What are the benefits of permanent residency in Canada?
Dear Miss Powell,
I HAVE been reading your articles about applying to live in Canada. I realise that when you apply, you only get permanent residency and not citizenship. Can you tell me what are the benefits of permanent residency? Is that the same as getting a green card?
TP
Dear TP,
When an application to live in Canada is approved, the first step is to receive confirmation of permanent residence. This means that the person now has legal status in Canada. After you arrive in Canada, you are given a permanent resident, or PR, card. In the USA, many people refer to their permanent resident card as a green card and this is similar to the permanent resident card in Canada.
RIGHTS OF A PERMANENT RESIDENT
As a permanent resident, you will have the right to live, work and study in any of the 10 provinces, or three territories, in Canada indefinitely, subject to certain legal requirements. You would have most of the rights as a citizen. I will highlight below some of the key rights of a permanent resident in Canada.
Public healthcare: Canada has a publicly funded healthcare system to which most permanent residents have immediate access once they land in Canada and are registered. The healthcare plan is, however, managed by each province, and so you will need to check if there is a waiting period imposed on new residents, and whether you want to get private insurance to cover the waiting period. In most cases, doctor’s visits, hospitalisation, X-rays, scans, and specialists are publicly funded. In some provinces, children under the age of 18 have free medication and dental benefits.
Education: Education is free up to the age of 18. That means that all permanent residents have the right to free education at the elementary and high school levels. In some provinces there are free, or subsidised, day care facilities for preschool and kindergarten students. Additionally, the cost of university is significantly less than the cost for an international student. Residents are eligible for student loans, grants, and education savings plan such as the Registered Education Savings Plan, which can assist students with tuition costs at the postsecondary level.
Social benefits: There are various social benefits available to permanent residents, such as unemployment insurance, child, and disability benefits. These include Canada Pension/ Retirement Plan, CPP survivor’s pension, CPP Children’s Benefits, Old Age Security, Guarantee Income Supplement, Child Disability Benefit. There are also housing benefits. These rebates help to offset the tax on new or substantially renovated homes, access to financial assistance for home repairs where modifications are necessary because of disability, or when there are energy efficiency upgrades to a home. These benefits include the Secondary Suite low interest loan, Home Adaptation Grants and multigenerational home renovation tax credit.
Family: As a permanent resident, you have the right to sponsor a spouse, dependent child, and other eligible family members, such as a parent or grandparent. You have the right to adopt a child, locally or internationally, and sponsor that child to live with you in Canada.
Travel: You have visa-free access to some countries just by presenting your permanent residence card. You are expected to maintain your permanent resident status to have freedom to enter and exit Canada at any time. While travelling, you enjoy the protection of the government of Canada and right to access the justice system.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Just as you have certain rights and benefits, you also have responsibilities as a permanent resident. You must maintain your permanent residence status and renew your card when required. This means you will need to be physically present in Canada at least 730 days within the last five years for your card to be renewed.
As a permanent resident, you also have the right to apply for citizenship if you can prove that you have been physically present in Canada a minimum of three out of the last five years, paid your taxes, completed the citizenship test and oath to become a citizen. Once you have a Canadian citizenship, you will have the right to apply for a Canadian passport, vote, and have access to certain high-level security clearance jobs, and run for political office.
Additionally, you must pay your taxes and uphold all the laws of Canada. As a permanent resident, if you break certain laws, or endanger the lives of others living in Canada, you could become the subject of a removal order and lose your permanent resident status.
If you would like to find out about the various pathways to becoming a permanent resident of Canada, or you are a permanent resident who has lived in Canada for over three years and would like to know more about the benefits of Canadian citizenship, you may contact me to schedule a Zoom/ telephone meeting.