3. Eligibility Assessment
During this step, the immigration department will evaluate your application against the program standards. The goal is to make sure you meet all eligibility requirements and criteria for the application. If your application doesn’t pass this step, the IRCC will reject your permanent residence application, requiring you to restart the process.
4. Admissibility Assessment
The admissibility assessment phase involves evaluating whether your application meets the admissibility criteria for permanent residence. This includes security and criminality checks required for those looking to settle in Canada. You’ll also need to pass the medical exam. Applicants found criminally or medically inadmissible will see their applications rejected, prompting a restart of the entire process.
5. Optional Interview
Some permanent residence applications require an interview. This step involves reviewing basic eligibility and admissibility requirements. You’ll be required to visit an IRCC office for an interview with an immigration officer. The meeting might involve verifying information in the permanent residence application, identity, and family identity. Your immigration officer will also address other concerns they have about the application. The Express Entry managed programs are objective and usually don’t require an interview, especially if you submit a complete application.
6. Status Confirmation
If you pass all the steps above, you’ll receive a permanent residence status. This confirmation allows you to arrive and settle in Canada. We have a separate page to help you delve into what to do after receiving permanent residence status.
Tracking Permanent Residence Application processing
You can track how your permanent residence application is being processed by the IRCC. The department allows you to request notes on how the immigration officers are processing your application. These are known as GCMS notes and are basically default records the IRCC keeps when processing permanent residence applications. Some of the information you’ll find in your GCMS notes include when the application was opened by an officer, the code of the officer processing the application, and the application status at the time of request. You can request the GCMS notes at any time, including before and after receiving the decision on your application.
