Obtaining a Permanent Residency Card in Canada

Permanent Canadian residency will provide immigrants with a wealth of employment opportunities as well as the ability to travel to other countries. Once the necessary steps are completed, the applicant will receive what is known as a Permanent Residency card (often abbreviated simply as a PR Card). What does this card look like and how can the application process begin?

  

A Brief Look at a Permanent Residency Card

A PR Card appears much like a standard identification document such as a driving licence. It is a wallet-sized card that displays one's picture, their vital information and their current place of residence within Canada. There are also enhanced security features such as foil graphics, copy-resistant inks and an electronic device known as an RFID chip.

How a Permanent Residency Card Can Be Obtained

It is first necessary to download and complete a form known as the IMM 5444 E. This is the standard application for a residency card. It requires information such as:

Personal details (name, date of birth, country of birth and prominent physical characteristics).
One's current Canadian address.
Marital status.
Travel and immigration history.
The time spent outside of Canada.

This document will then be mailed to the Case Processing Centre that is located in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Should all of the details prove to be accurate, the applicant will be notified shortly in regards to the card being approved.