Many recently approved Permanent Residents (PRs) opt to postpone their relocation to Canada due to commitments such as work, school, or familial responsibilities in their home country. Therefore, the question arises: how quickly must one relocate to Canada once their Express Entry PR application is approved?
Landing in Canada
Upon receiving your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), it is imperative to land in Canada before the expiration date specified on your CoPR document. If you included dependent family members in your PR application, the landing must occur either simultaneously with or before them. All dependent family members must also complete the landing process before the CoPR expiry date.
For those already present in Canada, the confirmation of permanent residence status can be verified through the IRCC's online portal.
Validity of Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR):
Upon the completion of your application processing, a CoPR visa will be stamped in your passport. The expiry date on the COPR is generally determined by the validity of your medical exam results, which remain valid for one year. For instance, if you underwent a medical exam in June 2021, the expiration date of your CoPR visa would be in June 2022. Nevertheless, if your passport reaches its expiry date before your medical exam results, the CoPR validity is then tied to the passport's expiry date.
Initiating the Application for Your Initial PR Card:
Upon landing in Canada, as you attain the status of a Canadian permanent resident, you are eligible to apply for a Permanent Resident (PR) card. Given that you must demonstrate your permanent resident status for re-entry into Canada, it is advisable to initiate the PR card application promptly. Please note that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) does not dispatch PR cards to addresses located outside of Canada. Therefore, if you are residing in Canada temporarily without a fixed address, you may consider having the card sent to your immigration lawyer or arrange for personal pickup once it is ready.
The processing time for a new PR card can extend beyond three months. If you need to travel back to your home country during this period, it becomes necessary to apply for a PR travel document. This official document, issued by a Canadian visa office abroad, serves as a substitute for a PR card when re-entering Canada.
What is the duration of stay required in Canada after completing the landing process?
What is the duration of stay required in Canada after completing the landing process?
Following the completion of the landing process and acquiring Canadian permanent residency, it is essential to meet the residency obligations. This entails being physically present in Canada for a minimum of 730 days within a five-year period. If you choose to return to your home country after completing the landing process, it is crucial to ensure that you come back in time to spend at least 730 days in Canada to fulfill this obligation.
Certain exceptions exist for this requirement. For instance, if you reside outside of Canada but are accompanying a close family member who is a Canadian citizen or if you are employed full-time by a Canadian company. For more information on how to satisfy this obligation, please visit our Residency Obligations page.
If you want to immigrate to Canada, we can help you! You can contact our team and check if you are eligible to immigrate to Canada! Take advantage of our free online assessment today!
