Permanent Residency (PR)

Permanent Residency Using Express Entry

Express Entry is a system used by the Canadian government to manage permanent-residence applications for filling labour gaps through certain economic immigration programs. It is designed to facilitate the express immigration of skilled professionals seeking to immigrate to Canada permanently.

The federal government decides if a candidate is qualified for a program run by Express Entry after the candidate uploads an online profile outlining their interest. The Express Entry pool accepts qualified applicants, who are then ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), a points-based system used to evaluate and rank applicants in the pool.

Points are calculated on the basis of the selection factors below:

• Age
• Education
• Work experience
• A valid job offer
• Adaptability
• English and/or French language skills
• Your spouse's education, language abilities, and work experience

Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)

A vital component of Express Entry is the Federal Skilled Worker program, which supports those who meet the conditions in their permanent relocation to Canada. A person must have at least one year of continuous employment, or 1,560 hours total (30 hours per week), in eligible NOC categories over the previous ten years to be eligible for an FSW program.

Eligibility criteria:

• Age
• Education
• Work experience
• A valid job offer
• Adaptability
• English and/or French language skills

Minimum requirements:

• Must have a high school diploma or the equivalent;
• Must have proof of funds to support their application;
• Must intend to settle in Canada;
• Must have at least 1 year of continuous work experience, or 1,560 hours total (30 hours per week), in NOC TEER categories 0, 1, 2, or 3 in the last 10 years;
• Must have a minimum CLB 7 in all 4 modules of an approved English or French test;
• Must be admissible to Canada.

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

The CEC is part of a coordinated initiative by the federal and provincial governments of Canada to entice more foreign students and temporary workers to establish their futures in Canada. Being young or middle-aged, having high levels of education and work experience, and developing social and professional networks in Canada are all factors that help CEC immigrants succeed in the job market.

The most typical route for a foreign student to apply for permanent residence through the CEC:

• Step 1: Complete your educational program at a learning institution recognized by Canada.
• Step 2: Apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) at IRCC.
• Step 3: Acquire at least 1,560 hours of Canadian work experience in a NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3 job while using your PGWP.
• Step 4: Pass the required Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) test in either English or French, as approved by IRCC.
• Step 5: Enter the Express Entry pool. If granted an Invitation to Apply, IRCC will attempt to process your permanent-residence application within about six months.

Canadian Family Sponsorship

Your family member can immigrate to Canada and obtain permanent residence by being sponsored by a Canadian family member. It requires you, as an individual, to commit to meeting that person's fundamental requirements and providing them financial support.

To sponsor a family member, you must be:

• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
• 18 years of age or older
• Able to support the sponsored person for several years

You can sponsor the following people:

• Spouses and common-law partners
• Dependent children
• Parents and grandparents

Steps to apply for family sponsorship:

• Step 1: Verify your eligibility to serve as a sponsor.
• Step 2: Verify that the family members you want to sponsor are eligible.
• Step 3: Submit your application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) along with your family members' permanent-residence (PR) applications.
• Step 4: Pay the application fee for family sponsorship.
• Step 5: Send your application to the correct address, as listed in the sponsorship guide on the government website.

Spousal Sponsorship

Spousal sponsorship applications are processed with the utmost attention at Canadian visa offices, as spousal sponsorship is strongly supported by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

If you apply for spousal sponsorship within Canada, your application will be handled first, and after it is accepted, your temporary status will change to permanent. Spousal sponsorship within Canada enables the sponsored person to apply for an open work permit while they are still residing in Canada.

Requirements:

• Being 18 years old, a Canadian citizen, or a permanent resident living in Canada
• Proving your ability to meet your own and your partner's basic needs
• Demonstrating the validity of your relationship by submitting proof of your relationship to the person you are sponsoring

Your dependent children, whether biological or adopted, can apply to become permanent residents in Canada and live with you.

To qualify, a child must fit the definition of a dependent child:

• A child under 22 years old who is not married or in a common-law relationship is regarded as a dependent.
• A child older than 22 who has a physical or mental impairment that makes it impossible for them to sustain themselves may also be regarded as a dependent.

Eligibility requirements for the child sponsorship program:

• You and your child abroad must be accepted by IRCC to acquire a visa in order to be eligible for this program.
• You must demonstrate your relationship to the child you are sponsoring, either through a birth or adoption certificate.

Parent & Grandparent Sponsorship

It's difficult to move away from home and leave your parents on the other coast. Reuniting families in Canada is one of the goals of the Canadian government. The second highly sought-after immigration track within the family class — in addition to spousal sponsorship — is parent and grandparent sponsorship.

The Canadian government launched a new application intake procedure for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) in 2017. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) selects sponsors who want to bring their parents or grandparents to Canada. Questions have been added to help potential sponsors determine their eligibility based on minimum income requirements.

While the parent immigration program might not be an option for you at a given time, you may also consider temporary residence programs such as the Super Visa and visitor visa.