Permanent Residency
Canadian Permanent Residence- understanding its crux
Acquiring Canadian Permanent Residence status signifies that an individual has been granted the right to reside permanently in Canada through immigration channels. This status grants holders access to many of the same benefits and rights as Canadian citizens. However, it’s essential for Permanent Residents to uphold their status by meeting specific obligations, such as fulfilling the residency requirement.
Advantages of acquiring a Canadian PR status
After attaining Canadian Permanent Residency, individuals will certainly experience the five major benefits of PR; they’re as follows:
The authority to live and work in any part of Canada
Those individuals who happen to obtain Canadian Permanent Residence are legally authorized to live and continue working in Canada in any part of Canada. For instance, if a new PR holder starts working in Montreal or any other province but eventually shifts to Toronto or Vancouver because he found better opportunities, he will have the complete right to do so. Notably, PR holders are not restricted to a single employer or province.
Canadian PR holders can also legally exit or enter Canada’s borders using their Canadian PR card or Permanent Resident Travel Documents.
Having the ability to access the social services and universal healthcare
Healthcare in Canada is universal, which implies free medical care and those who become PR holders will be able to experience and benefit from the several healthcare and social services in this country.
Family Sponsorship
Permanent Residents will also have the right to sponsor their spouse, partner, and dependent children to accompany them in Canada. Additionally, Canadian immigration through Express Entry will enable individuals to incorporate their family members within their initial application so that they won’t need to sponsor them afterwards.
Children’s Education is free of cost here
Canadian PR holders have the right to access free education for their children until they reach secondary school. Once they complete graduation, even the cost of post-secondary school is not that expensive for PR holders compared to international students.
Attaining Permanent Resident is the foremost step to obtaining Canadian citizenship. Permanent Residency holders become eligible to gain Canadian citizenship after putting up in Canada for three out of five years. Once the Canadian Permanent Resident attains Canadian citizenship, they will be allowed to apply for a Canadian passport, and vote and won’t require status renewal in Canada.
Protected Rights
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, as well as Canadian law, protects Canadian Permanent Residence holders’ rights.
Permanent Residence Cards
After an individual gains Canadian PR, they will also have the eligibility to apply for a Canadian Permanent Resident Card. Moreover, this card implicates an individual’s Canadian Permanent Resident status, and these PR holders can use their PR cards to travel within and outside Canada.
Renewing the Permanent Residence Card
Mostly, the PR cards hold a validity of five years; however, in specific situations, they might only be valid for one year. Hence, the Canadian government recommends that these permanent residents stay on track with their PR card expiry dates and get them renewed within six months of the expiry.
Permanent Resident Travel Document
Individuals who reside somewhere other than Canada but seek to enter the country can apply for Permanent Resident Travel Document if they don’t hold a valid PR card. Notably, the PRTD can only be used for a single entry, which implies that the permanent resident can enter Canada before applying for a PR card or the renewal of a PR card.
Canadian Permanent Residency and its essential requirements
Individuals must ensure that they fulfill a residency obligation to maintain Canada’s permanent residency status. This obligation indicates a certain period of time that the person will need to cover with their physical presence in Canada. Further, they will need to mark their physical presence in Canada for a period of 730 days within the first five years, or they must fulfill any one of the exceptional situations.
Canadian Citizenship
Foreign nationals seeking Canadian citizenship will need to fulfill certain requirements, implying that they must hold a valid Canadian PR status. Additionally, Canadian PR holders seeking citizenship will have to fulfill specific residency obligations compared to the requirements for PR status renewal.
Canadian PR status- what about renouncing it?
When a Canadian permanent resident’s PR Card expires, they don’t immediately lose their PR status. Moreover, it takes an entire process for a permanent resident to lose their status. Now, in case a permanent resident seeks to renounce their PR status, they will submit an application for giving up their PR status. The person will save time while traveling as he would already be aware of his inability to meet the residency obligation and will aim to visit Canada.
Permanent Residency and Canadian citizenship- a comparison
Canadian Permanent Residents are not the same as Canadian citizens. Among the several other benefits, Canadian PR holders can’t apply for a Canada passport. Permanent Residents must also fulfill several other conditions to maintain their PR status, unlike the Canadian citizens.
Is it possible to revoke the Canadian Permanent Residence?
The Canadian government has the right to revoke a Canadian PR status for any of the following reasons:
- Severe criminal offense.
- In case an individual is found to have acquired a PR status by providing false information.
- If the PR holders have failed to fulfill the residency obligations.
What is the validity period of a Canadian PR Visa?
Canadian PR status doesn’t have an expiry, unlike the temporary residence status. If a Canadian Permanent Resident consistently fulfills the residency requirements, and in case the government too doesn’t revoke the status, they will be able to maintain their permanent resident status in Canada.
Is it possible for a Canadian PR holder to depart from Canada?
Canadian PR holders can depart from the country whenever they seek to, provided they fulfill all essential physical presence requirements.
What is the process to gain permanent residency in Canada?
Permanent Residence in Canada can be accomplished through a variety of immigration pathways. For instance, business immigration, economic immigration, refugee or humanitarian program, and sponsorship.
