Who can apply
You can apply for permanent residence if you are a protected person or a protected temporary resident in Canada.
Who is a protected person
You become a protected person if:
: Option 1 of 2
the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) accepts your asylum claim
: Option 2 of 2
your pre-removal risk assessment application is accepted (in most cases)
Who is a protected temporary resident
Protected temporary residents are people who enter Canada on a temporary resident permit (TRP) after we decide they need urgent protection.
Who can’t apply
You can’t apply if you are a protected person in Canada and:
-
you are also a Convention refugee in another country where you could go and live
-
you are also a citizen, national or permanent resident of a country other than your country of persecution
If you’re a designated foreign national (DFN)
Groups of people who arrive in Canada irregularly are sometimes specified as DFNs when the Minister of Public Safety suspects they were brought into the country through:
- human trafficking or smuggling
- the help of criminal organizations
As a DFN, you must wait 5 to 6 years after the final decision on your asylum claim (legally known as a refugee protection claim) or pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) before you can apply for permanent residence.
The waiting period starts from the date of the final decision on your claim or PRRA and can extend up to 6 years if you fail to follow the conditions set by the Canada Border Services Agency.
If you submit a permanent residence application before the end of the 5- or 6-year period, we’ll return it.