Landing as a
Permanent Resident
- Do I become
a permanent resident of Canada as soon as my landing
documents are issued?
- How long can
I wait to come to Canada after my Immigrant Visa is issued?
- Can the
expiry date on my Canadian Immigrant Visa be extended?
- Must I land
at or near the location I indicated as my intended
destination on my application form?
- What should
I arrive with when I land in Canada?
- When must my
accompanying dependents land?
Do I become a
permanent resident of Canada as soon as my landing documents
are issued?
No. You will
only become a permanent resident when you cross a Canadian
port-of-entry with your valid passport and your valid Canadian
Immigrant Visa.
How long can I
wait to come to Canada after my Immigrant Visa is
issued?
You must arrive
in Canada before the expiry date which appears on your
Immigrant Visa. Usually, it is one year from the time medical
examinations were completed. As this is not always the case,
be sure to verify the expiry date as soon as you receive your
Immigrant Visa.
Can the expiry
date on my Canadian Immigrant Visa be extended?
As a general
rule, the expiry date on your Canadian Immigrant Visa will not
be extended. Failure to land in Canada before the expiry date
may result in the necessity of re-application.
Must I land at
or near the location I indicated as my intended destination on
my application form?
Generally, the
holder of a Canadian Immigrant Visa may land at any port of
entry in Canada without difficulty.
This is not the
case, however, in the Province of Quebec, due to its exclusive
right to select immigrants. If, in your application for
permanent residence, you declared an intended destination in
Canada outside Quebec, then landing in Quebec may be
problematic. Likewise, you may be asked to land in Quebec if
your intended destination in Canada had been indicated as
Quebec.
What should I
arrive with when I land in Canada?
You must have
your valid passport and your valid Canadian Immigrant Visa. It
will be helpful to have an inventory of all belongings that
you intend to bring in after landing. It's also a good idea to
have evidence of your settlement funds.
When must my
accompanying dependents land?
Accompanying
dependents cannot land before the principal applicant has
landed. The accompanying dependents should land with the
principal applicant or after the principal applicant, but in
either case prior to the expiry date indicated on their
Canadian Immigrant Visas.
After Landing
as a Permanent Resident
- Must I stay
in Canada following landing?
- 1 When can
Canadian Citizenship be obtained?
- Does
Permanent Residence status in Canada permit me to enter/work
in the USA?
- What is the
job-market like in Canada?
Must I stay in
Canada following landing?
Permanent
residents are not obliged to remain in Canada, and are in no
way restricted from departure at any time. However, the longer
a permanent resident is absent from Canada after landing, the
greater the risk that permanent resident status may be
jeopardized. If you know in advance that you will be absent
from Canada for more than 183 days in any 12 month period, you
may want to apply for a Returning Resident Permit.
When can
Canadian Citizenship be obtained?
Canadian
Citizenship can generally be obtained after three years of
permanent residence in Canada.
Does Permanent
Residence status in Canada permit me to enter/work in the
USA?
Permanent
resident status in Canada does not affect US immigration
requirements for eligibility to legal employment. The North
American Free Trade Agreement, which applies to citizens of
Canada, does facilitate US employment in certain
cases.
What is the
job-market like in Canada?
The Canadian
labour market has been quite strong in the past few years. A
monthly summary of economic progress is published in the
Canada Immigration Newsletter.
Obtaining
Citizenship
- Once I
obtain Canadian Permanent Resident status, how soon do I
become eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship?
- Do I have to
apply for Canadian Citizenship as soon as I am eligible?
- What are
some of the advantages of obtaining Canadian Citizenship?
- Will time
spent in Canada prior to becoming a permanent resident be
counted towards my Citizenship application?
- Will time
spent absent from Canada be counted towards my Citizenship
application?
- Will
Canadian Citizenship make me eligible to work in the USA,
Mexico, or Chile
- As a
Canadian citizen, am I required to obtain a Returning
Resident Permit for absences from Canada?
- Can I have
dual Citizenship?
- As a
Canadian citizen, must I pay Canadian income tax on my
worldwide income?
Once I obtain
Canadian Permanent Resident status, how soon do I become
eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship?
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.
Do I have to
apply for Canadian Citizenship as soon as I am
eligible?
No. There is no
obligation to apply for Canadian Citizenship at any
time.
What are some
of the advantages of obtaining Canadian
Citizenship?
Unlike
permanent residents, Canadian citizens are allowed to be
absent from Canada for extended periods of time without any
risk of losing their status. Except in rare cases, Canadian
citizens cannot be deported from Canada.
Canadian
citizens also receive Canadian passports and are entitled to
vote in federal elections.
Will time
spent in Canada prior to becoming a permanent resident be
counted towards my Citizenship application?
Time spent
legally in Canada prior to becoming a permanent resident may
be counted towards the calculation of the 1095 days required
to qualify for Canadian Citizenship. Within the four years
prior to applying for Canadian Citizenship, each day spent in
Canada as a non-permanent resident (i.e. as a visitor) is
counted as half a day, up to a maximum total credit of one
year. Each day spent in Canada as a permanent resident is
counted as one whole day.
Will time
spent absent from Canada be counted towards my Citizenship
application?
Unless there
are exceptional circumstances, time spent outside of Canada
(other than for short vacations) will not be counted towards
the calculation of the 1095 days required to qualify for
Canadian Citizenship.
Will Canadian
Citizenship make me eligible to work in the USA, Mexico, or
Chile?
Under the
provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
and the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement, qualified Canadian
citizens can benefit from facilitated admission into the USA,
Mexico and Chile for business and work-related
purposes.
As a Canadian
citizen, am I required to obtain a Returning Resident Permit
for absences from Canada?
No. Citizens of
Canada are not required to obtain Returning Resident Permits
for any absence from Canada. Canadian Citizenship cannot be
lost as a result of a long or permanent absence from
Canada.
Can I have
dual Citizenship?
Since 1977,
Canada has permitted its citizens to hold dual or multi
Citizenship. As a result, Canadian citizens will not lose
their Canadian Citizenship if they retain their former
nationality or become citizens of another country.
If you intend
to become a Canadian citizen, you are advised to verify
whether the country of your current nationality permits dual
citizenship.
As a Canadian
citizen, must I pay Canadian income tax on my worldwide
income?
Not in all
cases. As a general rule you are only required to pay Canadian
income tax on worldwide income if you reside in Canada. It is
always best to consult with a specialist in Canadian taxation
for specific advice regarding any and all Canadian taxation
matters.
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