There are various options and visas under which a foreign citizen can migrate to Canada. After living here for sufficient time (depending on the visa obtained in the first place), one can apply for permanent resident (PR) card in Canada.
Since the number of persons interested in applying for a Canada PR card is growing, our immigration lawyers present the main ways through which they can obtain it. You can rely on our Canada immigration law firm for assistance in relocating to this country under the visas or specific programs available.
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The main options to obtain a Canada PR visa in 2024
There are 5 ways through which a foreign citizen can acquire a Canada PR card:
- through the Express Entry visa which is available for skilled immigrants who can occupy vacancies in companies that lack specialized workforce;
- through business immigration programs under which entrepreneurs can immigrate to Canada and start their own companies;
- through family class immigration schemes which is available for immigration to Canada for citizens who have family members living here;
- through the Class Experience program which enables foreign employees and students to apply for temporary residency followed by permanent residence cards;
- through the Provincial Nominee Schemes through which foreign citizens can move to certain provinces who enroll in this program.
If you are interested in obtaining a Canadian citizenship, our immigration lawyer can support you with the application.
There aren’t many the requirements to be met in order to obtain citizenship in Canada, especially when there are close familial links. The law provides a number of possibilities that are not available in other nations, which is a significant advantage provided by the government. Please get in touch with us if you need help. You can get help from our Canadian lawyers.
Quick Facts | |
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Entry visa requirement (YES/NO) |
YES, visa or electronic travel authorization (ETA) |
Types of visas for permanent residency |
Employment visa, temporary residence permit, investor visa |
Permanent residency by employment availability (YES/NO) |
YES |
Permanent residence through temporary relocation requirements | Experience Class Program |
Renewal of temporary residence card requirements | Depends on the chosen program |
Direct permanent residency possibility (YES/NO) |
YES, through the Express Entry Scheme, the Provincial Nominee Programs, business and family immigration schemes |
Living requirements to obtain PR card |
At least 730 days in a 5-year period |
Permanent residency by investment option (YES/NO) | YES, visa or electronic travel authorization (ETA) |
Timeframe to obtain PR card (approx.) | Approx. 12 months |
Relocation with family members possibility (YES/NO) | YES, through Express and Provincial Nominee schemes |
Possibility to sponsor family members for immigration (YES/NO) | YES, permanent residents can sponsor spouses, children, and parents |
Citizenship requirements through PR card | Living in Canada for 3 years out of 5 years of being a PR card holder |
Advantages of obtaining a PR card |
Access to healthcare and education, possibility to start a business, access to a competitive labor market |
Support in obtaining permanent residency (YES/NO) | YES |
Other immigration services | Support in immigrating through various programs, assistance in bringing family members, guidance on becoming a Canadian citizen |
Eligibility for permanent residency in Canada
The best news about moving to Canada is that foreign citizens have the possibility of enrolling in programs under which permanent residency can be obtained directly. In order the determine if one is eligible for Canadian residence permit, he or she can calculate the score in the CRS – Comprehensive Ranking System. Even is this is usually used for the Express Entry Class immigration, it can be used as model for other schemes.
The applicant must fill out each section in the application based on which he or she will be provided with the score obtained. We remind foreign citizens that the minimum points to be obtained is 67, while the maximum is 100, as it follows:
- the language level can bring a maximum of 28 points;
- work experience also accounts for of 15 points;
- education can bring other 25 points;
- through age one can earn 12 points;
Relocating to the spouse can also bring 10 additional points.
It is recommended to fill out as many sections as possible in order to determine if you can apply for the Canadian residence permit, as not all candidates can obtain the maximum number of points in one section. However, the CRS was created in order to offer fair chances to all people who want to relocate to Canada.
There are also several ways through which one can improve his or her chances of obtaining permanent residency through the CRS. Among these, if the candidate only knows one of the official Canadian languages, learning the second one can bring them the maximum number of points easily. Another way to improve one’s score is to come to Canada as a student prior to applying for a PR card.
If the candidate relies on his or her spouse to obtain Canadian residency, he or she must know that the spouse’s education, language level and work experience are also taken into consideration, thus improving the chances of immigration.
Choosing one of the Provincial Nominee Programs can also count when seeking to move here and obtaining permanent residence. This happens because these focus on education and specialized people interested in coming to Canada and finding jobs under them is easier.
Apart from this system, you must also make sure you have sufficient funds to live here without assistance from the government, as this is a mandatory condition to obtain a Canadian PR card. If moving with family members, you should also consider having to support themselves, however, if they are eligible for employment, they can also find jobs with local companies.
There are numerous immigration schemes available in Canada that allow people to apply and get permanent residency in Canada. An immigrant must submit an application to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada in order to get resident status. The permanent resident card enables the immigrant to apply for Canadian citizenship after five years of residence in Canada.
If you want to immigrate to Canada and establish yourself here, our law firm is at your service.
How to obtain a Canada PR card through the Express Entry Visa
The Express Entry Visa is one of the most popular options for those interested in immigration to Canada for permanent residency purposes in 2024. The Canadian government has created this program as a response to the need of professional workers who can help local companies and the economy develop in a sustainable way. There are 3 schemes falling under the Express Entry Visa through which a Canada PR card can be obtained, and these are:
- the Federal Skilled Worker Program;
- the Federal Skill Trades Program;
- the Canadian Experience Class.
The Provincial Nominee Program can also be categorized as part of the Express Entry Visa Scheme under which a Canada PR visa can be easily obtained.
Our immigration attorney can guide foreign citizens who want to apply for a resident permit in Canada under this scheme.
For people looking to immigrate to Canada from the USA, Canada offers a variety of permanent residence programs. The Express Entry program is the method used to choose applicants for many well-liked economic programs, however, these do not target family reunification or refugee programs. If you want to use this scheme to move here, do not hesitate to ask our lawyers about it.
You can read about the main ways to obtain permanent residency in Canada in the infographic below:
Business immigration as a means to obtain Canada PR
Canada does not lack professionals only, but also entrepreneurs who can access Canada PR visas through business immigration. For this purpose, the following categories of immigrants can apply:
- investors;
- enterprisers;
- self-employed individuals.
The Start-Up Visa Program is one of the easiest ways of obtaining a residence permit in Canada in 2024. The requirements to meet in order to enroll in this scheme are: registering a business, have a good command of English or French, have completed at least one year in post-secondary education, and obtain support or funding of at least 200,000 CAD.
The Entrepreneur Visa is another option towards a Canada PR visa and it implies a more substantial investment, active participation in the management of a business that can be set up or purchased, and hire at least one Canadian citizen or resident. We can give you more details about the Canada investment visa, if you are interested in this option.
For a self-employed person, the Canada PR is available for specific categories of workers who can prove his or her experience in sectors like farming, crafts, sports, acting, consulting, small business operations.
The Canada PR visa can be obtained with the help of one of our best immigration lawyers who specialize in business relocation. A permanent resident is an individual who holds a permanent residency status in Canada and receives various benefits like other citizens. The key distinction is that permanent residents cannot obtain a Canadian passport, vote, or leave the country for extended periods of time However, a permanent resident can apply for Canadian citizenship after meeting the necessary living requirements.
Family reunification for a Canada PR visa
Foreign citizens who have family members living in Canada as permanent residents or citizens can obtain sponsorship from them and immigrate here so that they can obtain a Canadian residence permit. The sponsor must meet certain criteria in order to support the foreign citizen’s application for a Canada PR visa, however, these are not very stringent.
The possibilities of obtaining a Canada PR imply numerous requirements that can be explained in detail by our immigration lawyers.
Provincial nominee programs – popular ways to the Canadian PR visa in 2024
One of the ways through which a Canadian permanent residence card can be obtained is the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). This scheme is available in a large number of Canadian territories, which is what makes it so appealing. Just like other programs, the PNP addresses experienced workers who have the qualifications to fill the gap in the employment market.
The jobs available in these provinces are published and based on them qualified foreign citizens can apply for the desired ones and after being accepted, the immigration procedure can begin. The best part about this program is that once a person is accepted for a specific job, the Canada PR visa is almost guaranteed.
As mentioned above, in 2024, Canadian permanent residency can be subject to the scoring system when it comes to moving here based on a specific immigration program. This happens because, through the PNP scheme, a foreign citizen obtains 600 extra points he or she can add to the final score. Moreover, some provinces include this program under the Express Entry schemes, thus speeding up the immigration procedure.
Among the provinces to have both Express Entry Visa and Provincial Nominee Programs are British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, Ontario, and Newfoundland.
If you want to immigrate to Canada with the purpose of obtaining Canadian citizenship, our lawyers can offer detailed information on the PNP schemes available in these provinces.
Documents required to obtain a PR visa for Canada
Foreign citizens who have successfully obtained jobs or family sponsor visas must provide various documents for a residence permit in Canada. These documents usually depend on the type of visa obtained by the foreign citizen, but also on his or her nationality. Among these, our immigration lawyer in Canada mentions the following:
- the visa application form and proof of payment of the application fee;
- a clean criminal record and medical certificate;
- documents attesting to the reason for immigration (employment offers or contracts, sponsorship letters, etc.) in original and copies;
- proof of sufficient funds for self-sustenance for the first 2 or 3 months;
- the skills and language assessment test results.
Additionally, persons accepted must also attend the immigration interviews with the Canadian Embassy or Consulate in their home countries.
Our Canada immigration law firm is at your disposal for guidance in preparing the documents for a successful issuance of the residence permit in Canada. Our lawyers can also offer useful information on how to prepare for the immigration interview.
How does the process of obtaining permanent residency in Canada work?
The Canadian immigration procedure for obtaining permanent residency can take up to 12 months, in some cases, even more, however, it is important to complete all the steps of the process in the right way. This implies checking if the person is eligible for a Canada PR visa (there are no restrictions in applying for a residence permit in Canada issued on a permanent basis, however, one must have the necessary skills and meet the labor market demands and qualifications for the specific job openings in order to be considered). These requirements do not apply to those who want to want to obtain the Canada PR through family sponsor visas or business immigration programs.
The preparation of the documents and interviews are the next steps for successful immigration to Canada.
What is the simplest way to immigrate to Canada for obtaining a PR visa?
Even if there are several ways of obtaining a PR visa in Canada in 2024, three of them are the fastest ways of securing the status of a permanent resident. The first one is the Express Entry System, followed by the Provincial Nominee Program and by family sponsorship.
Depending on the procedure you qualify for, our lawyers can provide the necessary assistance in obtaining the desired visa. We can also help young persons who want to apply for working holiday visas if they want to test the Canadian labor market.
Below, you can watch our video on how to obtain a PR card for Canada:
New pathways of obtaining Canadian permanent residency
In May 2021, the Canadian government has announced the creation of new programs under which it plans on allow more than 90,000 temporary residents to become permanent ones. The new schemes target international students, French-speaking foreign citizens, and essential workers.
The authorities plan on granting the possibility of acquiring permanent residency to:
- 20,000 workers in the healthcare sector;
- 30,000 essential workers;
- 40,000 international students.
The novelty of one of these programs is the promotion of Canada as a French-speaking country, which is why the government has enabled an immigration program destined to those who speak French fluently, but also to bilingual foreign persons interested in immigrating to Canada.
The other programs target the creation and enhancement of the Canadian healthcare system, but also the revival of the job market.
The Canadian immigration authorities plan on inviting 50,000 essential and healthcare workers to apply for permanent residency. Among the requirements these must meet are:
- to have at least one year of experience in a qualifying position or the equivalent of a part-job job (1,560 hours of work);
- to work in a Canadian company at the time of the application;
- to have a good command of English or French;
- to live outside Quebec.
Apart from healthcare workers, there are also other categories of employees eligible for PR cards in Canada, among which sales support persons, workers in the industrial, electrical and construction sectors, drivers and other specialists in the transportation industry, retailers, and agricultural workers, among others.
If you want to immigrate to Canada and are interested in applying for temporary or permanent residency, our immigration lawyer can provide the necessary details. You can also turn to us for the latest information on the new programs dedicated to those who want to obtain PR cards. Do not hesitate and get in touch with us right away.
Rights obtained by permanent residents in Canada
Immigrating to Canada based on a PR visa will bring many benefits to foreign citizens. Among these, a person will obtain similar advantages to being a citizen of this country, and here we mention social and pension benefits from contributing to the national taxation system, and national health insurance coverage, apart from the right to live, study, and or/work in Canada. The PR visa is also one of the ways through which Canadian citizenship can be obtained. The waiting period of obtaining a Canada PR depends on the visa obtained by the foreign citizen.
The Multi-Year Plan on Immigration to Canada
For a few years now, the Canadian Government has created a Multi-Year Plan which will be implemented with the help of the immigration authorities. Until now, the data forwarded by the authorities:
- on October 1st, 2023, Canada’s population was expected to be 40,528,396;
- this represents a 430,635 (+1.1%) growth from July 1st of last year;
- the quarter’s population growth rate was the highest since Canada’s population increased by 198,000 during the second quarter of 1957 (+1.2%).
- in the third quarter of 2023, population growth rates in Alberta (+1.3%), Prince Edward Island (+1.2%), and Ontario (+1.2%) were higher than the national average (+1.1%);
- all provinces and territories had population growth, with the exception of the Northwest Territories (-0.5%).
International migration accounted for the great majority (96.0%) of the population growth in the third quarter of 2023. The remaining 4.0% came from the difference between the number of births and deaths, which is a natural growth. It is anticipated that in the upcoming years, Canada’s population would continue to expand at a modest rate due to the aging population.
Canada will receive approximately 1.3 million additional immigrants between 2022 and 2024. Express Entry normally charges 2,300 CAD for a single applicant and 4,500 CAD for a couple to immigrate to Canada. The settlement money, which may vary depending on family size, must also be demonstrated as part of the eligibility criterion.
If you are interested in obtaining a Canada PR visa, please contact our immigration lawyers.