How do I apply for Canada PR from India?
Applying for Canada PR from India is a sequence: English test, educational credential assessment, an Express Entry profile, then an invitation and the full application within 60 days. Everything is filed online through your IRCC account. Preparation usually takes two to four months before the profile goes in.
Before the profile
Two things have to exist before Express Entry will accept you, and both take time.
- A language test. IELTS General Training or CELPIP for English; TEF or TCF for French. Results must be less than two years old when you apply.
- An educational credential assessment. WES is the most used designated organisation for Indian degrees. You send transcripts directly from your university; a report typically takes several weeks after documents arrive.
Gather your employment reference letters now too. IRCC wants them on company letterhead with your title, duties, hours and salary, and this is where most Indian files stall.
The profile
You create an IRCC secure account and enter your education, work history, language results and family details. The system tells you which stream you qualify for and gives you a CRS score. The profile sits in the pool for up to twelve months.
While it sits there, apply to provincial programmes. Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba each publish occupation-based streams, and a nomination adds 600 points.
After the invitation
You have 60 days to submit the complete application: passport, police clearance certificates from every country you have lived in for six months or more since 18, an upfront medical from a panel physician, proof of funds, and the reference letters. Biometrics are given at a visa application centre in India. The processing fee and the right of permanent residence fee are paid online at submission.
What we do in that sequence
Confirm which stream you fit, check the reference letters before they are sent, and file the provincial applications alongside the federal profile. Start with the free assessment; it tells you whether the score is worth filing.
Sources
Checked against these on by Anu Francis, Head of Sales — Canada Migration. Immigration rules change without notice — if you are reading this much later, check them again.