Moving from temporary to permanent residence

Overview

Moving from temporary to permanent residence

The federal temporary resident to permanent resident pathway closed on November 5, 2021. No new application can be made under its worker, graduate or French-speaking streams.

The former six streams ended in 2021

The public policies accepted certain health-care and essential workers and recent Canadian graduates, with parallel French-speaking streams. Reaching a similar amount of Canadian work or education now does not reopen that program.

Ignore pages that present the TR-to-PR pathway as a current general option. IRCC lists it among closed programs.

Existing applicants can still monitor their files

People who filed in 2021 can use IRCC’s status tools and respond to requests. Keep passports, family information and contact details current during processing.

Eligible pending applicants can apply for the pathway-specific open work permit until December 31, 2026 under the current instructions. Check eligibility and file before that date rather than assuming the PR acknowledgment alone authorizes work.

Current temporary-to-permanent routes are program-specific

Workers may consider Canadian Experience Class, a provincial nomination, Atlantic or community pilots, family sponsorship or another current route. Graduates often look at post-graduation work authorization and then an economic program.

Each route has its own work-experience window, language, NOC, employer and destination rules. Prior eligibility for the 2021 public policy does not establish eligibility today.

New announcements must be read on their own terms

The government sometimes creates targeted public policies or initiatives for defined groups. An announced target or processing initiative is not automatically an open application stream.

Use Canada.ca to confirm an application form, eligibility page, effective date and intake status before paying for tests, employer documents or representation.