Whilst the questions that we have selected are not the actual test questions, you can use them to find out whether you are ready to take the actual test.

Permanent Residency in Canada

Permanent Residents of Canada are those who aren’t citizens of the country but have no restriction on the duration of their stay, mode of employment and travel restrictions. It is possible for anyone to become a permanent resident in theory but the standard expectation is that they should have resided in the country for a period of at least 600 days.

The process for obtaining permanent residency after immigration to Canada is rather easy. There is a simple application that needs to be submitted. Permanent residency is the first step after immigration that leads to becoming a citizen of one of the most advanced countries in the world. Over 200,000 people who came to Canada on immigrant visas have become permanent residents.

There are numerous benefits to being a permanent resident of Canada. Firstly, there is no restriction on travel within the country and a permanent resident has the option to reside anywhere in the country just like a regular citizen does. In addition, a PR card guarantees to the holder the same rights as a citizen and he or she can claim social welfare schemes to the tune of insurances et al. In addition, they are protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which lists the basic freedoms for every Canadian citizen.

While a permanent residency is almost a regular citizenship, there are some rights and responsibilities exclusive to the citizens. A permanent resident cannot vote in any election in Canada. In addition, there is no provision for permanent residents to stand for any elected office in the regular governing bodies. PR card holders have no restriction on the type of employment they can pursue but jobs that need high security clearance, especially law enforcement agencies are not available. In addition, no PR card holder may join the Canadian Armed Forces.

With a permanent residency, the need for repeated application of visas is eliminated. All a permanent resident needs in order to visit Canada again is the PR card. It just needs to be displayed when coming to Canada by any “commercial carrier”. A PR card expires every 5 years and has to be renewed. In order to withhold the card, the holder has to stay in Canada for at least 2 out of the 5 years. Moreover, any serious criminal offence or felony will lead to withdrawal of the card and deportation of the holder to his or her home country.

Permanent Residency is what majority of the people seek after immigrating to Canada. The applicant has to clear an interview, which is different from the Canada immigration interview and the process is fairly simple. An issue of permanent residency ensures that citizenship can be claimed later on. Moreover, a skilled worker with PR status can sponsor his family for acquiring similar status too.