, and work experience.
The popular immigration programs through which you can apply for permanent residency status are:
- Express Entry program
- Provincial Nominee Program
- Business Immigration Program
- Family Class Immigration
- Experience Class Immigration
Canada Permanent Residency Visa through the Express Entry system
You will have to go through a points-based selection process to apply for a PR visa. There are three subcategories under the Express Entry System, which are:
- Federal Skilled Workers Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Canadian Experience Class
These categories were initiated to encourage skilled workers to apply for PR visas and settle in Canada. The eligibility criteria to quality under any of the above program are:
- Age
The maximum age to apply for a PR visa is 45 years, and any applicant between 18-35 years of age gets maximum points. Anyone above 35 years old will have fewer points.
- Education
The applicant must have an education qualification equivalent to higher secondary education under Canadian education standards.
- Work experience
The minimum work experience required is one year. The more work experience you have, the better your chances of getting more points.
- Language ability
You must maintain at least six bands in your IELTS examination. If you are proficient in French, you will get extra points on your profile.
- Adaptability
You will receive ten extra points if you have your spouse or common-law partner migrating with you.
- Employment
You are entitled to another 10 points if you have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.
Procedure to follow after getting qualified for a PR visa
If you get qualified for a PR visa through the Express Entry system, you will get an invitation to apply for Canada PR status. After that, you can begin your documentation process for a PR visa.
The invitation to apply (ITA) is a notification to prospective candidates who have secured the highest CRS score in a specific Express Entry draw held every month. After getting your ITA, you will be given 90 days to submit documents supporting the information you had provided in your Express Entry profile.
You will be notified about the program that you have been selected to apply for your Canada Permanent Residency Visa. You will need to submit the documents mentioned on the Express Entry Portal. They are specific to the program you have applied for.
The required documents include:
- English language examination results
- Birth certificate
- Education certificates or degrees
- Work experience documents such as employment letters, etc.
- Medical certificate
- Police clearance certificate
- Proof that you have sufficient funds
- Photos
You will be required to submit a medical certificate from a doctor only approved by Immigration, Refugee, Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
After submitting your medical certificate, you will need to give your biometrics (fingerprints and photos). You may have to go to your nearest biometric collection centre approved by IRCC.
After completing your medical examinations, biometrics, and supporting documents, you can submit your PR application. The processing time varies across applications, but it generally takes about six months for your PR visa to be processed.
You may even be asked to attend a short interview before making a final decision on your application.
What happens if your application gets accepted?
If your application for a PR visa gets accepted, you and your accompanying family members will receive the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) by mail from IRCC. You will be granted visas to a Canadian Port of Entry to obtain your PR documents.
