Canada PR from India

Canada is a hugely popular destination for Indian residents to emigrate to. There are currently over 1.3 million people of Indian origin or descent living in Canada, making up around than 4% of the total Canadian population.

One of the reasons for Canada’s popularity is its wide range of routes and pathways to PR, which aim to accept as wide a range of individuals as possible.

Some of the most popular pathways to PR for Indians include the following:

• Express Entry programs, including:
  • Federal Skilled Workers Program
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program 
  • Canadian Experience Class
• Business programmes, including:
  • Start-Up Visa Program
  • Self-Employed Persons Program
• Provincial Nominee Program 
• Quebec-Selected Skilled Worker Program
• Family sponsorship

If you successfully apply for Canadian PR, you will be granted a PR card, which will allow you access to a range of freedoms and entitlements in Canada. Your card will initially be valid for 5 years, after which it can be extended.

Page Contents

• Overview of Canada PR from India
• Express Entry Programs
• Business Programs
• Provincial Nominee Programs
• Quebec-Selected Skilled Worker Program
• Family Sponsorship
• How to Apply for Canada PR
• How Much Does Applying for Canada PR Cost?
• How Long Does Canada PR Take to Be Approved?
• What Can I Do With Canada PR?
• How Can Total Law Help?

There are two main business pathways to PR that Indian residents can take advantage of.

The Start-Up visa program is an ideal pathway to PR for Indian entrepreneurs who wish to start their own innovative business in Canada.

In order to qualify for this visa, you must have a qualifying business and also the support of a designated organization that has been approved to support start-up businesses.

You must also meet the minimum language requirements and have enough money to support your move to Canada.

Meanwhile, the Self-Employed Persons program is best suited for Indian residents who either:

• Take part in cultural activities or athletics at a world-class level, or
• Are a self-employed person in cultural activities or athletics

To be accepted into this pathway to PR, you will be assessed on your experience, age, language abilities and adaptability when applying.

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) are for Indian applicants who wish to settle in a specific Canadian province.

Applicants may apply to become residents in any one of Canada’s provinces, except Quebec, which has its own separate dedicated pathway (see right).

To be eligible for the PNP, you must meet the specific eligibility criteria set out by your chosen province. These will vary, but may target specific types of workers, levels of experience or education as according to the province’s own business or economic needs.

If you wish to apply for PR through the PNP, you may either apply on paper or through the online Express Entry system.

However, regardless of how you apply, you must first be nominated by your chosen province in order to proceed with your application. This means that the province must first identify you as someone who has the potential to contribute to the local economy of that specific province.

You must also express your desire to live in that province.

The Quebec-Selected Skilled Worker Program (QSSW) is a route for Indians who specifically wish to settle in the Canadian province of Quebec.

To apply for this program, you must first apply to the Government of Quebec for a Quebec Selection Certificate. This certificate will serve as proof that Quebec has accepted you as an immigrant according to their own rules and selection process.

In order to obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate, you must fulfil a range of criteria that assesses your suitability for integration in Quebec. These include the following:

• Knowledge of French and English
• Professional work experience and/or training
• Level of education
• Whether or not you have a job offer
• Age

After obtaining your certificate, you must then apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Canada PR.

Note that Quebec also offers a selection of other immigration programs, such as the Quebec Experience Program or Quebec Entrepreneur Program.

If you have close family members who are already Canadian citizens or permanent residents, they may be able to sponsor you to emigrate from India and join them in Canada.

You may be sponsored to obtain Canadian permanent residency if you are related to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident as their:

• Spouse or partner
• Dependent child
• Parent
• Grandparent
• Orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild (only in very specific situations)
• Any other relative related by blood or adoption (only in very specific situations)

Note that whoever will be sponsoring you to travel to Canada must be over 18 and commit to supporting you financially without the need for social assistance from the government.

When you travel to Canada, you must also commit to making every effort to support yourself and your family members.

You and your sponsor will have to sign a sponsorship agreement that confirms these commitments.

In most cases, you must apply for Canada PR from outside of Canada, before you travel.

You may do so by applying online through the IRCC website, where there is also detailed guidance for your chosen pathway. If you wish to apply for a Quebec-based immigrartion programme, this information can be found on the Gouvernement du Quebec website.

Each pathway to Canada PR will come with its own forms to fill in and documentary proof to provide. You must ensure that you’ve filled in the forms as fully and accurately as possible, as well as ensuring that you have provided the full range of documents and proof for your application.

You must also ensure that you follow the necessary additional procedures for Canada PR, such as submitting an application into the Express Entry pool or obtaining a Quebec Selection Certificate.

As part of the application process, you may also be required to take a medical exam, provide police certificates, and book an appointment at a visa application centre to have your biometrics information taken.

Canadian visa application centres where you can do this are located in New Delhi, Chandigarh and Bengaluru.

Application Fees

Below is an overview of the application fees for the various Canadian permanent residency pathways already mentioned:

Additional Fees

Below is an overview of additional fees that you may also have to pay when applying for Canada PR:

The time it takes for your Canadian PR application to be approved will vary greatly depending on the pathway, how busy the service is, and if there are any additional complications with your application that need to be resolved.

Possible complications may include if your PR application is missing key documents or information, if your information can’t easily be verified, or if there are any other questions or concerns from IRCC.

As a general guide, however, below are the expected wait times for each of the PR pathways already mentioned:

Becoming a permanent resident of Canada means that you will have access to a range of benefits and entitlements that temporary residents do not.

For example, when you become a Canadian permanent resident, you will gain the right to do the following:

• Receive social benefits and government support, such as healthcare coverage
• Live, work or study in Canada
• Apply for Canadian citizenship (after spending at least 3 years in Canada within a 5 year period)
• Protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Note that you will not be able to do the following as a Canadian permanent resident:

• Vote or run for political office
• Hold some jobs that require a high-level security clearance

You will still be able to retain your Indian citizenship if you apply for Canadian permanent residency or Canadian citizenship.