Permanent Residence Just 2.5 Years After Coming to Canada!

No. This was my first time coming to Canada, I didn’t know whether it would suit me, and I had often heard that getting permanent residence is difficult (not just in Canada), so it wasn’t really on my radar.

The employer I worked for on my working holiday supported me for a work permit, and I got the visa. When the visa was approved, my employer casually said, “You could probably get PR through the Canadian Experience Class now, right?” I was surprised—“What? PR?”—but I went straight to Visa JP Canada, asked Ms. Shiraishi to help, and started preparing my permanent residence application. Work permits aren’t issued for very long periods, so rather than applying for work permits over and over, getting permanent residence means you only have to go through the process once.

I first entered Canada on a working holiday visa, traveled a little at first, and started working for my current employer less than a month after arriving. Then, at around the six-month mark, it was decided that they would sponsor me for a work permit.

Shortly after my work permit was approved, from around April 2017, I started preparing for my permanent residence application by taking the IELTS and getting an educational credential assessment. I had asked Ms. Shiraishi to handle everything from the work permit to the permanent residence application, so I gathered documents as instructed.

I handed Ms. Shiraishi the documents needed for Express Entry around May, and received my ITA around September. Besides Japan, I also had to get police certificates from the US and Australia. I thought I had prepared with plenty of time to spare, but the US police certificate took 4 months to arrive, which made me nervous. All the documents arrived just within the ITA deadline, and I submitted everything in November. The ITA deadline seems generous but goes by in a flash, and I think it would have been chaos if Ms. Shiraishi hadn’t told me to apply early for documents that take time…

Then in January 2018 I received the passport request, all processing was completed in February, and since I happened to have a trip to the US planned at that time, I landed then. Ms. Shiraishi had told me what to prepare for landing and said I could relax because I wouldn’t be questioned much at that point, but I was still a little nervous going up to the officer. As expected, though, I wasn’t asked much at all; they explained the next steps and my rights as a PR, and signed with “Good Luck in Canada.”

Since I left everything to them, I didn’t have any particular difficulties with the permanent residence application. The work permit was harder (because I started preparing late).

However, I had to collect various documents for the application, and I was always anxious until they were all gathered. With the US police certificate in particular, I had to send the application documents by mail, and I accidentally sent them by regular mail without tracking, so I couldn’t even confirm whether they had arrived, and I really regretted it. It may be obvious, but to avoid unnecessary worry, I think it’s best to pay the fee and make sure important documents can be tracked…

Since Canada has granted me permanent residence, I want to build my career properly here and become someone who contributes to society.

I think the best thing is to consult a professional early on. They can give you options you wouldn’t have had on your own, and compared to doing it yourself, it greatly reduces time and unnecessary work and gives you peace of mind. Also, studying English never hurts. It’s a good idea to prepare well so you can grab the chance right away when it comes. Good luck!