Foreign nationals seeking Canadian permanent residency have various options, even if they have a low Comprehensive Ranking System score in Express Entry. Today, we will discuss how you can get Canadian permanent residency with a low CRS score.
Well, if you have a low CRS score and do not qualify for any category-based draws, you are unlikely to obtain an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency through Canada’s federal Express Entry system.
Also, if you have a low CRS score and wish to get PR, then you can consider:
- Provincial Nominee Programs
- The Atlantic Immigration Pilot
- Family Sponsorship
- Immigration Pilots
Let’s discuss these options in detail.
Which Programs Should You Be Looking At?
| Program | Who Is It For | Summary Of Major Criteria |
| Provincial Nominee Programs | Foreign nationals with an intent to reside in particular province or territory, other than Quebec or Nunavut | Varies depending on the province.
Over 80 different streams. |
| The Atlantic Immigration Pilot | Foreign nationals with an intent to reside in an Atlantic province, with a job offer from an eligible employer | Job offer from an eligible employer; work experience or education; language requirements |
| Spousal Sponsorship | Foreign nationals in a marriage, common-law, or conjugal relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident | Sponsor must be your spouse |
| Family Sponsorship – Dependent Child | Foreign nationals who are dependent children of Canadian citizens and permanent residents | Sponsor must be your parent.
You must be a dependent child |
| Parents and Grandparents Program | Foreign nationals who have an eligible sponsor | Sponsor must be your child or grandchild |
| Immigration Pilots | Foreign nationals who qualify for a specific pilot | Varies depending on the pilot |
Provincial Nominee Programs
If you have a low CRS Score and do not have a potential family sponsor, and don’t qualify for any immigration pilots, then going through a PNP program is likely to be your best shot at obtaining an invitation to apply for Canada PR under an economic immigration program.
In order to qualify for any PNP program, you must demonstrate an intent to reside in the province or territory to which you are applying for sponsorship and should also meet the specific criteria for that PNP stream, which have been established by the territory/ province.
All provinces and territories have PNPs except for Nunavut and Quebec.
If you are looking to apply to a PNP, it is vital to understand that there are two kinds of PNPs, i.e., base PNPs and enhanced PNPs. The major differences are summarized in the table below:
| Type Of PNP | Requirements | What You Obtain, If Successful | Typical Processing Time For PR |
| Base | Meet requirements of PNP | Certificate of nomination | 12 Months |
| Enhanced |
|
600 additional points on your Express Entry profile | 6 Months |
In the case of base PNPs, you apply directly to the PNP, and if successful, you will obtain a certificate of nomination, which you can use to apply to IRCC for PR.
On the other hand, enhanced PNPs integrate with Canada’s federal Express Entry system. In order to be eligible for an enhanced PNP program, you must qualify for at least one of the three federal Express Entry-managed economic immigration programs, i.e., the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Moreover, if you are successful with an enhanced PNP, upon obtaining your provincial nomination, you will score a maximum of 600 additional points on your Express Entry profile, greatly increasing your ranking in the applicant pool. You can obtain your invitation to apply directly from IRCC if they select you in an Express Entry draw.
Some PNP streams are purely base streams; others are enhanced, while others have both a base and enhanced option.
The primary advantage of an enhanced PNP is a faster expected processing time of your permanent residence application after you apply to IRCC.
Enhanced PNP programs typically have around a six month processing time, while base PNPs typically have around a 12 month processing time.
How To Apply To A PNP?
In order to get Canadian permanent residency with a low CRS score, you need to apply for a PNP.
If you are considering PNPs, the primary step is to determine which stream you are eligible for and the provinces in which you intend to reside.
There are around 80 PNP streams. The stream varies quite a bit depending on the province or territory. Typically, aspects for eligibility of PNPs include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Age
- Education
- Language Proficiency
- An Employment Offer
- Your Profession
- Settlement Funds
- Work Province
- Ties To The Province
- License/ Certification For Your Profession
Once you have done your own research or consulted with an experienced immigration representative to determine which stream you are eligible for, the next step is to follow the consideration process for that stream.
The province sets the consideration process, and these, too, might vary from stream to stream.
For some PNP streams, you can apply directly to the PNP whenever you like by submitting a complete application, and if successful, you will obtain a provincial nomination. Typically, the streams for which you can apply at will require that you have a job offer.
For other PNP streams, you must first obtain an invitation from the PNP prior to applying.
For those PNP streams that require that applicants first obtain an invitation, there are two main kinds, i.e., active and passive.
Active streams require that the applicant take some action in order to be considered. For instance, you might need to create an account in the province’s online system and submit an expression of interest (EOI) or letter of interest (LOI) to the province.
Depending on the PNP stream, that province might review each and every EOI and LOI submitted and make a decision on each one.
Alternatively, upon obtaining your EOI or LOI, the PNP might place your profile in a pool of applicants, score your profile based on their own ranking system, and conduct periodic draws in which they issue Notifications of Interests (NOIs), Invitations to Apply (ITAs), or Letters of Advice to Apply (LOAs) to top-ranking applicants.
For passive streams, you do not need to take any special action to be considered. A passive consideration PNP stream integrates with the federal Express Entry system. The province will review all active Express Entry profiles that meet the criteria for that passive PNP stream. It will further select and notify applicants to apply to the PNP for nomination.
The Atlantic Immigration Program
In order to get Canadian permanent residency with a low CRS score, the next program you can apply for is the Atlantic Immigration Program.
To apply for it, you must have a job offer from a designated employer in one of Canada’s Atlantic Provinces.
Canada’s Atlantic provinces are:
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
- Newfoundland and Labrador
Employers can become designated by applying to the province in which they are located. Each province has its own application process for the designation of employers.
If you have an employment offer and meet all the criteria, your employer can apply for the Certificate of Endorsement. This certificate will help you apply for permanent residence.
You might also be eligible for a two-year work permit as an AIP nominee.
Spousal Sponsorship
If your spouse is a Canadian citizen, they might be able to sponsor you for Canadian PR.
Provided that you have the appropriate relation to an eligible sponsor and you are eligible yourself, you can apply directly to IRCC for permanent residence under this program.
It is vital to note that you must be in a genuine relationship to qualify for spousal sponsorship. It is illegal to marry for immigration purposes.
Moreover, marrying for immigration purposes can lead to a refusal of your application or even revocation of your permanent residence.
Family Sponsorship – Dependent Child
In order to get Canadian permanent residency with a low CRS score, one can apply for the family sponsorship program.
If you are a dependent child of a Canadian citizen, they might be able to sponsor you for Canadian PR.
As with spousal sponsorship, if you and the sponsor are both eligible, you can apply to IRCC directly.
In general, you are considered a dependent child for immigration purposes if you are:
- Under the age of 22
- Not married or in a common-law relationship
In some cases, you can qualify as a dependent child if you are 22 or older, provided that:
- You were financially dependent on your parents prior to the age of 22
- You remain financially dependent on your parents because of a mental or physical condition
You must meet the definition of a dependent child for the entire duration of the processing of the application.
Family Sponsorship – Parents and Grandparents Program
If you’re the parent/grandparent of a Canadian citizen, your parent/ grandparent may be able to sponsor you for PR.
Unlike family sponsorship for spouses and children, however, being able to apply for PR under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is not a sure thing.
You must first submit an interest to sponsor form and then wait to be invited under a lottery system.
The PGP obtained its maximum number of allotted interest to sponsor submissions in 2020. After this, IRCC ceased to accept interest to sponsor submissions. All invitations sent from 2020 to 2024 have been in response to the 2020 intake.
Should the management of the program carry on in accordance with past events, receiving an invitation to apply for PR under the PGP program might prove both time-consuming as well as difficult.
However, you do not have to gain PR status for extended visits to Canada. If you are a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can take advantage of the super visa to visit your family members for up to five years at a time.
Immigration Pilots
In order to get a Canadian permanent residency with a low CRS score, you can also apply for Immigration Pilot Programs.
The Canadian government runs immigration pilots, which can also provide pathways to permanent residence for eligible foreign nationals.
As with the PNP, there are different immigration pilots. You need to do your research or consult with an experienced immigration representative to determine which pilot programs are presently operating for which you may be eligible.
Current federal pilot programs at the time of writing include the Agri-Food Pilot.
The federal government has declared its intention to launch a new caregiver program pilot. However, it has not yet released details on eligibility or when this program is expected to launch.
Immigration pilots are temporary programs. When the government declares a given pilot program, they typically also announce an end date for the program.
Successful pilots can become permanent pathways to PR. The Atlantic Immigration Program and the Rural Canadian Immigration Class are examples of permanent programs which have come out of successful pilots.
If you’re eligible for a pilot program, ensure that you follow the exact process for consideration. You also have to avoid any errors in your application and you need to meet all deadlines for consideration for the program.
If a pilot program closes before you can be considered, there is no guarantee that you’ll gain another opportunity.
MakeHomeCanada, a Canadian immigration leader, promises excellence and tailored pathways for your Canadian journey. Get in touch with us at [email protected].
