Life in Canada

Are you intending on applying for Canadian permanent residency (PR) now or in the future? QICMS would like to provide 10 essential tips for potential applicants. Due to the lengthy topic, we will be splitting up our essential tips for applying for Canadian permanent residency in two separate blogs. Below you will find the first 5 essential tips, followed by the remaining 5 in our next post, so stay tuned!



1. Research, Research, and More Research

We cannot stress enough the importance of doing proper research before tackling residency (or citizenship) applications, and for any foreign country—not just Canada!

Applying for Canadian permanent residency (PR) is a major undertaking and should not be taken lightly. It’s an arduous process that will take up a lot of your time from the moment you begin your application and on to the submission process and lastly the waiting period. To avoid anxiety attacks and constantly asking “what if” questions after you finally submit your application, do your research about obtaining Canadian permanent residency prior to submission. At QICMS, we stand by our claim that the Government of Canada’s official website for Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Canada (IRCC) is an excellent source of information for all of your residency and citizenship inquiries. The IRCC website provides an in-depth Canadian permanent residency Application Guide that should be read from beginning to end—at least twice—before you fill out a single form. In addition, applicants should keep the permanent residency documentation checklist on hand to make sure all required items are obtained before applying.

Potential applicants should also read over the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) criteria for the Canadian Express Class (CEC), which offers great insight into how Canadian immigration officers access an application. While those interested in applying for Canadian permanent residency can review the criteria themselves, we always recommend hiring a professional consultant to thoroughly explain the assessment process.

2. Weigh out the Financial Costs

Financial costs of applying for Canadian permanent residency are not discussed very often, and most likely due to each person and their family’s situation being unique. Costs will vary due to a number of factors, such how many are included in the application, each person’s age, or what medical requirements must be met to complete the application. Nonetheless, breakdowns of the approximate costs of an application are as follows:

Initial Application Costs:

• IELTS Exam: CAD $260 (Note: costs will vary from country to country, so the best advice is to look up your location on ILETS.org to find testing centers and exact fee amounts).
• ILETS Transfer Fee: CAD $58
• ILETS Enquiry on Result: CAD $145
• Fingerprints (for obtaining a police certificate in the applicant’s home country)
• Photos (6 required for the application; 2 for IELTS Exam): CAD $40
• Principal Application Fee: CAD $550 – CAD $1,050
• XPresspost (or other mail/courier service): CAD $30

General Medical Costs:

• Total Medical Cost: CAD $230
• Photos (3 are required): CAD $20

Visa Issuance Costs:

• Photos (2 are required): CAD $12
• XPresspost: CAD $30
• Right of Permanent Residence Fee: CAD $490
• Return XPresspost Envelope: CAD $30

Keep in mind that these estimates do not include additional costs if you need to maintain your status while your Canadian permanent residency application is processing (e.g. renewing your TRV, bridging an open work permit, and so on). Also, it does not include translations into English/French, Exploratory Visit (if required), business plan preparation (if required), or any provincial processing fees. For this reason, it is suggested that applicants budget their financial resources for at least CAD $2,000 per person for the total cost of obtaining Canadian permanent residency. If you apply using an immigration representative, such as an immigration lawyer or consultant, be prepared to factor in additional costs for service fees. To learn more about service fees, contact us at QICMS to discuss your options.

For more information about Canadian medical costs, please use our Canadian eMedical Costs Calculator to give you an age-determined estimate.

3. Use the Most Recent Application Forms

Many people work on applications over a few months and even begin filling out their residency forms well in advance. However, application forms are constantly updated by IRCC and most importantly, IRCC will not make an announcement when a form is updated. As such, it is important to always download and use the most recent forms from the IRCC website and never use ones provided from a non-official Canadian immigration website, as they may be outdated or incorrect. You can usually verify the latest version of the form, which is dated in the bottom-left corner of the sheet to guarantee you're submitting the most current version. As a rule of thumb, applicants should compare their completed forms to the ones provided on the IRCC website.

4. Always Use Skepticism when Receiving Advice

It’s good to keep in mind that there are no guarantees when applying for Canadian permanent residency. While these tips are meant to be an informative resource, they will not guarantee the outcome of your application. Even more, applicants should remain skeptic of anyone guaranteeing the success of your application. As stated before, each application is unique and the outcome ultimately ends with the determination of the immigration officer reviewing it. Most applicants for Canadian permanent residency use an immigration lawyer or immigration consultancy firm to assist with the process. For more information about this topic, readers can refer to our past blogs about Finding the Right Immigration Company, understanding Immigration Lawyers vs. Consultants, and spotting red flags of Immigration Fraud, or you can contact our professionals at QICMS for a free consultation.

There is a ton of information out there, so if you choose to seek advice about obtaining Canadian permanent residency or immigration issues in general, your best bet is to use Canadian government websites or make an inquiry at Campbell Cohen Law Firm (CanadaVisa), the country’s leading Canadian immigration website and North American liaison office of QICMS.

a) First and foremost, immigration policy is always evolving, whether in Canada or elsewhere. In short, regulations and procedures are not static and can change suddenly and regularly. This is particularly true for the new CEC class, so while someone offering advice about Canadian permanent residency application procedures might have the best intentions, it doesn’t mean their information is accurate or up-to-date. Again, going back to an official source or accredited immigration firm can save a lot of stress of taking the wrong steps towards receiving your PR status.

b) It’s always good to trust your instincts and to use common sense when going through the process of applying for immigration-related matters. Like mentioned before, this is especially important if seeking professional advice from a non-government immigration website, lawyer, or consultant. If the information doesn’t seem right, there is a good chance it isn’t.

c) As an applicant, you are also responsible for the best outcome of it. Seeking advice from immigration professionals does not negate your own responsibility to make sure the advice is accurate or true. There are instances where an individual’s application has been refused or cited for misrepresentation, and oftentimes these cases are attributed to receiving bad advice from a so-called immigration representative. Again, those who make claims your residency status is guaranteed, or perhaps telling you the processes are simple or inexpensive should be regarded with skepticism. Information you receive should be researched and researched again because claims that sound too good to be true usually are.

5. Choosing your National Occupational Classification (NOC) Code

Although QICMS services applicants for business immigration through investment, the following tip is handy information to have regarding NOC codes.

NOC codes are reserved for the skilled-worker class seeking entry to Canada, such as applicants for the newly-launched Atlantic Pilot Program, which designates an applicant as Skill Type 0, A, B, C, and D. The NOC code must match your reference letter, and the immigration officer will makes a pass/fail judgment call based upon the information you provided in the application. If your NOC classification is Type C, your occupation duties should accurately and truthfully reflect what is stated in the reference letter. As a warning, NOC codes and descriptions that are copy-pasted directly from the Government of Canada’s NOC code database are immediate red flags to an immigration officer, so choose your wording carefully.

Final Thoughts

We hope that readers will find our first 5 tips a useful guide when applying for Canadian permanent residency. However, the best and safest route is to contact an immigration lawyer or consultant to assist with the application process. Contact our office today to begin discussing your Canadian immigration plans.

Don’t forget to stay tuned for QICMS 10 Essential Tips for Your Canadian Permanent Residency (PR), Part II!

For more information on Canadian immigration programs, please click here.

Fill out our Free Assessment to see if you qualify for any of the immigration programs offered.