Your most frequently asked questions, answered by IRCC

[northern sunshine]

This is a bit of a PSA that IRCC has a whole host of your most frequently asked questions already answered online. I have made a small selection below, but I encourage anyone who is looking for answers to browse their pages. There is far more information available than can be contained in this post!

This is all information directly from IRCC. I am not answering these questions myself. Thank you.

Quick links:
Application Status
Applying, General
Biometrics
Express Entry
Immigrating
Immigration Representatives
Inadmissibility
Leaving/Returning to Canada
Permanent Residents

Express Entry:

How can I determine whether I can apply for permanent residence?

To find out if you can apply for permanent residency try the Come to Canada tool. It will help you figure out which immigration program will work best for you.

This tool guides you through some questions. Based on your responses and your situation, it will give you:

• a list of options, and
• step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

This tool will help you understand the requirements to immigrate to, visit, study in or work in Canada. However, to actually come to Canada, you must still submit the right application forms.

The online tool said I was eligible for Express Entry, but my completed profile says I’m not. Which one is right?

The online tool asks general questions to see if you may be eligible for one of the programs under Express Entry.

The Express Entry profile asks more specific and detailed questions about your qualifications. It is possible that after you gave more detailed information in your Express Entry profile that you are, in fact, not eligible.

Only a complete Express Entry profile can be used to fully assess if you are eligible.

I have two degrees from outside Canada. Do I need an Educational Credential Assessment for both?

To get the most points possible for your education under the Comprehensive Ranking System, you should get your highest degree, diploma or certificate assessed (PhD, MA, BA).

If you have more than one credential, you may want to get both assessed if it would give you more points.

Do I need to include proof of funds for Express Entry?

You will be asked to enter in your Express Entry profile the amount of money you will have to help you settle in Canada. This is to show that you can support yourself and any family who come with you to Canada, and helps us assess which programs you may be eligible for.

You will only need to meet the settlement fund requirement if it applies to the program you are invited to apply under.

If you are invited to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program, you will need to show that you meet the settlement funds requirement unless you:

• are currently authorized to work in Canada, and
• have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada.

For proof, you must get official letters from any banks or financial institutions where you are keeping money.

Letter(s) must list:

• all current bank and investment accounts
• outstanding debts such as credit card debts and loans

Note: You do not have to meet the funds requirement if you were invited to apply under the Canadian Experience Class.

The system currently asks all applicants to provide a proof of funds document. If you don’t need to provide proof of funds, you must upload a letter explaining either that you have been invited to apply under the Canadian Experience Class, or that you have a valid job offer.

Find out more about settlement funds and proof.

What happens after I send in my application?

In most cases, your application will go through these general steps.

We’ll

• review your application to make sure it’s complete
• once you pay the biometric fee, send you or your family member a letter that tells you how to give your biometrics (if applicable)
• receive and review your or your family member’s biometrics after you have given them at a collection point
• decide if you’re eligible to sponsor
• decide if you’re eligible to apply to become a permanent resident of Canada
• tell you when we start processing your application,
• tell you how to get a medical exam, if you didn’t get one before sending in your application
• do a security screening to make sure all applicants don’t pose a risk to the safety and security of Canadians
• decide if you need to go to an interview
• tell you of the decision we make on your application

How long will it take to process my application?

We can’t tell you exactly how long it will take to process your application as exact processing times are difficult to predict.

They vary depending on:

• the type of application submitted
• if the application is complete
• how quickly we process applications we already received
• how easily we can verify your information
• how long you take to respond to any request or concerns
• other factors

Instead, we have estimated processing times. These tell you how long we expect it’ll take to process most complete applications. Some are updated regularly and may change while your application is being processed.

Processing times include most of the steps from when we receive your complete application to when we make a decision.

If we ask you for documents (such as medical exams, police certificates or language test results) after you’ve submitted your application, send them to us as soon as you can. If you don’t, there may be delays processing your application.

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[northern sunshine]

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Approval, Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR), and Landing:

What happens if my Express Entry application is approved?

If we approve your application, we’ll mail you a:

• Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)
• a permanent resident visa (if you're from a country that requires a visa)

Your COPR will have information about who you are, as well as your photograph.

Check to make sure your information is correct. It should be the same as the information on your passport. If there is a mistake on your COPR, contact us through your account.

We can’t extend your COPR, so you should make sure to use it before it expires.

If you’re already in Canada
We’ll contact you and let you know what to do next.

You’ll need to have a short interview with an officer. You have two options for your interview:

• make an appointment at one of our offices in Canada (best option)
• go to a Canadian “port of entry” (border crossing), and present:
  • proof that you have the funds to support yourself and your family
  • your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and your permanent resident visa (if we gave you one)

During the interview the officer will:

• make sure all your documents are valid
• ask you a few questions to make sure you still meet the terms to immigrate to Canada
• confirm your Canadian mailing address, so we can mail your permanent resident card (PR card)

If you change your address within 180 days of getting your status, you must tell us using the web form.

If you’re outside Canada
There are things you can do to prepare for life in Canada:

• use free pre-arrival services, which help you:
  • find out more about living and working in Canada
  • take steps to get recognition in Canada for your:
    • education
    • professional licences/certificates
• read about living and finding work in Canada

When you arrive in Canada
You must have:

• your valid passport and/or travel documents
  • your passport must be a regular, private citizen passport
  • you can’t immigrate to Canada with a diplomatic, government service or public affairs passport
• your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and your permanent resident visa (if we gave you one)
• proof that you have the funds to support yourself and your family after you arrive in Canada

When you arrive in Canada, you’ll meet an officer from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The officer will:

• make sure you’re entering Canada before or on the expiry date shown on your COPR
• make sure that you are the same person who was approved to travel to Canada (we may use your biometrics to do this)
• ask to see your passport and other travel documents
• ask you a few questions to make sure you still meet the terms to immigrate to Canada
  • the questions will be similar to the ones you answered when you applied

To help speed up your entry to Canada, keep your passport and other documents with you at all times. Don’t pack them in your luggage.

We won’t allow you into Canada if you:

• give false or incomplete information
• don’t convince the officer that you meet the conditions to enter Canada

If you’re admissible and there are no problems when you arrive, the officer will:

• allow you to enter Canada as a permanent resident
• confirm your Canadian mailing address where we’ll mail your permanent resident card

If you change your address within 180 days of arriving in Canada, you must tell us using the web form.

Disclosure of funds
If you arrive in Canada with more than CAN$10,000, you must tell this to the CBSA officer. If you don’t tell them, you could be fined, and your funds could be seized.

What you can bring into Canada
Before you travel to Canada, see the CBSA website to find out what you can and cannot bring into the country.

After you arrive in Canada

• find immigrant services in Canada, who will help you:
  • settle
  • adapt to life
• read the Welcome to Canada guide to help you adjust
• use the Living in Canada tool to find the right services

I don’t see the option to upload documents in my account, even though IRCC has asked for it. What do I do?

If you don’t see the option to upload documents in your account, tell us through the IRCC Webform.

Don’t forget to:

• select the type of application you’re submitting,
• provide as many details as possible about the problem you had, and
• include screen shots.

Don’t send in multiple forms to report your issue, as it can slow down our review of the requests.

How do I validate a Confirmation of Permanent Residence or a permanent resident visa if I live in Canada?

If you already live in Canada, you have two options to become a permanent resident:

1. You can make an appointment at one of our offices near where you live in Canada. To do this, contact us by using this Web form.
   
   If your permanent resident visa (or one of your family’s) expires in two months or less, please indicate that you need urgent processing.
   
   
2. If you are not able to make an appointment as set out above, you may leave Canada and return through an international airport or a Canadian land border.
   
   When you arrive, an officer will interview you, and grant you entry into Canada based on the information in your visa.

In either case, you will have to show the officer:

• your passport, travel or identity document (including your visa sticker, if you have one), and
• your Confirmation of Permanent Residence, permanent resident visa, Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ), letter of introduction or any instructions from the Canadian visa office, and
• your proof of legal status in Canada, such as a valid work permit, study permit, temporary resident permit, or visitor document, or any immigration document you have (whether valid or not), or
• proof of implied status (if you applied to extend your stay before it ended). Proof of this status may include:
  • payment receipt,
  • copy of your application to extend your stay,
  • printout of online application, or
  • proof of mailing.

Note: You must leave Canada, enter another country and re-enter Canada to become a permanent resident at an international airport or Canadian land border. If you need a visa to enter another country before you re-enter Canada, it is up to you to get the visa.

You will do these procedures at the first place you arrive in Canada. If you are travelling by air, make sure you have time before any connecting flight or other travel.

If you choose to leave and re-enter Canada at a land border, especially during the peak periods of weekends and holidays, you may have a long wait time for service.

To find the land border closest to you, see the Canada Border Service Agency website.

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[northern sunshine]

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I have a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) and will travel to Canada. Do I need an eTA?

No. If you are from a visa-exempt country and have a Confirmation of Permanent Residence document, you don’t need an eTA. However, if you haven’t received this document before your planned travel to Canada, you will need to apply for an eTA.

If you are from a visa-required country, a permanent resident visa will automatically be issued in your passport for your travel to Canada.

In both cases, make sure you travel to Canada with your valid passport and your valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence document.

PR Cards, PRTD, and Returning to Canada:

I am a new permanent resident of Canada. Do I need to apply for a permanent resident card?

No, we will mail your permanent resident (PR) card to you when you arrive in Canada.

If you did not provide your Canadian mailing address when you became a permanent resident, use our online address notification tool to send it to us. You must provide your address within 180 days of the day you become a permanent resident. If you do not send it within 180 days, we will cancel the PR card and you will have to apply for another one and pay the processing fees.

Check current processing times to see how long you will have to wait to get your new card. Please tell us if you did not get your PR card within the processing times.

How long will it take to process my PR card?

You can check current processing times for permanent resident (PR) cards.

If you need your card sooner, you can apply for urgent processing. If you aren’t eligible, we will process your application normally.

See also: processing times questions

I need to leave Canada and I do not have a permanent resident card. Can I later return to Canada without a PR card?

You need a valid permanent resident (PR) card to return to Canada by plane, train, bus or boat. If you know your card will expire when you’re travelling, renew it before you leave. You can only renew your card in Canada. We don’t send PR cards to non-Canadian addresses and we don’t allow third parties to get them for you.

If you’re outside Canada and don’t have a valid PR card, you need a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) to return to Canada. You can only apply for a PRTD from outside Canada. If you try to return to Canada without a PR card or PRTD, you may not be able to take your flight, train, bus or boat to Canada.

It depends on how you travel.

Returning by private vehicle
There are other documents you can use to enter the country.

When you return to Canada, apply for a PR card if you plan to travel outside Canada again.

Some examples of private vehicles include, but are not limited to: a car, truck, motorcycle, or recreational vehicle that you own, borrow, or rent. It is a vehicle not available for public use.

Returning by commercial vehicle: airplane, bus, train, or boat
You must apply for a permanent resident travel document. Otherwise you may not be able to travel to Canada.

You can apply for a PR card when you return to Canada.

If you’re traveling soon or already applied
If you know you’re travelling by commercial vehicle soon, you can ask for an urgent renewal of your PR card. If you already applied for your PR card and are still waiting for it, you can check our processing times, check the status of your application or link your application to your account to keep track of it.

Contact us if you’ve been waiting for your card for six weeks longer than the normal processing time and still haven’t received it.

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[northern sunshine]

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What happens if my permanent resident card expires while I am outside Canada?

If you’re outside Canada and don’t have a valid PR card, you need a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) to return to Canada. You can only apply for a PRTD from outside Canada. If you try to return to Canada without a PR card or PRTD, you may not be able to take your flight, train, bus or boat to Canada.

If your card expires when you’re outside Canada, you still have your permanent resident (PR) status. To keep your PR status, you need to stay in Canada for a certain amount of time.

What happens if your PR card expires when you’re outside Canada depends on how you plan to return to Canada. See I need to leave Canada and I do not have a permanent resident card. Can I later return to Canada without a PR card?

Private vehicle
There are other documents you can use to re-enter the country.

When you return to Canada, apply for a PR card if you plan to travel outside Canada again.

Some examples of private vehicles include, but are not limited to: a car, truck, motorcycle, or recreational vehicle that you own, borrow, or rent. It is a vehicle not available for public use.

Commercial vehicle: airplane, bus, train, or boat
You must apply for a permanent resident travel document (PRTD). Otherwise you may not be able to travel to Canada.

You can apply to replace your permanent resident (PR) card when you return to Canada or if you haven’t left yet. You may eligible for urgent processing.

Validity
Most PR cards are valid for five years, but some are only valid for one year. The expiry date is printed on the card. When your PR card expires, you can’t use it as a travel document. If your PR card will expire within six months, you should apply to renew your card. You need to be in Canada. If you’re re-entering Canada by commercial vehicle and have an expired PR card, get your PRTD to re-enter Canada.

Check our processing times to see how long you will have to wait to get your new card.

PR Status:

How long must I stay in Canada to keep my permanent resident status?

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. See can my time abroad count towards my permanent resident status?

To help you track your time in Canada, use a travel journal.

Can I lose my permanent resident status?

Yes, you can lose your permanent resident (PR) status.

If you haven’t been in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years, you may lose your PR status. See Understand PR Status.

You may also lose your PR status if you:

• become a Canadian citizen
• give up (renounce) your PR status
• become inadmissible to Canada

Permanent residents don’t have the same protections and privileges as Canadian citizens do. If you commit a serious offence as a PR, you may have to leave Canada permanently.

Can my time abroad count toward my permanent resident status?

It depends on what you do and who you travel with. Your time outside of Canada may count toward your permanent resident status if you meet 1 of these conditions:

You work outside Canada
You need to work full-time for:

• a Canadian business or organization, or
• the Canadian federal, provincial or territorial government

You travel with a spouse or common-law partner
Your spouse or common-law partner needs to be:

• a Canadian citizen, or
• a permanent resident working outside Canada, full-time for:
  • a Canadian business, or
  • the Canadian federal, provincial or territorial government

You’re a dependent child and travel with your parent
Your parent needs to be:

• a Canadian citizen, or
• a permanent resident working outside Canada, full-time for:
  • a Canadian business or
  • the Canadian federal, provincial or territorial government

Find this and much, much more information in the IRCC Help Centre.

 

[Donnaray]

Hello everyone

Just wondering if will it be a problem if my COPR had an error on the birthday of my daughter? I am currently in Canada now arrived last year,and I am planning to get my daughter soon but as I checked my COPR, the birthday of my daughter is incorrect. She was listed in my COPR as non-accompanying dependent just that her birthdate is wrong entry... I want to know what to do before processing her visa

 

[Marishet]

I did a mistake in Visa application form, that my exact leaving date of Canada is Jan 2024 but I make it Jan 2023. Does it make a problem or what shall better? I need a help?