A Canadian PR application starts with picking the immigration stream you qualify for, building an online profile with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), uploading supporting documents, and paying government fees that begin at $1,590 per adult applicant as of April 30, 2026. Most economic applicants go through Express Entry, and Federal Skilled Worker files were processing in roughly seven months in early 2026.
Choose the Right Immigration Stream
The pathway you use decides which forms you file, which documents you need, and how long you wait.
Express Entry
Express Entry is the online system IRCC uses to manage three federal economic programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.1Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Immigrate Through Express Entry You build a profile, get scored under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) based on age, education, language ability, and work experience, and then wait for a periodic draw. Only candidates who receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) can submit a full permanent residence application.
CRS cutoffs move with every draw. In 2024, general draws sat roughly between 524 and 549, and IRCC has leaned more heavily on category-based draws for specific occupations and French speakers. A provincial nomination adds 600 points to your CRS score, which is why many applicants pursue one alongside their Express Entry profile.
Provincial Nominee Programs
Each province and territory runs its own nominee program aimed at local labor market needs. Some nominations flow through Express Entry (with the 600-point boost); others use a separate paper-based or online stream that takes longer to process.
Family Sponsorship
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child. The sponsor signs a legally binding undertaking to support the sponsored person financially: three years for a spouse, and 20 years for a parent or grandparent.2Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. How Long Am I Financially Responsible for the Family Member or Relative I Sponsor A dependent child is generally someone under 22 who is not married or in a common-law relationship.
Refugee and Humanitarian Streams
People with a well-founded fear of persecution can apply under refugee streams, and a separate humanitarian and compassionate pathway exists for exceptional cases that don’t fit elsewhere. These are decided case by case.
Gather Your Documents First
Missing or weak documents are one of the most common reasons applications stall. Start pulling this file together before you touch a profile.
Educational Credential Assessment
If you earned your degree outside Canada and are applying through an economic stream, you need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an IRCC-designated organization such as World Education Services.3Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Educational Credential Assessment The ECA converts your foreign credentials into a Canadian equivalent and can take several weeks to arrive, so order it early.
Language Test Results
You must take an approved language test. For English, IRCC accepts IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, and PTE Core. For French, it accepts TEF Canada and TCF Canada.4Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Language Test Results Results must be less than two years old both when you create your Express Entry profile and when you submit your PR application. Expired results mean refusal.
Work Experience Records
Reference letters from each employer you claim experience with must sit on official company letterhead and include your job title, specific duties, salary, and average hours per week. IRCC looks at up to ten years of work history, and vague letters are a frequent failure point. If a former employer has closed, gather alternative proof such as tax records or pay stubs.
Identity and Civil Documents
You need scans of your passport, birth certificate, and any marriage or divorce certificates. Any document not in English or French must come with a full translation, an affidavit from the translator confirming accuracy, and a certified copy of the original.5Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. What Language Should My Supporting Documents Be In IRCC does not accept translations by family members or by machine translation tools.
Photographs
Photos must be taken by a commercial photographer within the last 12 months. Digital files need to be between 715 x 1000 and 2000 x 2800 pixels, in JPEG format, and under 4 MB, with a plain white background, neutral expression, and eyes fully visible.6Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Permanent Resident Photos Upload a studio document confirming your name, date of birth, and the date the photo was taken.
Show You Have Enough Money
Federal Skilled Worker applicants (and some other economic applicants) must prove they can support themselves and their family after arrival. Amounts are updated annually and scale with family size. As of the July 7, 2025 update, a single applicant needs CAD $15,263, and a family of seven needs CAD $40,392; check the current IRCC proof of funds table for your family size.7Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Proof of Funds The money must be readily accessible and unencumbered, usually proven with bank statements or an official letter from your financial institution showing balances and transaction history. Canadian Experience Class applicants who already hold a valid Canadian job offer are exempt.
Filing the Application Online
Most PR applications go through the IRCC online portal. You create a secure account, complete the forms, upload scanned documents, and pay the fees. The two core forms are IMM 0008 (the Generic Application Form for Canada), which captures your personal information and the stream you’re applying under, and IMM 5669 (Schedule A), a detailed history of your addresses, education, and organizational memberships since age 18.8Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Generic Application Form for Canada IMM 0008
File size limits depend on the portal: the Permanent Residence Portal and newer IRCC Portal cap uploads at 4 MB, while the standard IRCC Portal allows 5 MB. Accepted formats include PDF, JPEG, DOC, DOCX, and PNG.9Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. What File Formats Can I Upload to My Account The system blocks submission if required fields are empty or mandatory document slots are missing. Your electronic signature carries the same weight as a handwritten one and binds you to the truthfulness of everything in the file.
What IRCC Charges
As of April 30, 2026, the fees for economic stream applicants are:
- Principal applicant: $990 processing fee plus $600 Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF), totaling $1,590
- Spouse or common-law partner: $990 plus $600 RPRF, totaling $1,590
- Each dependent child: $270, with no RPRF
A couple with two children pays $3,720 in government fees, before language tests, credential assessments, medical exams, or translations.10Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Application Fees – Fee Changes You pay online at submission, and the system generates a receipt and confirmation number you’ll need for every future status inquiry.
What Happens After You Submit
Biometrics
Once IRCC receives your application, you get a Biometrics Instruction Letter (BIL) requiring you to visit a designated collection site in person for fingerprints and a photograph. The fee is CAD $85 per person or a maximum of CAD $170 per family applying together.11Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Biometrics – How to Give Your Fingerprints and Photo You have 30 days from receiving the BIL to complete this step. If you can’t make the deadline, IRCC asks you to contact them through their web form to explain; missing it without explanation can delay or jeopardize the file.12Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Biometrics – Where to Give Your Fingerprints and Photo Once given, biometrics stay valid for 10 years.13Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. When to Give Your Biometrics
Immigration Medical Examination
You must see a panel physician authorized by the Canadian government. The exam checks whether you have a condition that could pose a public health risk or cause excessive demand on Canada’s health or social services. The physician sends results directly to IRCC, and they stay valid for 12 months from the exam date.14Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Medical Examination for Permanent Residence Applicants If processing runs long and your results expire, you may have to redo the exam at your own cost.
Police Certificates
You need a police certificate from every country where you lived for six consecutive months or more since turning 18. No certificate is needed for time spent in Canada or for any period before age 18.15Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Express Entry – Police Certificates Certificates must be scanned color copies of the original; unauthorized photocopies are rejected.16Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Police Certificate – When to Get a Police Certificate Federal agents also run their own security screening for links to organized crime, terrorism, or other national security concerns.
How Long It Takes
Processing times move with program and volume. In early 2026, Federal Skilled Worker and Express Entry Provincial Nominee applications were taking about seven months, while non-Express Entry Provincial Nominee applications averaged around 13 months. These are estimates covering the majority of files, not guarantees. IRCC updates current times on its website regularly.
After Approval
An approval brings a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and, if your nationality requires one, a permanent resident visa.17Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. If Your Express Entry Application Is Approved You present both to a border officer at a Canadian port of entry to finalize your status. Your first PR card is initiated through the IRCC portal after approval and mailed to your Canadian address once you complete the landing process.18Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Getting Your PR Card After You Apply Allow at least six weeks past the posted processing time for the card to arrive.
To keep PR status, you must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days in every rolling five-year period.19Justice Laws Website. Immigration and Refugee Protection Act SC 2001 c 27 – Section 28 Those days don’t need to be consecutive. Some time abroad counts if you were accompanying a Canadian citizen spouse or posted by a Canadian employer or government body.
Reasons Applications Get Refused
Misrepresentation
False information, fraudulent documents, or withheld material facts trigger a five-year ban under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, whether the misrepresentation was deliberate or careless. IRCC cross-checks documents against databases and source institutions, so mismatched employment dates, education records, or identity details surface more often than applicants expect.
Criminal Inadmissibility
A PR or applicant is inadmissible for serious criminality if convicted of an offence with a maximum sentence of at least 10 years, or if they actually received a sentence of more than six months for any federal offence.20Justice Laws Website. Immigration and Refugee Protection Act SC 2001 c 27 – Section 36 Canada evaluates foreign convictions by how the offence would be classified under Canadian law, not the foreign country’s classification. A foreign impaired driving conviction, for instance, can trigger inadmissibility because Canada treats impaired driving as a serious criminal offence. A single conviction called a misdemeanor at home can still count if the Canadian equivalent carries a heavy maximum sentence.
Medical Inadmissibility
You can be refused if your health condition is reasonably expected to place excessive demand on Canadian health or social services. As of 2026, the excessive demand cost threshold is roughly CAD $28,878 per year, or about CAD $144,390 over five years. Certain conditions, including many managed through standard medications, are often exempted from this analysis.