Permanent Residence Canada

Immigration To Canada

Immigration is the legal procedure that allows you to obtain Permanent Resident status in Canada. As a permanent resident, you are issued an immigrant visa called a Record of Landing by the Canadian government that allows you to live, work and study in Canada on a permanent basis. A Record of Landing will have an expiry date which means that you must actually enter Canada before the visa expires otherwise you will loose your right to enter Canada as a permanent resident and you will have to apply all over again!

Permanent residence is NOT temporary status such as when you apply for a Visitor Visa, Work Permit or Study Permit. These are temporary visas that limit your stay in Canada for a certain period of time and severely restrict what you can and cannot do. Permanent residence has some limitations however. As a permanent resident you do not carry a Canadian passport, and there are certain residency restrictions imposed.

How do I become a Permanent Resident of Canada?

There are a number of ways to obtain a Canadian Immigrant Visa. You should think about it in terms of "immigration categories". Each category represents a legal means for an applicant to obtain permanent resident status. Three main categories for Canadian immigration are:

If you want to immigrate to Canada, you will have to qualify under at least one of these categories.

Once I am a Permanent Resident of Canada, What are my Obligations?

Citizenship and Immigration Canada requires that permanent residents of Canada hold a valid permanent resident card. You will need to meet the permanent residency requirements and renew your permanent residence card every five years.