My long-term girlfriend (21, dual Canadian/US citizen) and I (20, U.S. citizen) are planning to immigrate to Canada in roughly 5 years from now. I am finishing up undergrad + planning to get a masters in natural resource management.

I have always planned to leave the U.S. for Canada eventually, but as I am transgender, there is a chance this will have to happen earlier than planned due to the current political climate in the US.

If in the future if we marry, what would the steps to spousal sponsorship entail? And should we hire an immigration lawyer or is it possible to apply on your own? She does have a lot of family who live in Canada, and some of them who live close to the border have expressed their willingness to let us stay with them for a temporary period of time if need be, so housing isn’t an immediate concern. I just want to be sure I understand exactly what this will entail so in the case of an emergency, I can jump into action ASAP.

I submitted and paid for my PR renewal back in March. I never received any email confirming the submission.

Now i'm stuck in the country, theres seemingly no way to contact IRCC. I used the web form one month ago and never received a reply back.

In the PR portal there's no section for corresspondance, just a table that shows submitted applications, no option to view the application or anything, no application id, just 'submitted'

Any ideas? I'm very upset by this, i've missed out on visiting family.

I'm checking my IRCC GCKey, and under Final Decision, the field is completely blank.

At the same time, my Eligibility and Background Verification both show as "Completed".

Has anyone had their Final Decision box show up completely blank like this? What does it usually mean, and can I contact anyone to know?

I’ve ordered GCMS notes a month ago but haven’t received it yet.

It has been blank since 2 months.

Hi, I have been admitted to the Master’s program at École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) for Winter 2027.
I am currently filling out my CAQ application. In Step 4, I selected Postgraduate - Master’s degree program, Québec program of study, and No for exchange program.
However, in Step 5, I cannot find École de technologie supérieure / ÉTS in the “Educational institution” dropdown.
For those who recently applied for a CAQ for ÉTS, what did you select in this field?
Thanks

Hi everyone, I received an AAIP nomination through my current job and submitted my non-Express Entry PR application. I’m awaiting AOR, have no employment restrictions, and hold an open PGWP.
I received a better opportunity in Alberta in a similar NOC. Has anyone changed employers? Did you report it to AAIP/IRCC, and did it affect your nomination or PR application?
Looking for firsthand experiences. Thanks!

I just noticed that, more than a month after submitting my passport, the “Documents submitted by the client” section in GCKey shows “Passports/Travel Documents (Multiple) – Replacement Overdue”, with a required-by date of August 30. The upload window is now closed.

I never uploaded a copy because my PPR letter specifically instructed me to submit my original passport physically through VFS. I wasn’t even aware there was a separate upload requirement until I clicked through some links in GCKey today.

However, my counterfoil details were updated on September 4 and show as valid.

Has anyone experienced the same thing? Should I be worried or take any action? Did you also upload a copy in addition to submitting the physical passport, or did you leave it as is and still receive your visa and COPR?

Dear all

Hope you are doing well.

I am planning to apply for work permit extension on paper due to passport expiry.

My question is when we fill IMM570, do i really need to click on restore" apply for a work permkt with the same employer "?

I mean I am on open work permit, and I don't want my current employer name on work permit ( you know we have line on additional information where beside the employer they will state "any", that's what i am talking about?

So yeah if I will get a new work permit, will there be my current employer name on it?

Please advise.

Hey all, I've spent the last while mapping out a full route to Canada, and I'd rather get torn apart here than find out I missed something obvious two years from now. Long post, but I'd rather over-explain than get vague answers.

Where I'm at now:

• 21, Egyptian citizen, currently living and working in Dubai (UAE) on a company-sponsored work visa
• Finishing a BBA in Marketing at a private university in the UAE - 60 of 120 credits done, graduating December 2028
• GPA 3.7, strong English (EMSAT 1925/2000, IGCSE A+ in English)
• ~5 years of real marketing/creative/sponsorship work experience already (7 by the time i graduate); currently a Creative Manager at a sponsorship agency (fully remote role, I can keep doing this job from anywhere, including Canada)
• On top of the day job: 2 years as a marketing intern + content creator through my university, and I run/lead the university's Marketing Club
• Portfolio includes work on major sports/esports sponsorship activations (think tennis, esports world championships, marathons, agency-side sponsorship and creative work, not my own events)

The plan:

1. Finish the BBA (Dec 2028)
2. Start a 1-year Master's in Business/Management at a Canadian university (targeting Fall 2029 intake — UBC Sauder's Master of Management is the current frontrunner)
3. Apply for the PGWP right after graduating (~2030) — I understand a Master's of any length ≥8 months gets the full 3-year permit
4. Work in my field in Canada, bank 1 year of skilled experience for CEC eligibility (~2031-2032)
5. Submit an Express Entry CEC profile, get an ITA, get PR (~2032-2033)
6. Live as a PR, hit the 1,095-day physical presence requirement (with pre-PR time counting at 50%, capped at 365 days), apply for citizenship (~2036-2037)

No PNP, no sibling in Canada, no prior Canadian study or work experience; I'm building this entirely from scratch.

What I actually want to know:

• Is this realistic, or am I underestimating something structurally? (job market, processing delays, policy risk over a 10-year horizon, etc.)
• For anyone who's done the "Master's → PGWP → CEC" pipeline specifically — how did the work-experience-bank actually go in practice? Did you land a job in your field within the PGWP window, or was it rougher than expected?
• Given how much Express Entry policy has shifted in just the last couple years (job offer points removed, PNP still worth 600, etc.) — how much should I actually be planning 10 years out vs. just getting the first 2-3 steps right and adjusting?
• Anyone in a similar boat, international student, no family/PNP shortcuts, betting on CEC— and further along than me? What do you wish you'd known at my stage?

Appreciate any reality checks, good or bad.

Hi everyone,

I’m new to Reddit, so if I’m posting this in the wrong subreddit or breaking any rules, please guide me.

I’m planning to apply for a Master’s in Canada and would like to hear from students, recent graduates, education consultants and immigration professionals.

My background:

- Bachelor of Engineering in Information Technology, completed in March 2025.

- Working in the IT industry since graduation, with around 1 year of additional IT experience during my final year.

- Planning to pursue a Master’s in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, or a related field.

I’m currently researching different Canadian universities and would really appreciate some guidance.

My questions are:

1. University selection: Which Canadian universities would you recommend for an IT/Data Science/Computer Science student considering education quality, job opportunities, co-op opportunities, tuition fees and ROI?

2. How are the part-time job opportunities for international students in Canada currently?

3. How is the IT/Data Science job market after graduation, especially for international students?

4. What major Canadian study permit and immigration changes have happened recently that I should know about?

5. Has the study permit process actually become more difficult for Indian students recently?

6. What are the most common mistakes or reasons for study permit refusal that students should avoid?

7. Are secured and unsecured education loans both accepted as proof of funds for a Canadian study permit? Does IRCC treat them differently?

8. If I have an education loan, how much additional money should I ideally show in my bank account as savings or readily available funds?

9. I understand that the SDS program ended in November 2024, so a GIC is no longer a mandatory SDS requirement. For someone applying in 2026/2027, is a GIC still useful or recommended, and how does it fit into the current financial-proof requirements?

10. Under the current 2026 rules, IRCC requires a single student applying outside Quebec to show CAD $23,448 for first-year living expenses, excluding tuition and transportation. If I have an education loan, can the loan be used toward this requirement, or should I additionally maintain savings/GIC funds?

11. If I have an education loan, how does IRCC consider the loan toward the required living expenses? Do I need to have the loan amount deposited into my bank account, or is a sanction letter sufficient?

12. If the loan is sanctioned but will be disbursed in stages according to tuition/living expenses, is that generally acceptable? What loan documents should I provide?

13. Is it better to pay the first-year tuition before applying, or can a sanctioned education loan be used to demonstrate the ability to pay tuition?

14. What is a realistic total budget for a 2-year Master’s, including tuition, accommodation, food, health insurance, transportation and other living expenses?

15. Could there be any concerns if most of my financial funding comes from an unsecured education loan?

16. What are the realistic PR pathways after completing a Master’s in Canada for an IT/Data Science graduate? How difficult is PR under the current rules?

17. Is Canada still a relevant and worthwhile country for someone with my profile and goals? Considering the current IT job market, tuition costs, immigration policies, competition, and PR opportunities, would you still recommend Canada for an Indian IT graduate planning to do a Master’s in 2027?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who received their Canadian study permit in 2025 or 2026 or are currently studying in Canada.

Please share your university, course, tuition fee, education loan amount/type, savings shown, whether you used a GIC, study permit outcome, and overall experience if you’re comfortable sharing.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience and advice! 🙏

hi! wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation 😭

i’m included as a dependent in my parents’ PR application, and my age was locked in before i turned 22. from what i understand, since my age was locked in while i was under 22, i should still be considered a dependent as long as i remain unmarried/not common-law.

i’m just confused about the financial dependency part. does the requirement to remain financially dependent apply only to those who were already 22+ when they were assessed as a dependent?
my question is: can an age-locked dependent child start working while the PR application is being processed? would having a job or making mandatory social security contributions affect their dependent status?

my family is worried that working would make me appear financially independent and could affect the application, so they want me to wait. but i really want to start earning for myself already 😭

if anyone has actually been in this situation, especially if you were working/financially independent while waiting for your parents’ PR application, i’d really appreciate hearing what happened with your application!

Hi all, just looking for some advice. I have an invitation to apply for province PNP and I just want to check a few things. In terms of work experience documents, can I just submit my work reference letters? 1 from inside Canada and 1 from the UK.

Or do I have to submit my pay stubs as well?

I have the canads 1s no problem but I am struggling to get a hold of the pay stubs from my UK employer. Would the reference letters be enough or are they being very strict just now? Thanks!

Can the photo itself have a description written at the top or bottom ? Along with that I can also upload a supplementary file - explaining each photo

TIA

What I have done is mentioned date, place and people (if applicable) and one line about the photo below each image and created a pdf of it. They mentioned maximum 20 photos so stuck to that

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice/experiences from people who have dealt with a similar situation with IRCC.

Here is my situation:

I applied for Permanent Residence through Express Entry with my spouse.

After I informed IRCC about my change in marital status, IRCC rejected my PR application as incomplete under sections 10 and 12.01 of the IRPR.

The specific reason given was that the upfront medical report for my spouse was not provided with the application.

The letter stated:
“Your application is rejected for being incomplete and therefore, was not put into processing.”

It also specifically stated:
“A full review of your application was not performed.”

IRCC then sent me correspondence requesting documents to add/examine my spouse, including forms, fees, passport/birth certificate, police certificate, relationship evidence and medical information.

Reconsideration
I submitted a reconsideration request and provided the medical information/documentation.

After submitting the reconsideration request, I received a response from IRCC stating:
“We verified the information you provided regarding the medical information sheet and have forwarded it to the responsible office.”

So currently, I am waiting for the responsible office to make a decision on the reconsideration.
My question
My spouse has not applied for a SOWP yet.
I am trying to understand whether it would be possible/appropriate for my spouse to apply for a Spousal Open Work Permit while my PR reconsideration is pending.
Has anyone been in a similar situation?

hello, one of my parents got a pr around the time I was born (maybe a few years before that) so about 18 years back, and they did not relocate because my other parent did not want to leave our home country and did not let me go with the other parent who had the PR either so we all stayed in our home country.

is there any way my parent can apply for a PRTD under H&C and permanently relocate to Canada now? I know it's a long shot but I guess it's probably worth trying.

Age: 25 Years Old

Degrees I have: Bachelor in agricultural (Livestock production specialist)

The program I want to study: Agriculture (advanced diploma) in Assiniboine college in Brandon city - Manitoba

Funds: Dad’s bank account has more than sufficient for costs (the amount is accessible to be liquid)

IELTS: 7 more than the requirements

I have an apartment as a property in my home country

But
I have relatives (my aunt and uncle) in Winnipeg - Manitoba

So How can I make a strong Statement of Purpose and convince the officer to accept it.

I'm (32M, german citizen) considering moving to Québec for 1/2 years to gain work experience. I have some experience in environmental research, conservation, environmental planning and environmental policy. I'd probably aim for Montréal initially, but I'm not necessarily committed to one location if there are better opportunities elsewhere in Québec

For immigration, I'm currently looking at the IEC Working Holiday route /or Young Professionals if I manage to find a suitable job beforehand. I'm not currently committed to immigrating permanently. I'd rather experience Canada first and make that decision afterwards.

A few questions:

- How difficult was it to find your first professional job after arriving?

- How difficult was it to make friends and build a social circle?

- For people who came initially intending to stay 1–2 years, what happened in reality? Did you end up wanting to stay permanently, or did you eventually return home?

- What would you say to your earlier self that you weren't prepared for?

I would love to hear from people (especially from Europe) who have actually are in/have gone through the process of establishing themselves there. Thanks to anyone willing to share honest experiences, including negative ones!

Just wanted to share this in case it helps someone going through an IRCC refusal.
If you believe your PR, BOWP, PGWP, or other application was refused due to a genuine reason or administrative error, consider submitting a reconsideration request through the IRCC webform and then reaching out to your local MP’s office.
In my case, I called my MP’s office, explained my situation, and sent them the detailed explanation document I had submitted to IRCC as part of my reconsideration request. The very next day, my reconsideration was reopened by IRCC and in two days it was approved.
Of course, an MP cannot guarantee a positive outcome, but if you genuinely believe there was an error, it’s worth advocating for yourself and using every legitimate channel available.
Hope this helps someone! ❤️

Hi everyone,

IRCC requested a renewed passport and gave me 30 days to upload it. I've already applied for renewal through BLS, but regular processing is estimated at 6-8 weeks.

1. Where should I upload an LoE requesting an extension? The document upload field only seems to be for the passport itself.
2. The request is for both myself and my spouse. We have separate UCIs and separate upload slots. Should we upload separate LoEs or one LoE covering both applicants?

Has anyone dealt with a similar situation?

Thanks!

I received my COPR in October 2023 while I was living outside Canada. I did not travel to Canada at that time.
I first entered Canada around March 7, 2024, used my COPR to complete my landing and became a permanent resident. I stayed in Canada for approximately one week and then returned to the U.S., where I’ve been living since.
My first Canadian PR card was issued after I left Canada, and the expiry date printed on the card is March 19, 2029.

I’m trying to understand my 730-day residency obligation and when I would need to move back to Canada to preserve my PR.

Does the 5-year residency period start from October 2023, when my COPR was issued, March 2024, when I actually landed and became a PR, or does the March 19, 2029 PR-card expiry date have any relevance to calculating the five-year period?

Assuming March 2024 is the starting point and I’ve only spent approximately one week in Canada, would around March 2027 be the latest I could move back and then remain in Canada to accumulate the required 730 days?

Hi everyone,

I am finalizing a re-application for a Canadian Study Permit for a 2-year Master’s program at an Ontario university (Winter intake) following a previous refusal under 216(1) / funds. I want to get community feedback on my second-year financial breakdown.

My Current Financial Setup:

• Year 1: 100% covered. Full first-year tuition is paid directly to the university, and a full GIC has been funded.
• Year 2 Requirement: Approximately CAD 46,000 – CAD 48,000 (tuition + IRCC living expense threshold).
• My India-Based Funds: Around CAD 44,700 across a sanctioned nationalized bank education loan, family fixed deposits, and personal savings.

As you can see, between my parents and myself, I am facing a slight shortfall of around CAD 1,500 – CAD 2,000 for Year 2 depending on the day's exchange rate.

My Brother’s Co-Sponsorship: My biological brother is a Canadian Permanent Resident living and working full-time in Ontario. He is providing a CAD 15,000 financial contribution toward my second-year expenses to create a solid financial buffer.

To document his support, we are including:

1. A signed formal Letter of Financial Support declaring the CAD 15,000 as an unconditional, non-repayable gift for my studies.
2. Proof of status: His Canadian PR Card copy and Indian passport.
3. Proof of employment & income: Official job verification letter, recent pay stubs, and CRA Notice of Assessment (NOA).
4. Proof of liquid funds: Official Canadian bank statements showing sufficient liquid balance exceeding the committed amount.
5. Proof of blood relationship: Both of our government-issued birth certificates showing common biological parents.

My Questions:

1. Has anyone here had their study permit approved where a sibling in Canada sponsored part of their funds (especially for Year 2)?
2. Does the visa officer readily accept a sibling’s signed letter and Canadian financial documents to cover a minor deficit, or do they heavily favor funds coming strictly from the applicant/parents?
3. Since the letter is signed directly by him with all supporting Canadian financial records attached (rather than notarized), is that standard practice, or has anyone faced pushback on a non-notarized letter?

Any firsthand experiences or advice from folks who used sibling sponsorship would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Me, my husband and mg daughter (4 years old at that time) went to Canada in Feb 2025. Me and my husband has working permit and my daugher has a trv. My daughter’s trv will be expiring next year of February. But we are planning on visiting our home country next year as around February as well. What visa do we need to apply for my daughter? Do we need to renew her visitor visa?

…

Hi,

I was planning to convert my funds to a new CAD account to lock in the amount in CAD and avoid fear of currency fluctuation.

So the plan was to add:

1- 6 months Bank statements of main account original currency

2- Current Balance of Main Account

Then transfer to Digital Bank into CAD

3- Transfer proof from the new digital Bank showing that this funds was received from my main account IBAN and Name

4- Current Balance from my Digital Bank

5- LOE, that this was done to lock in CAD

So, my question is this fine or will raise questions of sudden deposit or transfer even if it is between two of my accounts, one contains the history and one just the locked in CAD value?

Thanks

I completed my Canadian PR landing in 2024 using my COPR and stayed in Canada for about a week before returning to the U.S.

About a month later, my first PR card was issued and delivered to my friend’s address in Canada. My friend still has the card and will be traveling to the U.S. soon.

Can my friend simply bring my PR card with him and hand it to me while he’s in the U.S.? Is there any Canadian immigration/customs rule that prohibits someone from personally carrying another person’s PR card across the border for the purpose of giving it to the cardholder?
I’m specifically asking about hand-carrying an already-issued and delivered PR card, not having IRCC mail the card outside Canada.

Has anyone done this recently or found official IRCC/CBSA guidance addressing this situation?

My PGWP expires in February 2027. I’m planning to take a trip abroad in December 2026 and return in early January 2027. At that point, I would have about one month remaining on my PGWP, with an inland spousal PR application pending and potentially an SOWP application pending as well.

Would you advise against taking this trip given the circumstances, or would it generally be okay to travel and return to Canada?

I’d really appreciate any advice, especially from anyone who has been in a similar situation and can share how it went for them.

TIA!