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.  Persons to whom an immigrant visa 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. Essentially, it is a right affixed into your passport granting you the permanent right to live and work in Canada . You are eligible for government-subsidised medical care immediately (except in Ontario , British Columbia , New Brunswick , Nova Scotia and Newfoundland ), but are not permitted to vote in Provincial or Federal elections. After three years, you can apply for citizenship, entitling you to a Canadian passport. Temporary residents (those on student and work visas) are generally not entitled to medical care or social welfare assistance. These persons are advised to take out private health insurance.

As the final step of your application, the immigration office will stamp the immigration visa on your passport. The duration of the visa will be up to one year. Once you land in Canada you will become the permanent resident of Canada . Canadian permanent residents may apply for Canadian Citizenship after 3 years.

The term green card is borrowed from the United States . The Permanent Resident status in Canada is similar. Since June 28, 2002 , "Maple Card" is issued to its Permanent Residents.

“PNP” stands for Provincial Nominee Program. This is a feature of the IRPA whereby provinces may establish their own system of selection for immigrants, using their own specific criteria. A province wishing to operate a PNP must first negotiate an agreement with Citizenship & Immigration Canada. Persons who decide to take this route to permanent residence in Canada begin by submitting their applications to the specific province.  As part of the arrangement, persons chosen under a PNP agree to settle in the province that selected them when they come to Canada .  After they are selected by a province such immigrants would have their files transferred into the normal processing stream for medical, criminal, and security checks prior to receiving their immigrant visas.  The obvious advantage for the applicant is that if they cannot satisfy the general criteria establish by the federal department, they may still have a chance to be successful through the PNP of one of the provinces. In practice it is not so simple but please come back later.  We will be detailing the PNPs of each province offering the program over the next few weeks.

Quebec has an agreement with the Canadian government that they can control their immigration. Therefore, application is made to both the Canadian Federal Government and the Quebec provincial immigration office.

The province of Quebec maintains its own immigration policy and procedures. The independent immigrant is also assessed on a points system. Applicants proficient in French are preferred. The Quebec list of open occupations is shorter than that of the Federal system. However, Quebec allows applicants to qualify for immigration even if their professions are not in demand, provided that their potential employability/professional mobility is deemed sufficient. Points are also allocated for your spouse's attributes, the number of your children and your adaptability factors. Knowledge about Quebec , a visit to the province or the presence of a relative in Quebec will earn you extra points. It is not necessarily more difficult to immigrate to Quebec , but the process is different.

A Temporary Resident Visa is an official document issued by a Visa Office abroad. A temporary resident visa is a visa which is placed in a foreign national’s passport or travel document, allowing him to travel to Canada once or several times during the validity of the visa. The decision to admit the foreign national, however, is made by the immigration officer at the point of entry to Canada (airport or border crossing). Citizens of certain countries do not require a temporary resident visa to visit Canada .

A work permit or study permit gives a foreign national permission to work or study temporarily in Canada .

In most cases, the foreign national must apply to a Canadian Embassy, High Commission, or Consulate abroad for a work permit or study permit before leaving for Canada . Once the application is accepted, the foreign national receives a letter informing him/her of the acceptance and authorizing him/her to proceed to Canada to work or study (or both). The permit itself is printed and given to the foreign national by the immigration officer at the point of entry to Canada (airport or border crossing). The foreign national may also need a temporary resident visa (TRV) if he/she is a citizen of a country for whom a visa is required.

A visa is a counterfoil or sticker placed in a passport or travel document which allows a foreign national to travel to Canada . A permit is a document which confirms that the foreign national is authorized to work or to study in Canada . One or both may be required. One cannot be a substitute for the other.

Unless you are the spouse of a Canadian permanent resident or citizen (or for some other humanitarian reason), you must send your application to a visa office abroad. If your visitor's visa expires, then you must either leave Canada or apply for an extension.

Many occupations in Canada require registration, licensing or membership in a professional or trade association. Applicants intending to work in these occupations will need to prove they hold sufficient credentials to meet professional or trade licensing requirements so they may follow their occupation in Canada . We can research whether or not your occupation requires licensing, and then have your qualifications and experience assessed.

Yes. You must submit a police clearance for you and your dependants from every country where you have resided for more than six months in the last ten years.

No, not necessarily. Firstly, you will enter as a permanent resident or landed immigrant which does not affect your current citizenship status. After three years of residence you can apply for Canadian citizenship (but this is not obligatory). The Canadian Government allows dual nationality (i.e. the holding of two passports), so you can retain your current passport and obtain a Canadian passport as well. Having said this, you must check that your own country of citizenship allows dual-nationality, as this right must be reciprocal. If not, you will need to surrender your other passport.

At the time of issuing the immigration visa, you will need valid travel documents. It is most convenient if you have these documents when you first apply. There is additional delay if that is not the case. It is critical to inform us of any changes in the passports and travel documents for you or your dependents after you apply. Failures to do so may cause undo complications.

As soon as you land in Canada , you may begin employment. If you have a job waiting for you. If so, please inform us, even if your application has not been approved. It may increase your eligibility for immigration.

Yes, you should inform your future employer in Canada and be prepared to show your Permanent Resident documentation. This protects both you and your employer.

Canada maintains support for employment from centers throughout Canada and as a Permanent Resident, you will be qualified to utilize their resources. In addition, when your application is approved, Genesis HRD LLC will furnish you with information and suggest resources for you to find a job.

The Canadian government has several direct programs to help you get settled. In addition, there are various resources that may be employed in this role. Our Canadian Representative will advise you on this matter, after your application is approved.

The "retiree" category for immigration to Canada was abolished many years ago. The fact of owning property in Canada does not give the right to enter or to reside in Canada , but it is possible for a foreign national to buy property.

It is possible for a foreign national to buy property in Canada , but that does not give the right to enter or to reside in Canada .

All documents in a language other than English or French must be translated into one or the other of these languages. The translation should be attached to a photocopy of the original document. Translations must be done by a professional translator who is not related to you and who does not work for your consultant or representative. The translations need to be certified.

The fact that you have applied for permanent residence does not prevent you from applying for a temporary resident visa to visit Canada . However, as for all other applicants, the visa officer must be satisfied that you intend to leave Canada at the end of the authorized period.

Medical costs can be very high in Canada . We strongly recommend that you take out insurance valid for your entire stay in Canada .

A letter of authorization is a letter, issued on letterhead of the Canadian High Commission, confirming that your work permit or study permit has been approved. The letter informs you that you may travel to Canada to work or study (or both). You must present the letter of authorization to the immigration officer at the point of entry to Canada (airport, border crossing, etc.). The actual work permit or study permit will be printed and given to you by the officer there.

No. If you want to leave for Canada immediately, you have to inform the High Commission explaining your situation with your family name, given name, date of birth, your file number (if you know it) and complete information about where you can be reached: telephone number, cell phone number, fax number, email and mailing address. You also have to indicate also the starting date for your course of studies or employment.

Your spouse or common-law partner will have temporary resident status (visitor status) for the duration of your authorized stay so long as he or she meets the conditions for admission to Canada .

The spouse or common-law partner of a study permit holder can obtain a work permit under certain conditions. The spouse or common-law partner of a work permit holder can obtain a work permit under certain conditions. If these conditions apply, the application can be submitted either to the Canadian visa office abroad or once your spouse or common-law partner is in Canada . A marriage certificate or proof of your common-law relationship will be required.

A common-law partner is, in relation to a person, an individual who is cohabiting with the person in a conjugal relationship, having so cohabited for a period of at least one year.

As proof of your relationship you may submit documents such as :

- joint bank account statements

- proof of co-ownership

- a lease in both your names

- phone, gas or electrical bills in both your names

- official documents indicating the same address for both of you (e.g. driver’s license, insurance policy, etc.)

Immigrant Visas may be issued to qualified skilled workers, business persons and to close family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Every case is different. As a first step, please submit our free assessment form on-line or contact us directly. You may do so as a skilled worker applicant, a business applicant, or a family class applicant for immigration.

If you are at age between 21-49, have at least a Bachelor degree, have at least one-year work experience and could speak English or French, you may be qualified for Skilled Worker Immigration.

If you have at least three years of management experience, or you are an artist, and have accumulated personal assets no less than US$ 100,000, you may be qualified for Business Immigration.

If you have a immediate family member in Canada , you may be qualified for Family Immigration.

To be eligible to immigrate to Canada , you must meet the requirements of one of three categories of Immigration:

the Independent/Skilled Worker Class,

the Family Class or

the Business Class

The categories are explained in the Immigration to Canada section of this Web site. Each category has various assessment requirements and conditions.

We have been approached by countless individuals, who informed us that they knew that they were qualified to immigrate to Canada and had all of the necessary documents and then went ahead to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada on their own and failed.  It is true that there is not much that our firm can do insofar as some of your documents are concerned (i.e. a birth certificate is a birth certificate, a marriage certificate is a marriage certificate, etc.); however, we caution you, now, that if your letters of reference are in the least bit deficient or your Application forms have not been completed, correctly, you will surely jeopardize the expeditious processing of your Application for Permanent Residence.  Among the services that we provide are ensuring that your letters of reference comply with Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s standards; ensuring that your Application forms have been filled out correctly (incidentally, we rarely have seen the forms filled out correctly); and drafting written, legal submissions, which will accompany your Application package and which will argue why you should be issued a Canadian immigrant visa.  If you use our service, our lawyer will highlight your qualifications and credentials for Citizenship and Immigration and none of your qualifications can get lost/overlooked in your mountain of supporting documents.

If you are interested in immigrating to Canada, we invite you to mail your detailed resume to our office, which will help our firm's team of consultants to assess your qualifications for Immigration to Canada in accordance with Citizenship and Immigration Canada's selection criteria, at no charge to you, usually within a few hours but no more than two business day from the time that your detailed resume is received. Business days in Oman are from Saturday to Wednesday.

The process usually takes between 14-58 months, depending on where your application is submitted (which Canadian immigration centre) and whether or not you will be requested to attend an interview. However, the most important factor in determining how long it will take to process an application is whether or not you have submitted the sufficient documents to support your application and how well your application is prepared to prove that you meet the criteria stipulated by the immigration regulations.

Applications for Permanent Residence in Canada must be filed with the Canadian visa post, which has geographic responsibility for the country in which the applicant has been lawfully admitted and has resided for a period of at least one (1) year. Otherwise, the applicant must apply for Permanent Residence in Canada through the Canadian visa post, which has geographic responsibility for his/her country of habitual residence.

Your application can include your spouse and any unmarried children under the age of 19 years. Under special circumstances, certain children over 19 years of age may be considered dependants. According to Canadian immigration regulations, a dependent child (whether natural or adopted) of the principal applicant or spouse/partner may be included in the application for permanent residence, if she/he:

*is less than 19 years of age (18 years or younger) and unmarried;

*Or, if the child is 19 years or older, the child is considered dependent if: s/he is enrolled and in attendance as a full-time student in an academic, professional, or vocational program at a university, college or other educational institution; and

a) Has been continuously enrolled and in attendance in such a program since attaining 19 years of age or, if married before 19 years of age, the time of his/her marriage; and

b) Is determined to be wholly or substantially financially supported by her/his parents since attaining 19 years of age or, if married before 19 years of age, the time of his/her marriage;

*Or if the child, regardless of the age, cannot support himself due to physical or mental disability and is financially dependent on the parents.(Some disabilities of dependent children may result in refusal of the application for permanent residence for the principal applicant and all accompanying dependents). On the other hand, when humanitarian and compassionate grounds exist, an elderly parent may be included as a dependant as well. However, parents are usually sponsored after the applicant has become a permanent resident.

Every application is different and processing times largely depend on the type of visa being applied for and the visa office processing your application. Spousal cases are considerably shorter, averaging 6 to 8 months.  Others rank somewhere in between. Regretfully sponsored parent cases have been deemed to be of low priority and now take about as long as a skilled worker case to complete, while applicants requiring professional registration can take an additional 6 to 12 months to process. If you are requested to attend an interview, this can add many more months onto the processing of your application, as you will go into a lengthy queue.

Processing times will depend on:  

• the Canadian visa post through which you intend to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada ;
• whether an Immigration interview is deemed necessary in your case;
• the complexity of your case;
• how well your case is presented; and
• the existing caseload in a Canadian visa post at a given time.

Nobody can promise you a specific processing timeframe and any lawyer/consultant that guarantees processing times is being less than truthful with you. Lawyers/consultants can give estimates; however, they CANNOT guarantee processing times as processing times are ALWAYS subject to change WITHOUT advance notice. There are a lot of Lawyers/consultants making false claims to innocent prospects and clients by promising them visa in six/ eight/ ten/ twelve/ fourteen months.

A decision will be made only on an application after all necessary checks have been carried out and within the time frame specified in the Pink Card.

o not choose a law firm on the basis of how quickly they promise your case will be processed.  Rather, choose a firm that you feel will be competent to prepare your case correctly and expeditiously and be attentive to your needs.

When your application is approved, you will be issued an immigration visa. These visas have a fixed duration. Some of the factors affecting this are the expiration date of your passport and the date of your medical examination. If your passport is due to expire, you should have it renewed early. Medical examinations are valid for only 12 months. If applicants and/or their dependents do not use the visas within their validity, they must reapply for immigration to Canada . It is difficult to have the immigration visa extended. Your arrival must be within one year from the date of your medical tests. For work permits and other temporary visas, you may only have a number of months to enter the country.

You are allowed to apply for Canadian Citizenship after you have been physically resident in Canada for three years (1095 days) out of the four years immediately preceding your application. Where exceptional circumstances exist, however, you may be allowed to apply even if you have not been physically resident in Canada for the required 1095 days.

Yes, they may attend schools and use other public resources in the same way as Canadian citizens. The tuitions are also the same as citizens.

Within any five (5) year period, a permanent resident must be:

physically present in Canada for at least 730 days (two years) in that five 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 as a full-time basis by a Canadian business

Your temporary entry to Canada is subject to the discretion of the Immigration officer at the Canadian port of entry and they may refuse you entry if they know that you have applied for Permanent Residence in Canada and are, thus, an intending immigrant and not merely a visitor.  If questioned whether you have an Application for Permanent Residence in progress, you must answer this question, truthfully; however, you should emphasize that your visit to Canada is merely temporary in nature and that it is your full intention to leave Canada upon the completion of your visit.  Generally speaking, most of our clients in your situation have never experienced any difficulties, attempting to enter Canada as visitors while their Applications for Permanent Residence were in process although entry is NEVER guaranteed.

Permanent Residents are free to travel outside of Canada for up to 3 years in every 5 years period. You need a valid passport and Landing Paper. You will also need to show the "Maple Card" when you enter Canada by public transportation.

If you will be gone for less than 3 years in any 5 year's period, you are free to travel. Currently there are also some other flexible plans for business travel. In addition, if your work abroad is for a Canadian company, your staying abroad may be considered legal and valid for fulfilling your Permanent Resident requirement. If you want to visit US, you can apply for 10-year multiple-entry B1/B2 visa to US.

You and your dependents have the right to live, study and work for as long as you remain permanent residents in Canada , and are entitled to most social benefits accorded to Canadian citizens. When you have met citizenship requirements, you may apply for Canadian citizenship and a Canadian passport. 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 the following exceptions:

You cannot vote in certain elections.

You may be ineligible for certain jobs requiring high-level security clearances.

As a permanent resident, you also have the same legal obligations as Canadians, such as paying taxes and respecting other laws.

If you or your dependents commit serious crimes, you or your dependents risk being deported from Canada .

Your sponsor and your sponsor's co-signer (if applicable) are responsible for providing for your essential needs and those of your dependents for 10 years after you arrive in Canada and for ensuring that you do not become dependent on welfare. Under the agreement you have signed with your sponsor and your sponsor's co-signer (if applicable), you are committed to making every reasonable effort to provide for your own essential needs and those of your dependents.

You remain a permanent resident until you become a Canadian citizen or abandon Canada as your place of residence. You may be considered to have abandoned Canada if you have frequent and/or lengthy absences from the country. If you travel to Canada to present your visas for landing and then return to live in your home country indefinitely, you will lose your permanent resident status.

Please take note of the fact that we do not accept cases of individuals whose cases are already in progress and who are encountering difficulties with the processing of their Applications for Permanent Residence in Canada .  Our firm handles cases from start to finish and most of our clients have their interviews waived and their cases finalized within a relatively short period of time.  We do not, however, get involved in cases, midway through the process.

If you really want our assistance in handling your file, you have to pay a reasonable fee for our effort and time. Also, we do not guarantee success, as the file was prepared by you and is already midway through the process.

In order to qualify for immigration to Canada as a Skilled Worker, one must obtain a minimum of 67 points in the immigration selection system. In the Business Class, an applicant must obtain a minimum of 35 points.

According to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations, an officer can issue a permanent resident visa only if it has been established that the applicant and his/her family members, whether accompanying or not, are not inadmissible on medical, criminal or security grounds. That means that you must include all your family members and submit the required documents. (If your destination is Quebec , you must include all your family members whether or not CSQs have been issued for them.) Processing Fees, however, are only required for yourself and those family members who will accompany you.

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, a family member in respect of a person means the spouse or common-law partner of the person; a dependent child of the person or of the person’s spouse or common-law partner; and a dependent child of a dependent child.

A "common-law partner" means, in relation to the principal applicant, an individual who is cohabiting with this principal applicant in a conjugal relationship, having cohabited for a period of at least one year.

A "dependent child", in respect of a parent, means a child who is the biological child or the adopted child of the parent; and

is less than 22 years of age and not a spouse or common-law partner, or

has depended substantially on the financial support of the parent since before the age of 22

or if the child became a spouse or common-law partner before the age of 22, since becoming a spouse or common-law partner and, since before the age of 22 or since becoming a spouse or common-law partner, as the case may be, has been a student continuously enrolled in and attending a post-secondary institution that is accredited by the relevant government authority, and actively pursuing a course of academic, professional or vocational training on a full-time basis, or

is 22 years of age or older and has depended substantially on the financial support of the parent since before the age of 22 and is unable to be financially self-supporting due to a physical or mental condition.

It is not in the High Commission’s mandate to provide assistance in finding a job; it is up to you to obtain information by your own means. We can, however, suggest the following websites for information about various aspects of employment in Canada : www.jobfutures.ca and www.labourmarketinformation.ca

If your file is complete, High Commission will send a letter confirming that they have received your application within 3 months of the date of reception. You will be informed of the file number which has been assigned to your application. If your file is incomplete (including the payment of the processing fee), your application will be returned to you with a list of the elements missing. No record of your application will be kept at any time in High Commission office.

You must inform us immediately, in writing, of your new matrimonial status. If your spouse is not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada , he or she must be examined in the context of your application, whether or not he or she will accompany you to Canada . We will send you the forms which your spouse must complete as well as a list of documents required. He or she will have to undergo a medical examination. If your spouse is accompanying you to Canada , you will also have to pay the required fees, submit a copy of his or her passport and obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) in his or her name if your province of destination is Quebec.

If your child was born in Canada or if one of its parents is a Canadian citizen, the child is therefore a Canadian citizen. If that is the case, you do not need to add the child to your application, no medical examination or fee is required. You must, however, send us a copy of his or her birth certificate. If this is not the case, you must add the child to your application by sending us a copy of the birth certificate along with 6 identity photos. Your child will have to undergo a medical examination. If the child is accompanying you to Canada , you will also have to pay the required fees, submit a copy of the child’s passport and obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) in his or her name if your province of destination is Quebec.

No, it is not possible to change the principal applicant. If your spouse wishes to submit an application as principal applicant, a new application must be submitted, with new processing fees.

No, it is not possible to change category. If you wish to be examined in a different category, you must submit a new application with new processing fees. Please note however that if you are selected in the Skilled Worker category, once you are in Canada you may purchase or create your own business.

That means that High Commission is verifying the information you have submitted in order to determine whether you are admissible to Canada . All applicants for permanent residence in Canada are subject to criminal and security checks. It is not possible to give a time-frame as the time required for these checks can vary considerably.

You should contact the visa office where your application was submitted. The officer responsible for your file will determine if a file transfer would enhance the integrity of the immigration program and if the file can be transferred to our office. To help the officer in that decision, you should clearly state the reasons for the file transfer, indicating how long you will be residing in one of the countries for which London is responsible (Bahrain, Denmark, Channel Islands, Faroes, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Kuwait, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Yemen) and include documents showing your status there. If you want Genesis HRD LLC to handle your file transfer and subsequent file management, you have to pay us a reasonable fee for the same.

It is your responsibility to maintain legal status in Canada during the processing of your permanent resident visa application. For information on how to proceed to apply for an extension of your temporary status in Canada , please contact our Representative in Canada .

We strongly advise against making any definitive arrangements for your establishment in Canada until you have received your permanent resident visa. Do not sell or ship your belongings, leave your job or buy your plane tickets until then.

A permanent resident visa is valid for all of Canada . However, if you plan to settle in the province of Quebec as soon as you arrive, you must have a Certificat de Sélection du Québec (CSQ) issued by the authorities of that province.

You can present your permanent resident visa upon arrival from abroad at any Canadian border crossing or international airport. Please allow a few hours before any connecting flight or other travel to your final destination, as the immigration procedures are done at your initial place of arrival in Canada

If you are the principal applicant, you may obtain your permanent resident status in Canada before the other members of your family. The members of your family included in your application may enter Canada with you or after you, within the validity indicated on the visa, but cannot enter Canada before the principal applicant.

No, your visa is not valid if it does not accurately reflect your legal status and you will not be permitted to enter Canada . You must inform the High Commission immediately, in writing, of your new matrimonial status. If your spouse is not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada , he or she must be examined in the context of your application, whether or not he or she will accompany you to Canada . If you are interested in getting our services, please contact our office. For a reasonable fee, we will handle your case and will update your file. We will send you the forms which your spouse must complete as well as a list of documents required. He or she will have to undergo a medical examination. If your spouse is accompanying you to Canada , you will also have to pay the required fees and submit a copy of his or her passport. If your destination is in the province of Quebec , your spouse must also obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ).

You MUST return your visa and Confirmation of Permanent Residence forms to our office for cancellation. Once your spouse has been examined, unless he or she is inadmissible, the High Commission will issue the visa(s).

Any current family member not examined in this application can NEVER be sponsored by you in the future. Misrepresenting or withholding information would render you inadmissible to Canada .

No, unless your child is a Canadian citizen, your visa is invalid because you have a new family member who has not been examined and you will not be permitted to enter Canada . If your child was born in Canada or if one of its parents is a Canadian citizen, the child is therefore a Canadian citizen. If that is not the case, you must add the child to your application by sending us a copy of the birth certificate along with 7 identity photos. Your child will have to undergo a medical examination. If the child is accompanying you to Canada , you will also have to pay the required fees and submit a copy of the passport used for the child. If your destination is in the province of Quebec , you must also obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) for your child.

You MUST also return your visas and Confirmation of Permanent Residence forms to our office for cancellation. Once your child has been examined, unless he or she is inadmissible, the High Commission will issue the visa(s).

Any current family member not examined now can NEVER be sponsored by you in the future. Misrepresenting or withholding information would render you inadmissible to Canada .

Visas are given the maximum validity. They cannot be extended. If you do not use your visa before it expires, you must return it to the High Commission and reapply for immigration to Canada .

You will be allowed to work as soon as the officer at the point of entry to Canada grants you admission as a permanent resident. You do not have to wait until you have received your Permanent Resident Card or Social Insurance Number.

Permanent residence status gives a non-Canadian the right to live in Canada . Permanent residents must comply with certain residency obligations to maintain their status.

Permanent residents comply with the residency obligation if, for at least 730 days in every five-year period,

they are physically present in Canada or,

they are outside Canada accompanying a Canadian citizen who is their spouse or common-law partner or, in the case of a child, their parent or,

they are outside Canada employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or in the public service of Canada or of a province or,

they are outside Canada accompanying a permanent resident who is their spouse or common-law partner or,

in the case of a child, their parent, and who is employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business or in the public service of Canada or of a province.

At the time you obtain the status of permanent resident, the process to issue your Permanent Resident Card is initiated. The PR Card can only be delivered in Canada . If you have to leave Canada before receiving the PR card, you will have to contact the nearest Canadian visa office to obtain a limited use travel document to re-enter Canada . A processing fee will be required. On arrival in Canada, permanent residents will have to demonstrate to the immigration officer at examination at the point-of-entry that they have met the residency obligation in respect of the five-year period immediately before the examination or that they will be able to meet the residency obligation in respect to the five-year period from the date at which they became permanent residents.

If you wish, you may pay the processing fee and the Right of Permanent Residence fee with two certified cheques or with a single certified cheque.

The Right of Permanent Residence fee can be paid at the same time as the processing fee when you submit your application or at any time during the processing of your application. Once the processing of your application has been completed, we will ask you to pay the Right of Permanent Residence fee if you have not already done so. Your visa will be issued only when you have paid the Right of Permanent Residence fee.