Permanent Residence
The following is general information, not intended to be legal advice and is subject to change based on any number of factors including but not limited to changes in government regulations. You are strongly advised to consult with Human Resources on the particulars of your case and circumstances.
It is important to note that temporary authorizations such as a work permit do not give a foreign national the status of a permanent resident in Canada. Given that work permits are time limited, TMU requires its foreign faculty to transition to permanent residence as soon as reasonably possible.
A permanent resident is someone who has been given permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada (external link) , but is not a Canadian citizen (external link) .
Permanent residents are citizens of other countries
There are two classes which may be used to apply for permanent resident status in Canada:
Additional information about each program may be obtained from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website (external link) . You may also find the following information of assistance:
- IRCC Fee List for Permanent Residence (external link)
- IRCC Information for newcomers (external link)
- Permanent Resident Card (external link)
Within the Economic class, faculty typically qualify for one or both of the following programs:
Calculate your Express Entry points with the CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) tool (external link) . This will help you determine in advance whether your points will allow you to be competitive in the pool.
If the eligibility requirements for at least one of the above programs are met, faculty may create their Express Entry profile (external link) .
Individuals who were not able to obtain enough points through the Express Entry system may consider applying under the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program.
Application for Permanent Residence (external link)
Provincial Nominee Class
Yes, your family members should apply for permanent residence at the same time; they will be processed for permanent residence as your dependants. This can include:
- your spouse (external link) or common-law partner (external link)
- your dependent child (external link)
- your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent child
- a dependent child of a dependent child
The family members that can’t apply for permanent residence with you include your parents and grandparents, brother or sister, uncle or aunt, nephew or niece and other relatives.
Help Centre (external link) for common law relationships questions and information
TMU offers funding for legal support provided by a reputable immigration law firm in Toronto, for assistance with transitioning to permanent residence. In addition, financial assistance for immigration expenses is available through the relocation funds. In accordance with the (PDF file) Relocation policy, up to $2,500 of available funds can be used towards immigration related expenses.
Depending on the program that is available for your transition to permanent residence you will have to collect and submit documents to support your application. Most applicants for permanent residence use Express Entry (external link) to become a permanent resident in Canada. You will need certain documents at different stages of Express Entry application process:
- language test results (external link) even if English is your first language;
- education credential assessment report (external link) for education you got outside Canada;
- provincial nomination (external link) (if you have one);
- employment letter;
- police certificate (external link) ;
- medical exam (external link) ;
- proof of funds (external link) .
To keep your permanent resident status, you must have been in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years. These 730 days don’t need to be continuous. Some of your time abroad may count towards the 730 days if you worked
Once your PR status is granted, use the Travel Journal (external link) to record your trips outside of Canada and keep it updated. You will need that information if you will apply for your Canadian Citizenship.
If you applied for your permanent residence using one of the Economic class (external link) programs you can leave and return to Canada as long as your current immigration status is valid (e.g. work permit or study permit).
If you are being sponsored by your spouse or common-law partner and have applied for your permanent residence using the sponsorship inland application from within Canada you must remain in Canada while your application is being processed.
In some cases applicants for permanent residence apply for bridging work permits and must maintain their implied status due to pending applications and remain in Canada.
Consult with HR Immigration in order to determine whether your status allows you to exit and re-enter Canada.
Once you obtain your permanent resident status, you have to inform HR and provide the following documents:
- Confirmation of Permanent Residence
- New Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- PR card (if issued)