| What is permanent residence in Canada? |
| Obtaining “permanent residence” or “permanent resident status” in Canada is also known as “immigrating to Canada” or becoming a “landed immigrant.” The successful end result of the Immigration process is the issuance of an “immigrant visa” or “confirmation of permanent residence document”. Persons to whom an immigrant visa/ confirmation of permanent residence document has been issued must present themselves to an Immigration officer at one of Canada’s official ports of entry in order to become landed immigrants |
| What benefits do I have if I am a permanent resident of Canada? |
| Canadian permanent residents/landed immigrants and citizens enjoy all of the same rights and privileges (i.e. free health care, free elementary and secondary education, etc.) with three (3) exceptions: i. Permanent residents cannot vote; ii. Permanent residents cannot hold a Canadian passport; and iii. Permanent residents can be deported for certain criminal convictions. |
| Once I am a permanent resident of Canada, do I have to stay in Canada? |
| Within any five (5) year period, a permanent resident must be: physically present in Canada for at least 730 days (two (2) years) in that five (5) year period OR outside of Canada, accompanying a Canadian citizen, who is his or her spouse or common-law partner or a child accompanying a parent OR outside of Canada, employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business OR an accompanying spouse, common-law partner or child of a permanent resident, who is outside Canada and is employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business. |
| What is Provincial Nominee Programs? |
| The Provincial Nominee Programs were established by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, formerly CIC) to allow Canada’s different provinces and territories to select individuals who indicate an interest in settling in a particular province/territory and who will be able to contribute to that province/territory’s economic development. Most, but not all, provinces and territories of Canada participate in the Provincial Nominee Program. |
| Which Province participate in Provincial Nominee Program? |
| Alberta – British Columbia – Manitoba – New Brunswick – Newfoundland And Labrador – Northwest Territories – Nova Scotia – Ontario – Prince Edward Island – Saskatchewan – Yukon |