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1. What is permanent residence in Canada?
Obtaining "permanent residence" or "permanent resident status" in Canada is also known as "immigrating to Canada" or becoming a "landed immigrant". The successful end result of the Immigration process is the issuance of an immigrant visa. Persons to whom an immigrant visa has been issued must present themselves to an Immigration officer at one of Canada's official ports of entry in order to become landed immigrants.
2. What benefits do I have if I am a permanent resident of Canada?
Canadian permanent residents/landed immigrants and citizens enjoy all of the same rights and privileges (i.e. free health care, free elementary and secondary education, etc.) with three (3) exceptions:
(i) Permanent residents cannot vote;
(ii) Permanent residents cannot hold a Canadian passport;
(iii) Permanent residents can be deported for certain criminal convictions.
3. Once I am a permanent resident of Canada, do I have to stay in Canada?
Within any five (5) year period, a permanent resident must be:
physically present in Canada for at least 730 days (two (2) years) in that five (5) year period
OR
outside of Canada , accompanying a Canadian citizen, who is his or her spouse or common-law partner or a child accompanying a parent
OR
outside of Canada , employed on a full-time basis by a Canadian business
OR
an accompanying spouse, common-law partner or child of a permanent resident, who is outside Canada and is employed as a full-time basis by a Canadian business.
4. How can I become a permanent resident of Canada?
To be eligible to immigrate to Canada , one must meet the requirements of one (1) of three (3) classes of Immigration: the Independent/Skilled Worker Class, the Family Class or the Business Class and apply for Permanent Residence in Canada through a Canadian visa post (i.e. High Commission/Embassy/Consulate).
5. How can I become a citizen of Canada?
Only after three (3) years of being a permanent resident/landed immigrant of Canada, is one eligible to apply for Citizenship.
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