Permanent Resident (PR) status provides you with the right to stay in Canada on a permanent basis, subject to some conditions. There are many ways to become a Permanent Resident of Canada. Some different paths to become a permanent resident include:
Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades Program)
Express Entry is an intake system used to manage applications for three different permanent residence streams: Federal Skilled Worker program (FSW), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). If you meet the eligibility criteria for one of the three streams, you can complete an Express Entry profile. This information sheet explains applying for the Federal Skilled Worker program through Express Entry.
Process to apply for PR status through Express Entry
STEP 1: DETERMINE IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FEDERAL SKILLED WORKER PROGRAM &
COMPLETE LANGUAGE/EDUCATION ASSESSMENTS
See the criteria listed below under ‘Am I eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program?’ for more information. You should complete an authorized language test (i.e: IELTS-General or CELPIP-General) and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for any education that you have completed outside of Canada for which you are claiming Express Entry points OR that you are using to meet the requirements for the FSW program.
STEP 2 : COMPLETE AN EXPRESS ENTRY (EE) PROFILE & RECEIVE RANKING POINTS
After logging into your IRCC Online account, create an EE profile and answer questions about your personal circumstances. The questions will assess your eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker program as well as other immigration programs. You will be given points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) based on factors including: language proficiency, age, work experience, education and adaptability. You must submit language test results and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), if applicable. Before submitting an EE profile, you may wish to start gathering the documents that you will need if issued an ITA, as some documents can take a long time to obtain (i.e: police certificates from some countries can take 6 months or more to obtain).
STEP 3: BE SELECTED IN A DRAW & ISSUED A LETTER OF INVITATION TO APPLY (ITA)
Draws are conducted, on average, twice per month. IRCC has the right to limit draws to specific programs or categories of occupations. To see the minimum scores of recent draws, please see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/express-entry/rounds.asp
STEP 4: SUBMIT YOUR PERMANENT RESIDENCE APPLICATION
You must submit your permanent residence application within 90 days of receiving your ITA, including all required supporting documentation. You may also want to submit the results from a recent, up-front medical exam from an IRCC panel physician.
STEP 5: RECEIVE PERMANENT RESIDENCE STATUS
Average processing time for PR applications under Express Entry is 6 months. To see the most up-to-date processing times, please visit the IRCC website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp (Select ‘Economic Class’, ‘Skilled Workers (Federal)’, and ‘On or after January 1, 2015’).
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE FAQ IS NOT INTENDED TO
SERVE AS SPECIFIC LEGAL ADVICE AND THE APPLICATION OF LAWS, ESPECIALLY IMMIGRATION LAWS CAN VARY DRASTICALLY ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. CONSULT A LEGAL PROFESSIONAL IF YOU NEED EXACT LEGAL ADVICE, SINCE SOME INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY LAYPERSONS AND YOU SHOULD USE YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT IN EMPLOYING THIS INFORMATION.