Documents to have ready for the new TR to PR pathway
Foreign workers in Canada thinking of applying for permanent residence under the new temporary resident to permanent resident (TR to PR) pathway can prepare some documents in advance.
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Although the pathway has already launched, according to statements made by Canada’s immigration minister, the government has not published specific eligibility criteria, or any forms or instructions on how to apply, but has said only that more details can be expected in April of 2026.
For the time being, the CIC News team has compiled a list of documents which may prove useful to have handy.
| Document type | Supporting document(s) |
| Proof of language proficiency | Language test results |
| Proof of criminal background check(s) | Police certificates |
| Proof of education | -Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs), for foreign degrees -Transcripts, for Canadian degrees |
| Travel history | -Travel log -Airline booking confirmation -Passports |
| Support of employment | -Complete employment history -Reference letter(s) from employers -T4s (for work in Canada) -Copies of employment contracts |
| Proof of current employment in Canada | -Work permit -Employer reference letter -Pay stubs -Employment contract |
| Documentation of organizational affiliations | -List of organizations you’ve donated to and/or volunteered with -Reference letter(s) -Receipts for donations |
| Identity documents | -Passport -Birth certificate -Marriage documents -Adoption documents |
| Translations | -Certified translation(s) (for documents not in English or French) -Translator affidavit (if not a certified translator) |
In-Canada applicants
| Document type | Supporting document(s) |
|---|---|
| Proof of status in Canada | -Valid temporary status document (work permit, study permit, visitor record) -Entry stamp, or electronic entry record -Evidence of maintained status (if applicable) |
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Family members
| Document type | Supporting document(s) |
|---|---|
| Identity documents | -Passports -Birth certificates -Marriage documents -Civil status documents |
| Travel history | -Travel logs -Airline booking confirmations -Passports |
| Proof of criminal background check(s) | Police certificates |
Specific circumstances
| Document type | Supporting document(s) |
|---|---|
| Letter(s) of explanation | Letter(s) explaining any discrepancies or potential oddities, such as gaps in address, gaps in employment, missing documents |
| Proof of common-law relationship | Proof of address, joint leases, bills, bank accounts, credit cards. |
| Name change certificates | N/A |
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Here are some tips foreign nationals may wish to keep in mind:
Language tests
You can do language tests in advance.
If you’ve already done language tests, ensure that your results are not expired or near to expiry.
Language test results are valid for two years, after which they expire. If your test results expire, you must re-take the language tests and use your most recent results.
Generally, your test results must be valid at the time you apply for permanent residence.
Criminal background check(s)
Police certificates are generally required for each country (aside from Canada) in which you’ve lived for at least 6 months since you turned 18.
In some cases, police certificates may be timely and/or difficult to obtain.
The process for obtaining police certificates varies based on the jurisdiction.
Education
Generally, you can expect to need an educational credential assessment (ECA) from an approved provider for any non-Canadian degree you wish to count for your immigration application.
ECAs expire in five years.
Employment documents
Generally, a copy of your employment agreement will be required.
The employment agreement should demonstrate that the duties of your role align with the job you have claimed under Canada’s National Occupation Classification (NOC).
This ought to be your bona fide agreement; it is not advisable to instruct your employer to copy and paste duties from the NOC.
You may also require copies of previous employment agreements, and/or reference letter(s) from current or previous employers.
Identity documents
Check the expiry date of your passport.
In general, you should have a valid passport or other travel document for the entire duration of your stay in Canada, as well as when applying for permanent residence.
If your passport is near expiry, you may wish to apply to renew it.
Translations
In general, you will require translations of any documents not in English or French.
If the translator is not certified, you’ll generally also require an affidavit from the translator.
Letter(s) of explanation
As a best practice, it is generally advisable to include proactively in your immigration application one or more letter(s) of explanation for anything that may have the potential to muddy the waters.
Any misinterpretation of circumstances on the part of the officer reviewing your application could lead to unnecessary delays, or, in a worst-case scenario, an erroneous refusal based on a misunderstanding.
For example, you might have gaps, or discrepancies (whether actual or simply apparent) in the ranges of your employment and/or address history.
You might be missing certain documents, or you might routinely perform job duties not actually listed on your employment contract.
In these sorts of situations, documenting and presenting such issues in a letter of explanation has the potential to greatly assist the officer reviewing your file in forming a complete and accurate understanding of the required facts to assess your application.
If there is anything whatsoever that you or your representative believes may have the potential to confuse or throw off an officer, addressing that up front in a letter of explanation may reduce the risk of delays and/or refusal.
Common-law relationships
In general, a common-law partner—someone you’ve been living with in a conjugal relationship for at least a year—is treated the same as a spouse for immigration purposes.
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Declaring a common-law partner is not optional.
Even if they aren’t immigrating with you, you must declare a spouse or common-law partner on your immigration application, as well as any dependent children they have (regardless of whether those children are from a previous relationship or not).
You’ll typically be expected to provide proof of being in a common-law relationship, such as documentation showing a shared address (e.g., joint lease or mortgage documents) and/or shared finances (e.g., joint bank account or credit card).
Use of a representative form
If you are using an immigration representative to assist with your application, you must include the use of a representative form along with your immigration application.
You must always disclose any representative, whether that representative is an authorized representative whom you’ve hired, or an unpaid representative such as a friend or family member.
It is perfectly acceptable to use an unauthorized representative, such as a friend or family member, so long as that person receives no pay or other compensation.
If a representative is paid or compensated in any way, they must be authorized.
Failing to disclose a representative is illegal and could result in the refusal of your application, along with up to a five-year ban on Canadian immigration.
Completeness
As a final reminder, you or your representative should ensure that your application includes all required documents, as listed on the document checklist, and that all required fields of the application have been properly completed to the fullest extent possible, following all the instructions on the forms and on the application guides.
If you fail to include a required document, fill in a required field, or even to complete a particular section in toto in accordance with the instructions (for example, leaving a gap in timeline when a timeline with no gaps is required), your application may be returned as incomplete, and there may be no guarantee that you’ll have a chance to re-apply.
Having an immigration application returned as incomplete is one of the worst possible outcomes an applicant can face, so applicants and their representatives should take all possible care to ensure proper submission of a complete application.
- Do you need Canadian immigration assistance? Contact the Contact Cohen Immigration Law firm by completing our form
- Send us your feedback or your non-legal assistance questions by emailing us at media@canadavisa.com
