Permanent Residency
Written in plain language for general understanding. This is educational content, not legal advice. Based on Canadian federal statutes and official sources.
What is this right?
Canada has several pathways to permanent residency (PR). The most common are Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), and family sponsorship.
Express Entry is a points-based system that covers three programs: Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades. Your score is calculated using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which awards points for age, education, language skills, and work experience. The minimum score needed changes with every draw.
If a province nominates you through a PNP, you receive 600 bonus CRS points — almost always enough to be invited to apply.
The application includes a processing fee and a Right of Permanent Residence Fee — check canada.ca/immigration-fees for current amounts. The processing target for Express Entry is 6 months.
When does it apply?
- You want to live permanently in Canada and meet the requirements of at least one immigration program.
- Each program has its own eligibility rules for age, education, language ability, and work experience.
What should you do?
- Create an Express Entry profile on the IRCC website.
- Take an approved language test — IELTS or CELPIP for English, TEF or TCF for French.
- Get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if your education is from outside Canada.
- Explore Provincial Nominee Programs for the province where you live or want to move.
- Make sure your profile is accurate and up to date.
- If you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), respond promptly — you have 60 days to submit your full application.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't use unlicensed immigration consultants — only those regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) can legally represent you.
- Don't misrepresent any information on your application. False statements can result in a 5-year ban from applying.
- Don't let your profile expire without updating it if your circumstances change.
- Don't ignore your residency obligations once you get PR status — you must be physically in Canada for at least 730 days out of every 5-year period to keep your status.
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