Determine which application process is right for you. Visit the website of Canada's Department of Immigration and Citizenship. You can apply as a skilled worker/professional, as someone who has worked or lived in Canada, as an investor/entrepreneur or as the family of a Canadian permanent resident. View the eligibility requirements for each and decide which route is most appropriate for you.
Retrieve the appropriate application package from the website of Canada's Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Each package contains an "Application for Permanent Residence in Canada." Additional forms vary by type of immigration. Each application package includes a document checklist. Use the checklist to ensure that you are not missing any forms.
Complete the application. Fill out all forms required for the route of immigration that you've chosen. Follow the instructions included in the application package. The forms ask for information about yourself, your family, your current residence and your planned residence in Canada. Make a copy of all the forms to keep for your personal records.
Pay the appropriate immigration fees. Fees must be paid with Canadian funds by check, money order or credit card. The Canadian Department of Immigration and Citizenship does not accept online payments. A processing fee will need to be paid when you apply for permanent residence, and a right of permanent residence fee will be charged if your application is accepted. Fees vary by type of application, and additional fees are required for family members. The fees will total at least $475.
Mail the completed application package to the appropriate address. Depending on the type of application, you'll send it either to the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Centralized Intake Office or to a visa office in the country where you reside. If you are immigrating to Canada from Seattle, you would mail it to the Canadian visa office in Seattle. Put all documents in a 9-by12-inch envelope. Ensure that all documents are included. Include the completed document checklist as well.
Wait. Your application will be reviewed to ensure that all necessary documents have been completed. It will be returned if it is not complete. If your application is complete, it will be reviewed by a visa officer. The processing time for new permanent residence applications is 30 days. You can check the status of your application at the website of the Canadian Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
