Citizenship

There are many ways newcomers can immigrate to Canada. A number of immigration programs are available that lead to permanent residency, including: Express Entry (EE): This is the most popular way to immigrate to Canada, due to its quick processing times. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP): This is aimed at individuals who have the skills, education and work experience to contribute to a specific province or territory. Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP): This program is for skilled foreign workers and international graduates who want to live and work in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Start-up Visa (SUV): Entrepreneurs with the skills to build innovative businesses in Canada, create jobs for Canadians, and compete on a global scale, can apply for a Start-up Visa. Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP): This is a community-driven program designed to spread the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities by creating a path to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers who want to live and work in a participating community. Family Sponsorship: Family sponsorship provides a route for spouses, partners, children, parents, grandparents, and in certain cases, other relatives to live, work and study in Canada as PRs. Quebec-selected Skilled Workers: This program is for skilled workers who wish to move as PRs and live and work in Quebec. Caregivers: Caregivers can come to Canada to become a PR or work temporarily through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot or Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). Self-employed: The Self-employed Persons Program allows individuals with relevant experience in cultural activities or athletics to immigrate to Canada permanently as a self-employed person. Agri-food Pilot: This program helps address the labour needs of the Canadian agri-food sector and can be a pathway to PR.

Your family may be able to immigrate with you to Canada if they are processed for PR as your dependents. This includes: Spouse or common-law partner Dependent child Your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent child A dependent child of a dependent child However, your dependents are not permitted to arrive in Canada before you. You can also sponsor eligible family members through the Family sponsorship program. This allows family members to live, work, and study in Canada. As a sponsor, you need to prove you will: Meet basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing for your family member Be able to support the family member financially for a period of time Not be receiving social assistance for reasons other than a disability.

A permanent resident (PR) card is official proof of your status as a permanent resident in Canada. As part of the immigration process, new permanent residents will automatically receive a card by mail when they first arrive in Canada. This is part of the immigration process and you do not need to apply for a PR Card. As part of the process, the required documents are filled out by the Canadian border officials when you first land in Canada. No further action is required from you. It usually takes three to four months for your first PR card to arrive by mail. You can check the latest processing times on the government website for up-to-date information on timelines. It is helpful (but not mandatory) to have a Canadian address ready to share with the officer at the border – this is for the delivery of your PR card. If you move to another location in Canada before your PR card arrives, be sure to inform Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) about your address change. Alternatively, if you are renewing your PR card, need to change your legal name or gender designation on the card, need to replace your lost, stolen or damaged card, or have a unique immigration situation, here are the steps to apply for a new PR card:

A permanent resident (PR) is someone who has been given permanent resident status but is not a Canadian citizen. When foreign nationals first apply for and receive permanent residency, they are issued a PR visa in their passport. It provides approved individuals a one-time entry to Canada and has a validity period during which individuals are expected to travel to Canada and complete their landing formalities. Individuals who are in Canada temporarily such as a student, foreign worker or visitor, are not considered permanent residents and would not be issued a PR visa. The most sought after way to settle as a PR in Canada is through immigration streams such as Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). Refugees can also become permanent residents through the Government-Assisted Refugee Program or the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program.

In order to be eligible for Canadian citizenship, you must: Be a permanent resident Filed your taxes for at least three years Pass a citizenship test Prove your language skills in English or French Not have a criminal record There are several steps involved in applying for Canadian citizenship: Calculate your physical presence in Canada: You must have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days (three years). Download and fill out an application package: Be sure to fill out the form correctly, include two certified citizenship photos and all supporting documents, such as immigration documents, proof of language, photo ID. Pay application fees: The fees for each adult citizenship application are $630 CAD and each minor application (less than 18-years-old) is $100 CAD. Submit your application: Send your completed application package by mail or courier as soon as possible. Take a citizenship test: Once your application has been reviewed, you may be invited to take a citizenship test within weeks after your acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter. The citizenship test is based on the official citizenship study guide, Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship. You can take the test in English or French. Attend an interview: Immediately after your test, a citizen official will meet with you and check your language skills, verify your application and original documents and ask questions they may have. Take the Oath of Citizenship: The citizenship ceremony is the final step to becoming Canadian and usually takes place within three months after your test.

Foreign nationals will need a work permit to be allowed to work in Canada. However, sometimes you may be eligible to work in Canada without a work permit. There are two types of work permits: Open work permit: This allows you to work for any employer in Canada and you can only get an open work permit in specific situations. Employer-specific work permit: Also called a closed work permit specifies the name of the employer you can work for, location, and for how long you can work. The other way individuals from other countries can legally work in Canada is to apply for International Experience Canada (IEC) which is also known as a Working Holiday Visa. Learn more about IEC, check eligibility, and get information on processing times and fees on the government website. International students in Canada may also be eligible to work. Some study permits list a condition that says you’re allowed to work on- or off-campus while in school. However, once you graduate, you’ll need to apply for a work permit in Canada or apply for a Post-graduate Work Permit (PGWP) or apply for permanent residence.