Common Q&A if You Want to Settle in Canada

Are you an immigrant and you want to settle in Canada? You could become a permanent resident of Canada, and eventually become a citizen. However, applying for Canadian citizenship through naturalization is a long process, and you must first become a permanent resident to be eligible.

Taking that into consideration, we’ve covered all the common questions and answers for immigrants who want to settle in Canada. Let’s get down to it, shall we?

How can I become a permanent resident of Canada?

There are different routes to become a permanent resident in Canada, but the most common program is the express entry. If you apply for express entry, your chances of becoming a permanent resident of Canada will mostly be determined by your educational background, skills, language, age, and work experience.

Similarly, you can also use the provincial nominee program to become a Canadian citizen. This means you need to apply directly to the province or territory that you want to settle in — if you’re eligible, you will be nominated to become a permanent resident. Besides that, you could also become a permanent resident of Canada through family sponsorship, starting a business, or applying as a caregiver.

I have a temporary work permit — how do I become a permanent resident of Canada?

If you’re an immigrant with a temporary work permit, you can become a permanent resident of Canada by applying for the express entry program. However, you need to have been offered permanent employment or gained at least three years’ work experience in Canada to be eligible.

Do I need to take a language test to become a permanent resident of Canada?

Yes. If you’re applying to become a permanent resident of Canada, you will be required to take an English or French language test. If you’re an English speaker, you could take the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). However, you must take the language test from an organization that is approved by the IRCC.

Once you’ve passed your language test, you can submit the results when applying for permanent residency status in Canada. Your language test results could also be required when you’re applying for citizenship.

How much money do I need to settle in Canada?

For starters, you need to pay the processing fee when you’re applying to become a permanent resident of Canada. However, the processing fee depends on the migration channel that you’ve signed up for. For instance, if you’re applying to become a permanent resident of Canada through the express entry or provincial nominee, it will cost you $CAN 1,365 to process your application — according to the IRCC. But if you’re moving to Canada to start a business, you will be charged $CAN 2140 to process your application.

Other migration routes such as family sponsorship and health worker occupation are cheaper — the processing fee is about $CAN 1,080. If you have a dependent child, it will cost you between $CAN 155 to $CAN 230 to process the application.

On the other hand, the IRCC requires immigrants to have sufficient proof of funds when moving to Canada. If you’re migrating to Canada through the express entry, you will need at least $CAN 13,310 in your bank account as proof that you can support yourself before you get a job. Also, you will need an extra $CAN 3,586 for every family member that you bring along.

However, if you have a full-time job offer before you arrive in Canada, you don’t need to show your proof of funds. The same case applies to immigrants with temporary work permits who are already working in Canada.

How long until I can apply to become a citizen of Canada?

Once you become a permanent resident of Canada, you need to wait for five years before you can apply for citizenship. In addition to that, you will only be eligible for citizenship if you’ve not traveled outside Canada for longer than two years as a permanent resident. This means that if you calculate the days when you were living in Canada as a permanent resident, they should add up to three years or 1095 days.

What are the requirements to become a Canadian citizen?

Besides staying in Canada long enough as a permanent resident, you need to file your income taxes — this should be done consistently for at least three years. You also need to demonstrate that you can understand English or French. This means that you could be required to re-submit the test results of the language test that you took before applying to become a permanent resident of Canada.

Once you’ve been approved, you will be required to take a citizenship test in French or English. During the test, you will be asked 20 questions — to achieve a pass mark, you need to correctly answer at least 75% of those questions.

Applicants who pass the citizenship test are invited to an oath ceremony. After swearing the oath, you will be declared a Canadian citizen.