Newcomer services
Changes to eligibility for economic class permanent residents
If you’re a permanent resident (PR) outside Quebec, you can access our free newcomer services (opens in a new tab) . This includes PR applicants who have been approved in principle.
There’s now a time limit to access these services if you’re an economic class PR.
On this page
- New eligibility period for economic class PRs
- Other eligible newcomers
- If you become a Canadian citizen
New eligibility period for economic class PRs
You’re an economic class PR if we approved your application through certain economic and employment programs.
Examples of economic class PR programs
- Programs under Express Entry:
- Canadian Experience Class
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Provincial Nominee Program
- Atlantic Immigration Program
- Start-up Visa Program
- Self-Employed Persons Program
- Rural Community Immigration Pilot
- Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot
- Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
- Francophone Community Immigration Pilot
- Agri-Food Pilot
- Home Care Worker Immigration pilots
- Temporary resident to permanent resident pathway
If you’re an economic class PR
- starting April 1, 2026, you can access newcomer services for up to 6 years from the date you became a PR
- starting April 1, 2027, you can access the services for up to 5 years from the date you became a PR
- if they’re in the same PR application, these periods also apply to your
- spouse or common-law partner
- dependent children
These changes apply to all economic class PRs, including people who became PRs before April 1, 2026.
The date you became a PR
The date is in the “Became P.R. on” field in the “Personal Details” section of your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR).
You get the COPR after we approve your PR application.
Examples of eligibility period
Example 1: You became a PR on or before April 1, 2020
Starting April 1, 2026, you can no longer access settlement services.
Example 2: You became a PR between April 2, 2020, and March 31, 2027
You have 6 years from the date you became a PR to access the services.
For example, if you became a PR on June 21, 2021, you can access the services until June 30, 2027.
Example 3: You become a PR on or after April 1, 2027
You have 5 years from the date you become a PR to access the services.
For example, if you become a PR on May 4, 2027, you can access the services until May 31, 2032.
If you’re not sure about your eligibility period
You can contact a service provider organization to
- check if your eligibility has ended
- refer you to other services or organizations that may meet your needs
Other eligible newcomers
There’s no time limit to access newcomer services if you’re
- a PR approved through a non-economic PR program
- a resettled refugee
- a protected person, or
- a temporary resident approved under certain programs or pathways
Examples of other eligible newcomers
PRs
Examples of non-economic PR programs are as follows:
- Family sponsorship
- Refugee resettlement
- Hong Kong residents in Canada
- Resettled Yazidis and survivors of Daesh
- Foreign nationals who were in state care
- Ukrainian nationals with families in Canada
- Family-based program for Colombians, Haitians and Venezuelans
- Families of flight PS752 victims
- People affected by the conflict in Sudan
- Out-of-status construction workers in the Greater Toronto Area
Non-PRs
The following groups are eligible:
- protected persons with an approved asylum claim
- Palestinians and their families who left Gaza on or after September 1, 2023 (until March 31, 2027)
- temporary residents (and their families) in these programs:
If you become a Canadian citizen
Canadian citizens are not eligible for newcomer services. If you’re now a citizen, these services are no longer available for you (regardless of how or when you became a PR).