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Written By
Zain Usmani
Nov 24, 2021
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The PR process in Canada is designed to help immigrants come to the country as easily as possible. Immigrating to Canada is not hard if you understand the Permanent Residence, or PR process in Canada and how to apply. How your Canadian journey will unfold depends greatly on how you decide to pursue your PR in Canada. In this article, you’ll learn about the PR process and how to apply for Canada’s PR status.
The Canadian government can give Permanent Residence status to someone who is not a Canadian citizen. As a PR, it means that you have the right to live and work in Canada for as long as you wish. And, once you have your PR, it cannot be taken away from you unless you commit a serious crime. As long as you follow all the laws, you will be eligible to renew your PR when it expires.
There are many benefits when you obtain PR status. For instance, you’ll have access to Canada’s healthcare system and Canadian government benefits for immigrants and residents. Some of these services include access to free healthcare, and permission to live, work, or visit any part of Canada.
The Canadian government currently has over 80 ways to immigrate to Canada! Each of these pathways is designed for specific groups of people. Below is an overview of the most common ways to apply for Canada PR and follow the PR process in Canada.
Express Entry is an online immigration system used to manage any applications under the:
You can apply for PR through Express Entry if you meet the criteria for any of these programs.
In simple words, Express Entry is a system used to get skilled workers to Canada. These workers could already be living in Canada on a work permit or they could be skilled workers from another country. Each of the programs under Express Entry has its own criteria. You can learn more about the minimum requirements for each Express Entry program by clicking here.
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REGISTER FOR THE WEBINARIf you meet the minimum requirements for Express Entry, you will be put into a pool with thousands of other candidates from around the world. At this point, you will receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Your CRS score considers factors such as:
Your CRS score can be anywhere between 0 and 1200. A minimum CRS score will vary from time to time but anywhere above 500 is usually a good score.
The minimum CRS scores fluctuate because you are ranked against other candidates in the Express Entry Pool. You will be invited to apply for PR only if you score higher than most other candidates. So, some people don’t like the Express Entry system because it is highly competitive.
You will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) if you rank about the cut-off. Once you get your ITA, you are eligible to apply for a PR in Canada. If you rank below the cut-off, you need to improve your CRS score. Some ways to increase your score include:
Another way to boost your CRS score is through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
If you fall below the CRS score cut-off in the Express Entry Pool and don’t receive an ITA, you could apply for a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in Canada.
The PNP allows provinces to nominate certain people in the express entry pool to immigrate to their province. The nominees will get their PR but once they immigrate to Canada, they can only land in the province that nominated them. Furthermore, they must live in that province for a period, usually two years.
If you get nominated by a province through PNP, you get an additional 600 points added to your Express Entry Profile. This guarantees that you will receive an ITA for permanent residency in Canada. Using this PR process in Canada is a great way to boost your CRS score.
Each province has its PNP. For example, Alberta’s PNP program is called the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP). However, Quebec does not have a PNP. Quebec has its own requirements for immigrants who want to settle in Quebec.
When you look to immigrate through PNP, you have to stay alert. PNPs are not always open for every province. Rather, they open periodically. You will have to stay on the lookout with your application prepared so that once the PNP for your preferred province opens, you can apply right away.
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Canada’s family sponsorship program is a program to unite family members. If you have a spouse, children, parents, or grandparents living outside of Canada, you can bring them to Canada through the Family Sponsorship program.
You are eligible to sponsor a family member if you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident above the age of 18. If you sponsor a family member, you agree to pay for all their expenses for a certain period. If you follow this PR process in Canada, you’ll have to show proof of funds before you can sponsor a family member.
Once you sponsor your family, they will earn PR status and are free to live and work in Canada.
The Atlantic Immigrant Pilot Program (AIPP) addresses labour shortages and attract workers to the four maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. So far, the program has done just that, and it has been a huge success.
There are three programs that fall under the AIPP including the Atlantic:
Eligibility for each of these programs revolves mostly around education, work experience, and language ability. For the AHSP and AISP programs, you will also need a Confirmation of Designation letter from your employer. This letter indicates that the employer meets the requirements to hire you. This is different from a work permit because the employer doesn’t need to pay any fees and you do not need a Labour Market Impact Assessment.
To learn more about these programs and whether or not you are eligible for each one, click here.
The AIPP is one of the easiest ways to immigrate to Canada. There are few requirements and there is no competitive pool where candidates are ranked against each other. All you need is a job offer from an employer in one of the four provinces and meet the minimum program requirements. If you meet the requirements, you are eligible to follow this PR process and immigrate through AIPP.
If you’re interested in immigrating to Canada, it’s important to understand the PR process in Canada and how to apply. With this knowledge, you can choose the best option and start your promising Canadian immigration journey.
WRITTEN BY
Zain Usmani
Writer, Prepare for Canada
My name is Zain Usmani and I am a freelance content writer who currently resides in Mississauga, Ontario. I immigrated from Pakistan to Canada 5 years ago and have lived in many cities ever since. I have lived in Calgary AB, Edmonton AB, Regina SK, London ON, and Mississauga ON, while visiting over 40 Canadian cities and towns. I have a great passion for writing and I love helping people through it.
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