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Facts About Canadian PR Card

Permanent residency in Canada is one of the most prestigious ones to hold. It opens up a number of opportunities that can vastly influence your life as much as your career and well-being in general. If you are wondering what makes it so great, take a look at some curious facts and myths about Canadian Residency card.

Facts About Canadian PR Card
Benefits of Having a Permanent Resident Card in Canada 
1    A one-way ticket to Canadian citizenship.

If you already hold a permanent residency card, moving forward with getting your crispy new Canadian passport isn’t an issue.

To be eligible you must’ve lived in Canada for 3 years in total. Counting solely the years you have been physically present in the country. Although, it’s best to file after 5 years of your stay in Canada to ensure the application is successful.

Once you’re ready, then pass your language test and prove your knowledge of Canada’s history, your rights and responsibilities in the country.

2   Right to live and work on Canadian territory.

A fact that appears to be the most appreciated by all potential Canadian residents. While certain visas let you work a limited amount of hours or meet some other restrictions, with a PR card you have all the rights of Canadian citizen.

Statistically, employers are much more interested in job applicants that hold a residency or are about to undergo a procedure to obtain one.

3   Healthcare 

Many students or contract workers have experienced some sort of healthcare related inconvenience.

If you get injured or ill, it might be a bumpy ride without a PR card. Staying in the hospital is costly for someone working a casual job, let alone studying in Uni.

However after becoming Canadian citizen you are instantly eligible for free medical care that covers all prescription expenses. Insurance also relieves some of the financial responsibilities if you are hospitalised. 

There’s a list of which procedures are fully taken care of by Canadian medical care, which you can familiarize yourself with via their website.

4   Bringing your family with you

When lodging a PR application, future residents can write in their close relatives, spouses and kids. This allows the additional candidates to live, work and have all the rights of prospective citizens.

5  Simplified Visa application

Canada has agreements with over a hundred countries around the world that allow its residents and citizens to have a simplified visa application process. 

For PR holders, it is important to keep tabs on your visa expiration date. The residency must be valid for another 3 months. If you know your PR card is expiring, please file for extension before your upcoming trip.

To travel to the US, you will need a “non-immigrant” visa that permits you to cross the American-Canadian border without any trouble.

Should you be filing for a new visa or a PR card, get a high-quality photo taken online for your future document. The process is easier and faster with much lower prices that some passport photo centres offer.

Important Things to Remember for Canadian PR Card Holders
  • There’s limited space for names on PR cards. If you received your card and it seems like your name is mispronounced, don’t worry. Last-names longer than 15 characters might be shortened to fit the PR card’s standard.
  • Leaving Canada for more than 6 months may result in difficulties when coming back. Plan your travel wisely and always check the expiry date on your PR card before you head out of the country. 
  • Whether you lose or damage your existing card, you will need to replace it. While you go through that rather painless process, keep your old card on you at all times as an identity verification as well as a document proof of a new one being made. You might have limited time for restoring it, so it’s best to get a PR card photo online. You get an instant top-quality picture for the better prices than at offline centres.

Being a Canadian citizen or getting close to becoming one is a reason to be proud for sure. Bottom line, a bare minimum for a happy living is knowing your rights and responsibilities, respect and be respected by the government. Canadian PR card allows anyone to live their lives to the fullest. If the facts above don’t convince you, take a look at their passports that have tons of amazing animals on each page. Only a happy nation does that with serious documentation.

 

 

South Florida Caribbean News

The SFLCN.com Team provides news and information for the Caribbean-American community in South Florida and beyond.

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