TR to PR Pathways: New Canadian Immigration Programs

If you are living in Canada as a foreign worker or international student (recently graduated or about to graduate), exciting opportunities are making it easier and quicker for you to get a Permanent Residency in 2021.  If living permanently in Canada has always been your long-term goal, that goal might be just a bit closer! 

Canada has set a target of 401,000 new immigrants for 2021.  That’s a lot of people!!  Canada needs high levels of immigration to grow our population and address labour shortages.  For 2021, we know that most new immigrants will come from temporary residents already living in Canada.  Why?  Because Canada’s borders are closed to most people from overseas and there are many processing difficulties abroad during COVID.  Because Canada’s annual budget is tied to the immigration levels, the Canadian government is determined to do whatever necessary to meet the targeted number of new immigrants for this year. 

Thus far, the plan has been to target temporary residents already in Canada and convert as many as possible to PRs this calendar year.  We have already seen six new fast-track streams open with 90,000 positions available for English speaking essential workers and graduates, and unlimited positions for their French-speaking equivalents.  And we believe more options may be coming.  

Although the application pathway for International Graduates inside Canada filled up quickly, there are still thousands of spots open for workers with experience in any of the 135 occupations designated as essential or in health care.  These pathways are open until Nov. 5, 2021 or until the caps are reached for each program.  There are no caps in the French streams.

If you are an International Graduate who missed out on applying for the first pathway, we recommend that you prepare yourself to be ready to quickly apply in the event that a similar pathway opens before the end of this year.   As long as COVID is an issue, the Canadian government is going to need to select immigrants from among those already inside Canada – and one of the best sources of immigrants are International students.

There are five things you can do now to position yourself to apply for PR quickly: 

1. Take a language test – Permanent Residence pathways for workers and students almost always require a language test, even if you graduated from a Canadian university. A minimum score is usually required (CLB 5 for the new graduate pathway, or CLB 4 for essential workers). The test needed for immigration is the General test (the Academic test will not be accepted). English Language tests for Canadian Immigration purposes are accepted from only two organizations, CELPIP and IELTS – other tests such as TOEFL are not accepted. French language tests for Canadian Immigration purposes can be either the TEF Canada or the TCF Canada. All language tests are available through have numerous offices across Canada; you can find the closest through an Internet search. Language tests cost about $300, and the results are valid for 2 years. 
   
2. Prove your education – If you are relying on a Canadian educational credential to qualify, ensure that you have copies of both your degree/diploma and your official transcripts. An ECA is not needed for Canadian education in the TR to PR Pathways announced on May 6, 2021.
3. Investigate the police certificates you need – You do not need a Canadian (RCMP or local) police certificate. You will need one from any other country where you lived as an adult (over 18) for at least six months in the past 10 years. 
   Police certificates expire in 6 months unless it was issued after the last time that you lived in the country, and you have not returned since you obtained the clearance. This means, if you do not plan to return to the country in question, you can order the police certificate now. It is advisable to at least investigate the procedure and timeframes involved: How do you order it? What documents are needed? How long does it take to obtain? 
4. Download the standard PR forms – especially the Background Declaration (IMM 5569), the Family Information form (IMM 5406) and the Travel Information (IMM 5562). Make sure you have all those details at your fingertips so you can complete them quickly when the time comes. The questions about your work history, addresses and travel history require very precise answers.
5. Check-in with a professional – Have a consultation , know where you stand, confirm you are doing everything possible in your situation to be best positioned to qualify for Permanent Residence. Appointments with our immigration experts can be booked online.

If you already submitted an application in one of the new TR to PR Pathways that opened May 6 ^th
, you are likely wondering what will happen next.  Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has promised fast processing times for TR to PR applications and is hoping to have most of the applications finalized before the end of 2021.

You should expect to receive a file number from IRCC via the email that you supplied when you submitted your application.  Emails from IRCC can often go into the SPAM folder – be certain that you are checking your junk mail frequently so that you don’t miss any important deadlines.

If you did not provide all required police clearances, or did not take your medical before submitting your application, you should expect that IRCC will request that you update your application with those.

Finally, for those who submitted a complete application and who meet the eligibility criteria, once the appropriate processing time has passed, you will probably receive an email from IRCC that invites you to become landed as a Permanent Resident via a new online landing process.  You will be required to confirm your mailing address in Canada and upload a new photo that will be used to produce your Permanent Residence card.

What happens if you aren’t successful with your application, and you receive a refusal?  We recommend immediately consulting with a professional to determine if your refusal is actually appropriate, because IRCC has been hiring a lot of new staff in recent months, and new staff plus new programs means a higher frequency of errors. It is possible to challenge a refusal that is made in error, but you must be able to identify the error in the decision and know who to contact at IRCC.  If you are refused correctly, there may be other options for you to apply for Permanent Residence and do your application properly so that you can still take advantage of all the new immigration rules for Canada in 2021.

We can help!  Processing times are expected to be very quick, and likely before the end of 2021.  That means if you are refused, there may still be time to do another application, properly, before the end of the year.  Don’t risk this unique window of opportunity for you and your family to obtain PR.    

The TR to PR Pathways provides quicker and simpler ways to obtain PR for those who qualify.  But you will only succeed if all the criteria are met and proven in the detailed way that IRCC requires.  The Way Immigration
can help you compile a complete application or assist with questions or problems that arise on existing applications.  Arrange an appointment today
with one of our Canadian immigration experts if you would like to take advantage of any TR to PR Pathway suitable for you.