Immigrating to Canada and PR application processing times

Do you ever find yourself wondering why do a lot of people want to move to Canada? There are after all other countries as well that they can choose for their immigration, but they still choose to apply for immigration to Canada. Well, I guess, Canada being a beautiful country and offering good quality living standards are the most obvious reasons. But there is more to it – one being Canada’s small population from which meeting the economy’s skill requirements is often not possible, the other being its simple and organized immigration system.

When compared to many countries in the world – Canada has a distinct position as it has a lot of landmasses while the population is comparatively very small. In contrast, you can find many other countries which are crowded with people, and running out of space rapidly. These countries, however, have the advantage of the choice of labor – both skilled and unskilled. Canada doesn’t have this advantage and that is the primary reason, its immigration programs are open throughout the year inviting people to immigrate. However, Canada’s immigration programs are skill-driven and seek to allow skilled workers from around to world to live and work permanently in the country.

Please note that a permanent resident is entitled to live in Canada for a duration of 5 years, not forever as it may sound. However, when your PR Visa is about to expire, you can apply for an extension. In fact, after living continuously in the country merely for 3 years, you become eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship. Once you become a Canadian citizen, you get to enjoy all the benefits as any other Canadian citizen.

Now, let’s briefly understand what the processing times are with respect to your Canadian immigration application. You might be wondering about Canada’s PR process time also. Let me explain. For moving to Canada as a permanent resident, there are 2 major programs that you can choose from:

• Express Entry program

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

For anybody looking to immigrate to Canada, the Express Entry program is the first choice. This program is directly under the control of the Federal Government of Canada through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The program as is apparent in its name is aimed at express or faster processing of PR Visa applications. The processing time for the program is 6 months, provided your application is complete with all the required information and documents. If such a situation arises where more information is required, the processing time may vary between 6-8 months.

The other popular pathway is the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Canada has 3 territories and 10 provinces and they all have a PNP or a similar program, allowing them to nominate candidates for Canada PR Visa to the Federal Government of Canada. The processing times for various PNPs are roughly 6 months, but again it is subject to change when there is a requirement of more information and documents. It can also extend up to 8 months. For more information on this topic, you can visit the concerned province’s official website and get accurate information regarding the prevailing processing times.

Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, there is likely to be a delay in Canada PR process irrespective of the program you select. There is however word from IRCC that they are trying to process the pending applications as quickly as possible.

If you have any doubts or questions, we are just a phone call away, speak to one of our immigration experts at +91 92 92 92 92 81 from the comfort of your home. Should you like, you can write to us at info@natiowidevisas.com and expect a response within 24 working hours or visit our website at Nationwide visas