In Canada, a permanent resident is someone who lives in the country long-term but is not a citizen. Permanent residents enjoy many of the same benefits as citizens, including healthcare coverage. A Mississauga immigration lawyer can help foreign nationals gain this permanent resident status.
What Is Permanent Resident Status?
When some foreign nationals move to Canada, they do so on a temporary basis. This includes students and other workers. The permission for these residents to remain in Canada lawfully has an expiration date. However, some such residents may want to continue living in Canada for the foreseeable future, so they become permanent resident in Canada.
Permanent residency status grants rights such as:
- All social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, including healthcare
- Legal protections under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- The right to live, work, study, and travel anywhere within Canada
Permanent residency can also be part of the path to citizenship. A permanent resident retains this status unless law enforcement presents a removal order, the person relinquishes the status, or the person becomes a citizen instead.
Who Can Become a Permanent Resident?
There are many paths to permanent residency status in Canada. However, each path shares one criterion: applicants must have lived in Canada for at least 730 days over the previous five years. These days do not need to be consecutive, and some travel abroad may count.
Once a foreign national has lived in Canada for at least 730 days, they may apply for permanent residency status through one of the following avenues:
- Provincial Nominee Class – your province nominates you based on your skillset and contribution to the economy
- Express Entry – based on a points system, and includes the Skilled Worker Program, the Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class
- Atlantic Immigration Pilot – for graduates or workers in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, or Newfoundland and Labrador
- Start-Up Visa – for those who start businesses in Canada
- Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot – a new program to support immigrants in rural communities
- Family Sponsorship – for people with close family members in Canada
- Caregivers – for foreign nationals who care for children, elderly, or other vulnerable people in Canada
- Agri-Food Immigration Pilot – for foreign nationals who work specific jobs in this industry
With so many paths to permanent residency, it can be difficult to know where to begin. An immigration lawyer can help.
Hire a Top Mississauga Immigration Lawyer
Becoming a permanent resident in Canada is an important decision that can change your life forever. This status can grant you vital rights and open up many opportunities. It is the last stop on the way to citizenship for many, which is why it’s important to apply correctly.
The last thing you want to happen is to fill out these complex forms by yourself, only to have your application denied for some minor and preventable error. When you work with a top Mississauga immigration lawyer, you can rest easy knowing that everything is handled. The professionals at Nanda & Associate Lawyers can help you through every step of the process.
We are ready to serve you and have associates that speak 15 unique languages, including English, French, Italian, Chinese, Hindi, Punjabi, Bangla, Gujarati, Telugu, and Tamil. The processing time for permanent resident applications can take months, so it’s important to get started as soon as possible. Contact us today.
