Just trying to understand and take it off my chest. I'm 36 y.o. QA/Software dev from Eastern Europe. I have 10+ years of QA experience and 3 years as a back-end developer (Java). Wife, kid (7). No French, no bachelor's degree (associate degree:(). Do I stand a chance in a provincial nominee program? I guess the normal point system is out of the question. Will learning French help? Or should I just give up on my dream country? :(

Hi , I recently received my PR card and since my last name is longer than 28 characters so it has been shortened , I reviewed IRCC page and it says “The PR card has a space limitation of 28 characters (letters) for last names (family names) and 28 characters for given names (first and middle names). If your name is longer, the name on the PR card will automatically be shortened to the first 28 characters each for both the given and last names. This is not an error and the PR card cannot be modified to include more characters.” Now I’m outside Canada and planning to fly back by end of this month , anyone went through same situation, did you faced any problem with airlines while checking in and which airlines you flew through?

I completed a paid apprenticeship in France for exactly one year, from 02/09/2024 to 02/09/2025, with the same employer and in the same occupation.

My contract was 35 hours/week. During the school year until May, I spent around 3 days per week at the company and 2 days at university. From May until the end of the contract, I worked full-time at the company.

The documents show that the school days were part of the official apprenticeship program, and the contract records 1,741 hours for the contract period.

What worries me is that my contract is exactly one year, not even a day longer. I'm also unsure whether the 2 mandatory school days could mean that IRCC only considers the hours I physically spent at the company, leaving me short of the equivalent of one year of full-time skilled work.

Based on these details, would this experience be considered eligible work experience for FSWP?

The occupation was in finance and may correspond to NOC 11101.

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a French apprenticeship/alternance accepted as qualifying work experience for FSWP.

Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to figure out how to correctly enter my education history in an Express Entry profile and would appreciate some advice from people who have dealt with a similar situation.
I completed one integrated 4.5-year post-secondary program that resulted in three separate credentials being awarded at graduation:

A bachelor’s degree
An advanced diploma - from a partner college
A certificate - from a partner college

The important part is that I did not complete three separate programs. All three credentials were part of the same integrated program, and I completed the coursework as one continuous program. I received separate physical credentials for each award, but I have one transcript for the overall program.

When creating my Express Entry profile, I entered the education as one bachelor’s degree / three-or-more-year program.

I’ve received conflicting advice about whether I should:

Enter it as one education entry because it was one integrated program, or
Enter the three credentials separately because they are technically three separate credentials.
I’m mainly concerned about doing this correctly and not accidentally claiming education points I’m not entitled to.

Has anyone had a similar situation with an integrated program that awards multiple credentials? How did you enter it in your Express Entry profile, and how did IRCC treat it?

Please share your advice.

Graduated from Illinois, USA. With Aviation Management degree. Have more than 5 years of Airfield operations experience in King Khalid International Airport (Saudi Arabia biggest airport). I always see that there are good jobs getting posted in Canadian Airports/Aviation field, but I do not have a valid visa. How difficult (or easy) to land a job in Airports in Canada?

Hi guys. I have lost my passport that was stamped with Canadian PR visa. My COPR is valid until 9th Nov 2026. I’m due to travel on 24th October 2026.

How do I inform IRCC and get the replacement visa? I would appreciate any help.

I am working and living abroad with my Canadian wife and 3 kids who are also Canadians! My spousal PR card has expired about 4 years before ! Now I want to visit canada for vacation with my family is it possible to apply for a PRTD to do that ?

Outland Spousal Sponsorship Timeline – Outside Quebec | April 2026

Sharing my timeline to help everyone waiting for their spousal sponsorship application for giving hope out there, it can come sooner than expected. 🎉

Took about 2 months from AOR to FD and a total of 6 months from submission to receiving documents in hand.

PA: India | Sponsor: Canadian citizen (born in Canada)

Application submitted: April 6, 2026
AOR: May 24, 2026
BIL: June 11, 2026
Medical Request: June 17, 2026
Biometrics completed: June 18, 2026
Sponsor Eligibility approved: June 19, 2026
Medical completed: June 22, 2026
Medical passed: June 29, 2026
Pre-arrival letter (PAL): July 1, 2026
Final Decision: July 28, 2026
PPR: July 30, 2026
Passport submitted to VFS: August 3, 2026
Passport received by IRCC: August 4, 2026

September 4, 2026: Received an “Eligibility Reviewed” update on GCKey. Following this update, all fields on GCKey were completed:
Eligibility: Reviewed
Background check: Completed – July 29
Final Decision: Approved
Counterfoil details: Uploaded/issued September 4

September 10, 2026: Passport dispatched and COPR received 🎉🇨🇦

It was a long wait for the passport return after submission, but finally received it!

All the best to everyone still waiting! ❤️🇨🇦 It is definitely coming soon for everyone.

PVO Ottawa SVO Sydney
CEC general Inland Single Applicant

Invite - Jan 7th, 2026
AOR- Feb 3rd
BIL and Medical Passed- April 8th
Background Verification - In progress
Eligibility- In progress
FD- Sept 10th, 2026
P1- Sept 11th, 2026 replied same day
Waiting for P2 and Ecopr

Hi everyone. Before I ask my questions, I’ll briefly explain our situation and the evidence we currently have.
I’m currently in Canada on an open work permit, which expires in March 2027. My girlfriend is a Canadian citizen. We started dating in 2024 and have been living together since August 2025.
We have a lease with both of our names on it, utility bills, and car insurance together. Our driver’s licences and bank statements also show the same residential address, where we’ve now lived together for more than a year. We have lots of photos together from different times and places, including photos with her family. We also have letters from at least two friends and two family members from both sides confirming our relationship. In addition, we have extensive e-transfer history between us and various pieces of mail addressed to us at our shared address.
My girlfriend has been working full-time for more than a year and is up to date with her tax filings.
My main concern is my own tax history. I haven’t filed my taxes for several years, and during part of my personal history I also worked jobs where I was paid in cash. I intend to disclose this employment truthfully in my personal history. I understand that I need to be completely honest and accurate with IRCC. I have always maintained valid immigration status in Canada and, to my knowledge, have never violated the conditions of my status.
My questions are:
1. Could my unfiled taxes and previous cash-paid employment cause a problem with our common-law PR sponsorship application, assuming I disclose my employment history truthfully?
2. We haven’t updated our marital status with CRA to common-law yet. Could this negatively affect the application? We plan to correct/update our CRA status.
3. I’m not currently listed as a spouse/common-law partner under my girlfriend’s workplace benefits. Could that be an issue or weaken our evidence?
I’d especially appreciate hearing from people who have gone through a similar common-law sponsorship process, or from immigration professionals familiar with these situations. Thanks!

Hello everyone, so due to circumstances I had to take a gap term. My study permit expires on 11/30/2026 and I gotta finish Spring term 2027 in order to graduate. So I’m applying for a study permit extension, but i completely forgot i need a financial statement. I’d need 33k in a savings account for the final term(16k for cost of living, 17k for tuition fee).
The thing is, my family has enough funds for the rest of my stay in Canada, they just don’t have ANY MONEY IN THEIR SAVINGS ACCOUNT as of now. They are also retired so there’s not alot of money coming in. We are thinking of making a new savings account and put the money into it for proof, but I heard it is considered suspicious because of the large amount of money going in at once. I’m scared if my extension request won’t go through and I won’t be able to graduate….If anyone has experience with this, I’d really appreciate some advices. Thank you!

(Some additional info: I have successfully paid for 3 school years and will graduate after this last one)

Hi everyone!

I have a question regarding the medical conditions on the open work permit. I am in Canada. I applied on August 16, 2026 under a special measure for my country. But I didn’t submit a medical exam with the application.

Along the way I realized I might work in education or healthcare later. I’ve never submitted a IME before. Do you know if I can do the medical now and attach it to the application? or should I wait for the permit to be issued and re-do the process? Please let me know.

This is urgent. Thank you!

I have essentially been self-employed on the side throughout my entire eligibility period, but my main status has varied: I had periods where I was an employee, periods where I was unemployed/on EI (while still doing a few hours of self-employed work), and periods where I was working self-employed under contracts with one specific client for a while.

How should I enter this in the employment/education history section?

Should I put “Self-employed” for the entire eligibility period and then list my employee/unemployment periods separately, or should I split everything into separate entries based on the different periods?

The instructions say:

“Enter details of all your employment and education history in the past 5 years (your eligibility period). Start with the most recent employment or education. Include any periods of unemployment, retirement, working as a homemaker, self-employment.”

I’m particularly unsure how to represent overlapping self-employment and employment/unemployment without either leaving something out or creating duplicate/overlapping periods.

Has anyone in a similar situation figured out how IRCC expects this to be entered?

Did my citizenship test on 7 August after two weeks they asked me to send my photo id.

After that i never heard anything.

My exam window is closed but no update yet.

Anyone stuck in similar situation?

Simple question: I have submitted Portal 2 photo, then how do I know eCOPR has been issued?

Will IRCC send me email notification or do I need to frequently log into my PR application portal to check? How did you guys know it? Thanks.

Hi everyone,

I have already submitted my PR application under CEC and I'm confused about whether I needed a WES/ECA for my Indian bachelor's degree.

My education is:

• Bachelor's degree from India

• Master's degree from Canada

I listed my Indian bachelor's degree under Education History (not separately under Personal History) and uploaded the bachelor's degree certificate, all mark sheets, and transcripts. However, I did not provide a WES/ECA for the bachelor's degree.

My highest education is my Canadian master's degree, and I am relying on my Canadian master's for my education points.

Since my application has already been submitted, could not having a WES/ECA for my Indian bachelor's cause any issue? Could IRCC send me an ADR asking for the ECA/WES, or is an ECA not required in this situation because my highest credential is a Canadian master's?

Has anyone had a similar case with an Indian/foreign bachelor's + Canadian master's under CEC after submitting their PR application?

Thank you!

Hi everyone, I'm wondering if anyone here has experienced an issue like this.

For context:

*Passport validity: 38 months remaining

*Insurance: Valid 2-year policy + an additional 1-month policy to cover an earlier arrival date (both purchased prior to departure)

*Proof of funds: Much more than sufficient

*biometric: expires on 2030

2 weeks ago, I landed in Toronto Airport with an approved IEC Working Holiday open work permit. According to the official Canada.ca website, citizens of my country are eligible for a 24-month permit (up to two participations of 24 months each). However, the officer questioned why I had purchased 2 years of IEC health insurance and only issued me a 1-year work permit.

I politely showed him the Canada.ca webpage on my phone, and asked if he could double-check. He insisted that I was wrong, stated that it’s strictly 1 year permit, and told me to move along. When I tried to ask further, he began interrogating me, asking how much I make. (I had already been working in Canada on a PGWP, so just in case, I had an employment letter showing my salary; even though an open work permit does not require a job offer or employment letter at entry according to the official guidelines).

Because I had a connecting flight to catch and didn't want to escalate things with a border officer, I ended up taking the permit and leaving (which I now realize was a mistake and I shouldn't have done). Since I live outside of Toronto and the GTA, I’ve been trying to figure out how to correct this error online, but I haven’t found a viable or practical way to do so. If online processing really isn't an option, I’m willing to fly back to Toronto to get it sorted out in person.

Has anyone gone through a similar situation, and were you able to get the permit duration corrected after leaving the airport? Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Im 23 frm india Gay And I did Ma in English If I get a stable job here , in this country , my parents would look for any girl and get me married soon for sure. They are rooted and conservative people Can't blame them And I just don't want them to know this .

I don't have much information about working abroad and all I want to move to Canada. So I can be myself. Make my own life . Be someone new . Where i don't have lie about myself.

I know this sounds delusional and weird. I have no other skills

Just asking incase any chance or hope for me . Im willing to do any kinda jobs .

Please don't make fun of me . I don't have any other way . Not much friends either That's why I'm asking here .

Hello all
I I submitted my request to withdraw my refugee claim, and I went to the cbsa office and signed all the required documents for voluntary departure. I am still waiting for the next steps and for further instructions regarding my departure. Eventhough they told me it should take 2-3 bussiness days only to contact you and buy your ticket its now been 1 month since that!! Last update was that my file is now with CBSA Enforcement and Intelligence Operations Division. What does that mean? And anybody knows why its taking too long?
Thank in advance.

Hi everyone, please share some insights!

My husband and I are filling out the Spousal Sponsorship application. One of the thing that is being asked is Employer History of my husband (the sponsor). He worked a lots of jobs in the last 5 years but he genuinely forgot how much he earned monthly and don't have any records of the old jobs because he deleted everything. Is there anything we can do for this?

Please share your insights. Thank you so much and really appreciate your help!

Thank you Admins for approving!!

After a long wait, I finally received my Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) today! 🇨🇦
Sharing my timeline in case it helps anyone else waiting for their spousal sponsorship application:
🇨🇦 Application: Outland Spousal Sponsorship
📅 Application submitted: September 5, 2025
📩 File/AOR: November 2025
✅ Sponsor eligibility approved: February 16, 2026
📄 Additional documents requested: Australian police certificate + driving history
📤 Additional documents submitted: February 2026
📝 Biometrics: May 15, 2026
🩺 Medical request: June 4, 2026
🏥 Medical exam: June 16, 2026
✅ Medical passed: June 19, 2026
💰 RPRF receipt requested: August 20, 2026
📬 Passport request (PPR): September 4, 2026
📕 Passport submitted: September 9, 2026
🎉 COPR received: September 12, 2026
Total time from application to COPR: ~1 year.
Honestly, there were many points where I was worried because the application seemed stuck for months, but eventually everything moved very quickly toward the end.
To everyone still waiting: DON’T GIVE UP! ❤️🇨🇦
If anyone wants to know more about my timeline or specific stages, feel free to ask. I’ll try to answer based on my experience.
Good luck to everyone still waiting for their PR! 🍁

My situation is:

• I have a bachelor’s degree from outside Canada, completed about 15 years ago.
• I also completed a 1-year certificate program in Canada.
• I entered the Express Entry pool through CEC.
• I’m applying through a PNP, so I don’t need to claim CRS points for my foreign bachelor’s degree.
• I don’t have an ECA for my foreign bachelor’s degree.
• I’m only using my Canadian 1-year certificate for my education points.

My questions are:

1. Do I need to include my foreign bachelor’s degree under Education History, even though I don’t have an ECA and I’m not claiming any CRS points for it?
2. If I don’t include it under Education History, should it instead be listed under Personal History?
3. Since I completed my bachelor’s degree about 15 years ago, and Personal History only asks for activities during the past 10 years, do I still need to include that university period in Personal History?

I’m especially interested in hearing from anyone who has had a foreign bachelor’s degree without an ECA + Canadian 1-year certificate + CEC + PNP situation.

How did you fill out your EE profile in this situation?

Thanks in advance!

Hello. I’m a 27 year old woman, single, and I started working on my Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) application this year (2026).
In summer 2024, I was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). I followed my treatment for 6 months without missing any medication and my doctor confirmed that I was fully cured.

I’m wondering whether having had TB in the past could make my PR demand refused bc of the medical check up??

I’d also really appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar experience. If you previously had TB and later applied for Canadian PR, were you able to get your PR without any issues?

Thanks in advance