What Happens Next After Submitting Your Application
The table below represents the phases of the assessment and processing.
Phase: Completeness check
Citizenship and Immigration Canada reviews your application to make sure that:
all required fields in your application forms are complete,
all required documents are submitted from Document Checklist (IMM 5612), and
the correct processing fee payment has been made
If your application is:
incomplete or;
the allowable cap limit has been reached,
your entire package (including your payment) will be returned to you with a letter explaining why it is being returned.
Phase: Eligibility Review
An officer at the CIO will make a final determination as to whether you meet all the eligibility criteria and your application is eligible for processing.
If your application is not eligible for processing, you will be sent a letter that:
explains the reason(s) why your application is not eligible for processing, and
confirms that a refund for the processing fee will be issued.
Phase: Selection and Admissibility
If your application is eligible for processing, your application will be assessed against the following requirements:
minimum requirements
selection factors
sufficient funds
admissibility (criminality, security, medical)
Note: If the initial assessment of your score for points against the selection factors is equal to or greater than the pass mark, your application will be sent by the CIO to the appropriate visa office for further processing and a final decision. If you do not meet the minimum requirements, or do not meet the pass mark against the selection factors, your application will be refused. In either case, a refund of processing fees will not be issued at this stage of the application process.
Important information
Medical requirements
All applicants must undergo a medical examination.
You and your family members, whether they will be accompanying you or not, must undergo and pass a medical examination. To pass the medical examination you or your family members must not have a condition that:
is a danger to public health or safety, or
would cause excessive demand on health or social services in Canada.
Examples of “excessive demand” include ongoing hospitalization or institutional care for a physical or mental illness.
Important information. You must inform us immediately of any change in your marital status or your family composition (e.g. marriage, common-law relationship, separation, divorce, birth of a child, adoption of a child, death, etc). Any family member who has not been examined before you become a permanent resident can never be sponsored by you in the future.
Instructions
Information on medical instructions will be provided to you. When you receive your assessment notice you will also receive medical forms for yourself (and any accompanying dependants if applicable), instructions and how to access a list of doctors in your area who are authorized to conduct immigration medical examinations (see below). You are not required to have a medical examination before you submit your application forms.
Exam validity
The medical examination results are valid for 12 months from the date of the first medical examination. If the processing of your application for permanent residence is not completed during this time, you will have to undergo another complete medical examination.
Authorized doctors
Only certain designated doctors can do the medical examination. You must see a physician on Canada’s list of Panel Physicians. Note that the physician is only responsible for conducting a medical examination; he or she cannot give you any advice on the immigration process.
Factors that can facilitate processing
There are certain things you can do to help ensure that your application is processed as fast as possible:
make sure that all the documentation and information requested are provided with your application
advise the visa office, where you submitted your application, of any change to your contact information. This includes:
mailing address
telephone number
facsimile number (fax)
e-mail address
Factors that may delay processing
The following factors may delay the processing of your application:
unclear photocopies of documents
contact information that is unclear, illegible, incorrect or blocked by your internet server
documents not accompanied by a certified English or French translation
information and documents provided required independent verification
a medical condition that may require additional tests or consultations
a criminal or security problem
family situations such as impending divorce, or custody or maintenance issues, or completion of a legal adoption
consultation is required with other offices in Canada and abroad
H&C considerations
The Ministerial Instructions do not permit the consideration of humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) requests for exemption from immigration legislation, unless the applicant meets the requirements for processing under one of the two categories identified in the Federal Skilled Worker class.
This means that requests for exemptions on H&C grounds should only be submitted after it has been determined that your application qualifies for processing under the ministerial instructions.
Note: Requests in other classes will continue to be processed at Visa Offices.
Permanent resident status
If your application is successful, you and your family members will receive permanent resident visas. You will become permanent residents of Canada when you move to Canada within the validity of your visa(s). Some conditions will apply:
You will remain a permanent resident until you become a Canadian citizen, as long as you spend at least two years of each five year period in Canada.
You may leave and re-enter Canada as often as you wish.
Rights
As permanent residents, you and your family members will have the right to:
live, study and work in Canada for as long as you remain permanent residents
access most social benefits accorded to Canadian citizens (see Limitations).
apply for Canadian citizenship, and if granted, apply for a Canadian passport once you have been a legal permanent resident for three of the four previous years.
Limitations
There are a few limitations on permanent residents:
You cannot vote in certain elections.
You may be ineligible for certain jobs requiring high-level security clearances.
If you or any of your family members commit a serious crime, you or your family members may be stripped of permanent resident status and deported from Canada.
Obligations
As permanent residents, you will also have the same legal obligations as Canadians, such as paying taxes and respecting all federal, provincial, and municipal laws.
The Permanent Resident Card
All new permanent residents will be issued a card as part of the process. Cards will be mailed to your home address soon after you become a permanent resident. For more information on the Permanent Resident Card, visit our website.
Checking application status online
You can check the status of your application online once you receive your file number by doing the following:
Go to the CIC website;
Select Check application status;
Follow the instructions provided.
Protecting your information
Your personal information is:
only available to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) employees who need to see it in order to provide the services to you, and
not disclosed to anyone else except as permitted under the provisions of the Privacy Act.
For more information. You can obtain additional information on the protection of your data by visiting the Help Centre on our website.
How to contact CIC
Within Canada
CIC Call Centre:
1 888 242-2100 (toll-free)
Hours of operation:
Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., your local time
If you are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing, or you have a speech impediment and use a text telephone, you can access the TTY service from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. your local time by calling: 1-888-576-8502 (in Canada only).
Outside Canada
Contact a visa office at a Canadian:
Embassy,
High Commission or
Consulate
Consult the local phone pages or the CIC website for addresses, phone numbers and website address
